People who are in pain often have other mental health problems, like anxiety and depression, which can make their situation worse.

A new study published in JNeurosci indicates that stimulating a circuit between the amygdala and brainstem alleviates pain and lowers protective behavior in rats.

Psychological comorbidities such as anxiety and depression are common among people in pain, and they might worsen their prognosis.

A connection between the amygdala and a nucleus in the brainstem could be used to manage pain’s effects on both the body and the mind.

Hogri et al. used chemical, mechanical, and thermal pain stimuli to activate the circuit in rats and then assessed their response. The brainstem’s response to all three stimuli was reduced when the circuit was stimulated, indicating pain alleviation.

Stimulating the circuit reduced the rats’ defensive actions in response to a danger in a different circumstance. It also increased the rats’ reward and feeding behavior, indicating that they were feeling safe.

The combination of these behavioral changes suggests that the circuit helps rats transition from a negative to a positive emotional state.

There is currently no mechanism to trigger a specific brain circuit in humans. Existing brain stimulation methods are insufficiently precise, and they may activate nearby circuits, increasing pain and negative feelings.

However, overcoming these technological stumbling obstacles could lead to a treatment that tackles both the pain and the unpleasant emotions it causes.

Image Credit: Getty

You were reading: An Amygdala-brainstem Circuit Reduced Pain And Lifted Rats’ Mood