Share of Cost, Brain inflammation links chronic pain with depression
For the first time, scientists have discovered that brain inflammation caused by chronic nerve pain can affect signaling in the regions of the brain associated with mood and motivation. This discovery suggests there is a mechanism that connects chronic pain with symptoms of depression and anxiety that many patients experience.
The findings of the study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, could lead to new methods of treatment for chronic pain, the most common form of enduring illness for people aged below 60 in the US.