Thursday, June 11, 2015

Study links brain inflammation triggered by chronic pain to anxiety and depression

Also, chronic pain interferes with good sleep.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-06/uoc--usl060915.php

Public Release: 9-Jun-2015
University of California - Irvine

Brain inflammation caused by chronic nerve pain alters activity in regions that regulate mood and motivation, suggesting for the first time that a direct biophysical link exists between long-term pain and the depression, anxiety and substance abuse seen in more than half of these patients, UC Irvine and UCLA researchers report.

This breakthrough finding also points to new approaches for treating chronic pain, which is second only to bipolar disorder among illness-related causes of suicide. About a quarter of Americans suffer from chronic pain, making it the most common form of enduring illness for those under the age of 60. The Institute of Medicine estimates that this costs our society more than $635 billion per year.

•••••

No comments:

Post a Comment