Neuroplasticity in the pain, emotion, and cognition nexus

Abstract

Synaptic plasticity is at the heart of the cellular and molecular events involved in chronic pain, cognition, and emotion. Fundamental mechanisms of chronic pain development are largely studied at neuronal level, while the role of the glia and the neuroglia interactions constitutes an emerging domain. A number of challenges are discussed: May memory traces of pain be modified and even erased? May maladaptive pain be prevented? Does pain-induced plasticity produce plastic cognitive-affective changes? Chronic pain and associated cognitive-emotional plastic changes may in the long term leave pain, depression, and cognition scars that add to the burden of disease for patients and are important challenges for clinicians.