Anterior cingulate cortex, pain perception, and pathological neuronal plasticity during chronic pain

2022 ◽  
pp. 193-202
Author(s):  
Fernando Kasanetz ◽  
Mario A. Acuña ◽  
Thomas Nevian
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Neuronal Plasticity ◽  
Pain Perception ◽  
Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Anterior Cingulate

scholarly journals Effect of Electroacupuncture on Pain Perception and Pain-Related Affection: Dissociation or Interaction Based on the Anterior Cingulate Cortex and S1

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Yan Shi ◽  
Shujing Yao ◽  
Zui Shen ◽  
Lijiao She ◽  
Yingling Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Pain Perception ◽  
Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Oscillatory Activity ◽  
Theta Band ◽  
Neural Oscillation ◽  
Alpha Beta ◽  
Anxious Behavior

Electroacupuncture (EA) can effectively modulate pain perception and pain-related negative affect; however, we do not know whether the effect of EA on sensation and affect is parallel, or dissociated, interactional. In this study, we observed the effects of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) lesion and the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) activation on pain perception, pain-related affection, and neural oscillation in S1. ACC lesions did not affect pain perception but relieved pain-paired aversion. S1 activation increased pain perception and anxious behavior. EA can mitigate pain perception regardless of whether there is an ACC lesion. Chronic pain may increase the delta and theta band oscillatory activity in the S1 brain region and decrease the oscillatory activity in the alpha, beta, and gamma bands. EA intervention may inhibit the oscillatory activity of the alpha and beta bands. These results suggest that EA may mitigate chronic pain by relieving pain perception and reducing pain-related affection through different mechanisms. This evidence builds upon findings from previous studies of chronic pain and EA treatment.

scholarly journals Chronic Pain is Associated With Reduced Sympathetic Nervous System Reactivity During Simple and Complex Walking Tasks: Potential Cerebral Mechanisms

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 247054702110302
Author(s):  
Taylor D. Yeater ◽  
David J. Clark ◽  
Lorraine Hoyos ◽  
Pedro A. Valdes-Hernandez ◽  
Julio A. Peraza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Gray Matter ◽  
Dual Task ◽  
Brain Region ◽  
Skin Conductance Level ◽  
Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Autonomic Responses ◽  
The Difference

Background Autonomic dysregulation may lead to blunted sympathetic reactivity in chronic pain states. Autonomic responses are controlled by the central autonomic network (CAN). Little research has examined sympathetic reactivity and associations with brain CAN structures in the presence of chronic pain; thus, the present study aims to investigate how chronic pain influences sympathetic reactivity and associations with CAN brain region volumes. Methods Sympathetic reactivity was measured as change in skin conductance level (ΔSCL) between a resting reference period and walking periods for typical and complex walking tasks (obstacle and dual-task). Participants included 31 people with (n = 19) and without (n = 12) chronic musculoskeletal pain. Structural 3 T MRI was used to determine gray matter volume associations with ΔSCL in regions of the CAN (i.e., brainstem, amygdala, insula, and anterior cingulate cortex). Results ΔSCL varied across walking tasks (main effect p = 0.036), with lower ΔSCL in chronic pain participants compared to controls across trials 2 and 3 under the obstacle walking condition. ΔSCL during typical walking was associated with multiple CAN gray matter volumes, including brainstem, bilateral insula, amygdala, and right caudal anterior cingulate cortex (p’s < 0.05). The difference in ΔSCL from typical-to-obstacle walking were associated with volumes of the midbrain segment of the brainstem and anterior segment of the circular sulcus of the insula (p’s < 0.05), with no other significant associations. The difference in ΔSCL from typical-to-dual task walking was associated with the bilateral caudal anterior cingulate cortex, and left rostral cingulate cortex (p’s < 0.05). Conclusions Sympathetic reactivity is blunted during typical and complex walking tasks in persons with chronic pain. Additionally, blunted sympathetic reactivity is associated with CAN brain structure, with direction of association dependent on brain region. These results support the idea that chronic pain may negatively impact typical autonomic responses needed for walking performance via its potential impact on the brain.

scholarly journals Pra-C exerts analgesic effect through inhibiting microglial activation in anterior cingulate cortex in complete Freund’s adjuvant-induced mouse model

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
pp. 174480692199093
Author(s):  
Dan-jie Su ◽  
Long-fei Li ◽  
Sai-ying Wang ◽  
Qi Yang ◽  
Yu-jing Wu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Mouse Model ◽  
Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Analgesic Effect ◽  
Microglial Activation ◽  
Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Freund’S Adjuvant ◽  
Complete Freund's Adjuvant ◽  
Freund's Adjuvant

Chronic pain is highly prevalent worldwide and severely affects daily lives of patients and family members. Praeruptorin C (Pra-C) is a main active ingredient derived from Peucedanum praeruptorum Dunn, traditionally used as antibechic, anti-bronchitis and anti-hypertension drug. Here, we evaluated the effects of Pra-C in a chronic inflammatory pain mouse model induced by complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA) injection. Pra-C (3 mg/kg) treatment for just 3 days after CFA challenge relieved CFA-induced mechanical allodynia and hindpaw edema in mice. In the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), Pra-C treatment inhibited microglia activation and reduced levels of proinflammatory cytokines, TNF-α and IL-1β, and suppressed upregulation of glutamate receptors caused by CFA injection. In addition, Pra-C attenuated neuronal hyperexcitability in ACC of CFA-injected mice. In vitro studies confirmed the analgesic effect of Pra-C was due to its inhibitory ability on microglial activation. In conclusion, Pra-C administration had a certain effect on relieving chronic pain by inhibiting microglial activation, attenuating proinflammatory cytokine releasing and regulating excitatory synaptic proteins in the ACC of the CFA-injected mice.

Synaptic plasticity in the anterior cingulate cortex in acute and chronic pain

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (8) ◽  
pp. 485-496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim V. P. Bliss ◽  
Graham L. Collingridge ◽  
Bong-Kiun Kaang ◽  
Min Zhuo
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Synaptic Plasticity ◽  
Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Anterior Cingulate

Activation of the anterior cingulate cortex by thalamic stimulation in patients with chronic pain: a positron emission tomography study

2000 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Karen D. Davis ◽  
Ethan Taub ◽  
Frank Duffner ◽  
Andres M. Lozano ◽  
Ronald R. Tasker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Positron Emission Tomography ◽  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Pain Relief ◽  
Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Analgesic Effect ◽  
Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Emission Tomography ◽  
Intractable Pain ◽  
Positron Emission

Object Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the sensory thalamus has been used to treat chronic, intractable pain. The goal of this study was to investigate the thalamocortical pathways activated during thalamic DBS. Methods The authors compared positron emission tomography (PET) images obtained before, during, and after DBS in five patients with chronic pain. Two of the five patients reported significant DBS-induced pain relief during PET scanning, and the remaining three patients did not report any analgesic effect of DBS during scanning. The most robust effect associated with DBS was activation of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). An anterior ACC activation was sustained throughout the 40 minutes of DBS, whereas a more posteriorly located ACC activation occurred at a delay after onset of DBS, although these activations were not dependent on the degree of pain relief reported during DBS. However, implications specific to the analgesic effect of DBS require further study of a larger, more homogeneous patient population. Additional effects of thalamic DBS were detected in motor-related regions (the globus pallidus, cortical area 4, and the cerebellum) and visual and association cortical areas. Conclusions The authors demonstrate that the ACC is activated during thalamic DBS in patients with chronic pain.

scholarly journals The PKCγ neurons in anterior cingulate cortex contribute to the development of neuropathic allodynia and pain-related emotion

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
pp. 174480692110619
Author(s):  
Xiao Zhang ◽  
Peng Liu ◽  
Xiaolan He ◽  
Zhenhua Jiang ◽  
Qun Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neuropathic Pain ◽  
Patch Clamp ◽  
Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Mechanical Allodynia ◽  
Pain Perception ◽  
Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Fos Expression ◽  
Aversive Behavior

Background While the PKCγ neurons in spinal dorsal horn play an indispensable part in neuropathic allodynia, the exact effect of PKCγ neurons of brain regions in neuropathic pain remains elusive. Mounting research studies have depicted that the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is closely linked with pain perception and behavior, the present study was designed to investigate the contribution of PKCγ neurons in ACC to neuropathic allodynia and pain-related emotion in newly developed Prkcg-P2A-Tdtomato mice. Methods The c-fos expression in response to innocuous stimulation was used to monitor the activity of PKCγ in CCI (chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve) induced neuropathic pain condition. Activating or silencing ACC PKCγ neurons by chemogenetics was applied to observe the changes of pain behavior. The excitability of ACC PKCγ neurons in normal and CCI mice was compared by patch-clamp whole-cell recordings. Results The PKCγ-Tdtomato neurons were mainly distributed in layer III-Vof ACC. The Tdtomato was mainly expressed in ACC pyramidal neurons demonstrated by intracellular staining. The c-fos expression in ACC PKCγ neurons in response to innocuous stimulation was obviously elevated in CCI mice. The patch clamp recordings showed that ACC PKCγ-Tdtomato neurons were largely activated in CCI mice. Chemogenetic activation of ACC PKCγ neurons in Prkcg-icre mice induced mechanical allodynia and pain-related aversive behavior, conversely, silencing them in CCI condition significantly reversed the mechanical allodynia and pain-related place aversive behavior. Conclusion We conclude that the PKCγ neurons in ACC are closely linked with neuropathic allodynia and pain-related emotional behaviors.

scholarly journals Musical Hallucinations in Chronic Pain: The Anterior Cingulate Cortex Regulates Internally Generated Percepts

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashlyn Schmitgen ◽  
Jeremy Saal ◽  
Narayan Sankaran ◽  
Maansi Desai ◽  
Isabella Joseph ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Anterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Brain Network ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Functional Brain Network ◽  
Band Activity ◽  
Stimulation Of

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has been extensively implicated in the functional brain network underlying chronic pain. Electrical stimulation of the ACC has been proposed as a therapy for refractory chronic pain, although, mechanisms of therapeutic action are still unclear. As stimulation of the ACC has been reported to produce many different behavioral and perceptual responses, this region likely plays a varied role in sensory and emotional integration as well as modulating internally generated perceptual states. In this case series, we report the emergence of subjective musical hallucinations (MH) after electrical stimulation of the ACC in two patients with refractory chronic pain. In an N-of-1 analysis from one patient, we identified neural activity (local field potentials) that distinguish MH from both the non-MH condition and during a task involving music listening. Music hallucinations were associated with reduced alpha band activity and increased gamma band activity in the ACC. Listening to similar music was associated with different changes in ACC alpha and gamma power, extending prior results that internally generated perceptual phenomena are supported by circuits in the ACC. We discuss these findings in the context of phantom perceptual phenomena and posit a framework whereby chronic pain may be interpreted as a persistent internally generated percept.

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