Cited by 52Pain Mechanisms and TreatmentsNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorPain Management and Treatment

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Involvement of the nucleus accumbens and dopamine system in chronic pain

Benarroch, Eduardo E.·2016·Neurology

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Abstract

Chronic pain syndrome is a complex disorder that includes not only the presence of spontaneous pain and exaggerated responses to painful and nonpainful stimuli but also the development of a negative affective, motivational, and cognitive state and the persistent desire to eliminate pain. Recent evidence indicates that chronic pain shares basic mechanisms with reward-based learning and drug addiction1–3 and that the transition from acute to chronic pain reflects functional reorganization of this reward/motivational circuitry.4

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Background
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Authors: Benarroch, E. E.
Affiliations: Mayo Clinic (US)
Corresponding author: Benarroch, Eduardo E.
ORCID: Benarroch, Eduardo E.
Venue: Neurology
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Published: 2016-10-18
Volume: 87
Issue: 16
Pages: 1720-1726
ISSN: 0028-3878 (ISSN-L)
1526-632X
DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000003243
OpenAlex: W2522550648
Cited by: 52
References: 68
Citations by year: 2026: 3 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 1
FWCI: 3.22
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: Neurology (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics: Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology (medical) › Pain Mechanisms and Treatments
Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
Health Sciences › Medicine › Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine › Pain Management and Treatment
Keywords: chronic pain, nucleus accumbens, dopaminergic system, reward learning, drug addiction, negative affect, cognitive states, acute to chronic pain transition, functional reorganization
MeSH terms: Aged, Animals, Dopamine, Humans, Male, Motivation, Nucleus Accumbens, Mice, Pain Perception, Chronic Pain

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Involvement of the nucleus accumbens and dopamine system in chronic pain

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