@misc{10498/15966,
year = {2014},
month = {3},
url = {http://hdl.handle.net/10498/15966},
abstract = {Depression can influence pain and vice versa, yet the biological mechanisms underlying how one influences the pathophysiology of the other remains unclear. Dysregulation of locus coeruleus-noradrenergic transmission is implicated in both conditions, although it is not known whether this effect is exacerbated in cases of co-morbid depression and chronic pain. We studied locus coeruleus activity using immunofluorescence and electrophysiological approaches in rats subjected to unpredictable chronic mild stress (CMS, an experimental model of depression) and/or chronic constriction injury (CCI, a model of chronic neuropathic pain) for 2 weeks. CCI alone had no effect on any of the locus coeruleus parameters studied, while CMS led to a slight reduction in the electrophysiological activity of the locus coeruleus. Furthermore, CMS was associated with an increase in the number of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive cells in the locus coeruleus, although they were smaller in size. Interestingly, these effects of CMS were exacerbated when combined with CCI, even though no changes in the α2-adrenoreceptors or the noradrenaline transporter were observed in any group. Together, these findings suggest that CMS triggers several modifications in locus coeruleus-noradrenergic transmission that are exacerbated by co-morbid chronic pain.},
keywords = {pain},
keywords = {depression},
keywords = {locus coeruleus},
keywords = {noradrenergic},
title = {Pain exacerbates chronic mild stress-induced changes in noradrenergic transmission in rats},
doi = {10.1016/j.euroneuro.2014.01.011},
author = {Bravo García, Lidia and Torres Sánchez, Sonia and Micó Segura, Juan Antonio and Berrocoso Domínguez, Esther María and Alba Delgado, Cristina},
}