Depression and pain

In recent years, the relationship between pain and depression has been actively studied.

According to some data, up to 50% of cases of depression are accompanied by complaints of pain, the localization and nature of which may be different. At the same time, the risk of developing a depressive disorder in people with chronic pain is much higher than in the population.

According to various data, up to 85% of people who experience chronic pain (as a stress factor) also suffer from depression of varying severity.

It is known that depression is a concomitant disease in chronic pain. On the other hand, pain can be one of the manifestations of depression (abdominal pain, headaches, muscle pain-are the most common).

However, data on the overall biological nature of these changes are of interest:

Neurotransmitter systems involved in the regulation of affective background, sleep, anxiety levels, and stress responses are also part of the analgesic endogenous system:

• Serotonin
• Norepinephrine
• Endorphins

It was also revealed that in chronic pain, the same brain structures are involved that have been proven to be involved in mood regulation: the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, and amygdala.