Sex differences in depressive-like behavior following peripheral nerve injury in mice

Chronic neuropathic pain is difficult to treat and is associated with comorbidities, such as reduced sleep quality, depressed mood and anxiety that negatively affect patient outcome. Patients suffering from chronic pain conditions have a heightened stress response and elevated plasma cortisol levels. However, it remains unknown how pain-related stress fundamentally changes neural circuitry and whether this contributes to the vast array of comorbid disorders associated with chronic pain states. In order to determine the neural changes that occur in the brain following peripheral nerve injury, we assessed changes in glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus using the spared nerve injury (SNI) model of neuropathic pain.
Source: The Journal of Pain - Category: Materials Science Authors: Source Type: research