About this Research Topic
Pain is an important subject of research in the field of neuroscience. In the past few decades, researchers have continued to explore the mechanisms of the occurrence and development of pain, and enrich the hypotheses of pain-related mechanisms. However, despite some advances from basic and clinical research, the identification of biomarkers related to pain is still in progress, and current approaches for pain intervention are not satisfactory since the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Furthermore, the working relationship between pain-related brain networks and other functional large-scale brain networks remains unclear. The investigation of neural mechanisms of pain is particularly important for the quantitative assessment of pain, prediction of pain prognosis, and the development of pain therapeutic targets.
Therefore, this research topic aims to clarify the neural mechanisms underlying pain (including experimental pain and clinical pain). Due to the increasingly close relationship between different omics, multi-omics studies and multimodal neuroimaging studies in identifying pain biomarkers will be welcomed. In addition, research on the comorbidity of pain, as well as cognitive and emotional disorders caused by pain, is still in its infancy. Therefore, studies on the neural mechanisms underlying pain comorbidity and other changes caused by pain (such as emotion and cognition) are welcomed. Neurostimulation approaches (e.g., transcranial electrical and magnetic stimulation) and cognitive behavioral therapeutic approaches (e.g., exercise, mindfulness meditation) have been explored for pain intervention. We will also consider studies related to the analgesic effects of these approaches, as well as the underlying neural mechanisms. In this topic, we pay special attention to the studies in pain-related neural networks and neural regulation mechanisms in pain. We specifically encourage submissions addressing, but are not limited to, the following topics in this field:
• Differences of neural networks between acute and chronic pain, and the exploration of biological markers in neural networks.
• Application of neural regulation techniques (e.g., transcranial electrical and magnetic stimulation) in acute and chronic pain management.
• Application of machine learning (artificial intelligence, A.I.) in neural networks and neural regulation mechanisms of acute and chronic pain.
• Dynamic changes in neural pathways during the course of long-term pain.
Original research articles and review articles from researchers and clinicians at all levels are welcome.
Therefore, this research topic aims to clarify the neural mechanisms underlying pain (including experimental pain and clinical pain). Due to the increasingly close relationship between different omics, multi-omics studies and multimodal neuroimaging studies in identifying pain biomarkers will be welcomed. In addition, research on the comorbidity of pain, as well as cognitive and emotional disorders caused by pain, is still in its infancy. Therefore, studies on the neural mechanisms underlying pain comorbidity and other changes caused by pain (such as emotion and cognition) are welcomed. Neurostimulation approaches (e.g., transcranial electrical and magnetic stimulation) and cognitive behavioral therapeutic approaches (e.g., exercise, mindfulness meditation) have been explored for pain intervention. We will also consider studies related to the analgesic effects of these approaches, as well as the underlying neural mechanisms. In this topic, we pay special attention to the studies in pain-related neural networks and neural regulation mechanisms in pain. We specifically encourage submissions addressing, but are not limited to, the following topics in this field:
• Differences of neural networks between acute and chronic pain, and the exploration of biological markers in neural networks.
• Application of neural regulation techniques (e.g., transcranial electrical and magnetic stimulation) in acute and chronic pain management.
• Application of machine learning (artificial intelligence, A.I.) in neural networks and neural regulation mechanisms of acute and chronic pain.
• Dynamic changes in neural pathways during the course of long-term pain.
Original research articles and review articles from researchers and clinicians at all levels are welcome.
Keywords: Pain, Neural mechanisms, Neural networks, Pain regulation, Pain intervention, Multiple omics, Multimodal neuroimaging methods, Neural plasticity, Biomarker, Machine learning
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.
