University of Valencia logo Logo Laboratory of Behavioral, Affective and Cognitive Neuroscience (BACNeuLab) Logo del portal

Emotional and cognitive comorbidities of chronic pain: Translational studies of the mPFC and gut-brain axis alterations and the impact of alcohol intake with gender perspective

Chronic pain often accompanies neuropsychiatric conditions, impacting patient well-being, and worsening prognosis. The gut-brain axis, autonomic nervous system and alterations in some brain areas have emerged as crucial in pain chronification. Studies in rodents and humans reveal significant neuroadaptations within the mesocorticolimbic system fostering the emerge of negative affective states and cognitive deficits that promote maladaptive behaviours, such as compulsive alcohol consumption, and predicting pain chronification. Pilot research indicates sex-dependent glial alterations induced by pain within the mesocorticolimbic system potentially linking inflammation, glutamate neurotransmission, and behavioural changes. Interestingly, all these brain alterations are connected to gut by means of vagal afferences. Our hypothesis suggests that chronic pain disrupts vmPFC-NAc function via glial alterations, affecting cognitive and emotional behaviours, with sex-specific effects on alcohol consumption. Chronic pain (inflammatory, nociplastic and/or central sensitization) disrupts the gut-brain axis through the vagal pathway, exacerbated by alcohol consumption. This imbalance intensifies vmPFC-NAc alterations, perpetuating pain and its comorbidities. Understanding these brain-body mechanisms could identify chronic pain patient phenotypes as potential biomarkers, providing targeted psychological and gut microbiota interventions for pain management and associated comorbidities.
Acronym

PainGutPFC

Reference code

JTC2024 - Brain-Body_PainGutPFC_1

Description

Programme: ERANET NEURON JTC2024

Developers of the project
Hospital General Universitari de València
Faculty of Psychology and Speech Therapy
Keywords

chronic pain; emotional comorbidities; cognitive comorbidities; gut-brain axis; medial prefrontal cortex; autonomic nervous system; alcohol consumption; sex/gender differences; biomarkers; translational studies

Principal investigators:
  • Hipolito Cubedo, Lucia Teresa
  • PDI-Titular d'Universitat
  • Cap de Seccio-Servei
  • Cap Iniciatives Adscrita a Gerencia
View details
Non-UV participating researchers

polache,hepevi,maserrar,sanmise

Non-UV team members

Jorge Fragío Gil (UCV)

Contact

bacneulab@uv.es

Start date
2025 May
End date
2029 May
Funding agencies:

Spanish State Research Agency – Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, Government of Spain

Funding: €181,250.00