Dynamics of Lateral Habenula-Ventral Tegmental Area Microcircuit on Pain-Related Cognitive Dysfunctions.
Ana Raquel PereiraMobina AlemiMariana Cerqueira-NunesClara MonteiroVasco GalhardoHelder Cardoso-CruzPublished in: Neurology international (2023)
Chronic pain is a health problem that affects the ability to work and perform other activities, and it generally worsens over time. Understanding the complex pain interaction with brain circuits could help predict which patients are at risk of developing central dysfunctions. Increasing evidence from preclinical and clinical studies suggests that aberrant activity of the lateral habenula (LHb) is associated with depressive symptoms characterized by excessive negative focus, leading to high-level cognitive dysfunctions. The primary output region of the LHb is the ventral tegmental area (VTA), through a bidirectional connection. Recently, there has been growing interest in the complex interactions between the LHb and VTA, particularly regarding their crucial roles in behavior regulation and their potential involvement in the pathological impact of chronic pain on cognitive functions. In this review, we briefly discuss the structural and functional roles of the LHb-VTA microcircuit and their impact on cognition and mood disorders in order to support future studies addressing brain plasticity during chronic pain conditions.
Keyphrases
- chronic pain
- pain management
- depressive symptoms
- white matter
- spinal cord
- end stage renal disease
- resting state
- healthcare
- newly diagnosed
- ejection fraction
- deep brain stimulation
- minimally invasive
- public health
- bipolar disorder
- functional connectivity
- mental health
- prognostic factors
- mild cognitive impairment
- stem cells
- multiple sclerosis
- health information
- weight gain
- peritoneal dialysis
- body mass index
- mesenchymal stem cells
- neuropathic pain
- patient reported outcomes