About this Research Topic
Furthermore, some researchers recently pointed out that depression in patients with chronic pain might be induced by the administration of pain killers, namely opioids. This finding seems to indicate a possible mediating effect of opioids on pain as a predictor of depression. Yet, opioids therapy is a common treatment of chronic pain. A strong rein should be made based on a clear understanding of the negative consequence of Chronic Opioid Therapy and the possible alternative non-opioid treatments for these patients. However, more converging evidence is needed before making a conclusion.
Therefore, researchers of the current Research Topic project are with double missions while conducting and sharing their findings on the current platform: studying the relationship between pain and depression, and providing evidence that is helpful to reduce opioids prescription. We call for articles presenting most up to date research findings that could clarify the relationship between pain and depression. We welcome manuscripts that cover, but are not restricted to, the following points:
- A review of the relationship between pain and depression;
- The comorbidity of pain and depression in the setting of genotypes, animal models, clinical patients, or pharmaceutical medicine;
- The correlation of self-report of pain and self-report of depression, evaluation of pain and evaluation of depression (behavioral studies), or processing of pain and processing of depression (brain imaging studies), in both general and clinical populations;
- Evidence suggesting the causal inference between pain and depression (e.g., case reports);
- Clinical studies comparing Chronic Opioid Therapy and alternative non-opioid treatments
- A methodology-based proposal for elevating both pain and depression in patients
- Pain assessment in depressed patients with comorbid neurological disorders and depression assessment in patients with neuralgia (including methodology studies)
- Neuropsychological factors associated with:
a) pain analgesia, hyperalgesia, or allodynia in depressed patients with comorbid neurological disorders;
b) experiencing depression in patients with neuralgia;
c) differences in pain perception, pain processing and pain evaluation between normal subjects and depressed patients with comorbid neurological disorders;
d) differences in experiencing depression between normal subjects and patients with neuralgia
Keywords: pain, depression, comorbidity, causal inference, analgesia
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.