RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Targeting Prefrontal Cortex Dysfunction in Pain
JF Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
JO J Pharmacol Exp Ther
FD American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
SP 268
OP 276
DO 10.1124/jpet.123.002046
VO 389
IS 3
A1 Kummer, Kai
A1 Sheets, Patrick L.
YR 2024
UL http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/389/3/268.abstract
AB The prefrontal cortex (PFC) has justifiably become a significant focus of chronic pain research. Collectively, decades of rodent and human research have provided strong rationale for studying the dysfunction of the PFC as a contributing factor in the development and persistence of chronic pain and as a key supraspinal mechanism for pain-induced comorbidities such as anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline. Chronic pain alters the structure, chemistry, and connectivity of PFC in both humans and rodents. In this review, we broadly summarize the complexities of reported changes within both rodent and human PFC caused by pain and offer insight into potential pharmacological and nonpharmacological approaches for targeting PFC to treat chronic pain and pain-associated comorbidities.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Chronic pain is a significant unresolved medical problem causing detrimental changes to physiological, psychological, and behavioral aspects of life. Drawbacks of currently approved pain therapeutics include incomplete efficacy and potential for abuse producing a critical need for novel approaches to treat pain and comorbid disorders. This review provides insight into how manipulation of prefrontal cortex circuits could address this unmet need of more efficacious and safer pain therapeutics.