The anterior cingulate cortex and pain processing.
The neural network that contributes to the suffering which accompanies persistent pain states involves a number of brain regions. Of primary interest is the contribution of the cingulate cortex in processing the affective component of pain. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent data obtained using novel behavioral paradigms in animals based on measuring escape and/or avoidance of a noxious stimulus. These paradigms have successfully been used to study the nature of the neuroanatomical and neurochemical contributions of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) to higher order pain processing in rodents.
Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington TX, USA ; Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington TX, USA.
Perry N
PN
Fuchs
Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington TX, USA.
Yuan Bo
YB
Peng
Department of Psychology, York College of Pennsylvania, York PA, USA.
Jessica A
JA
Boyette-Davis
Department of Diagnostic and Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN, USA.
Megan L
ML
Uhelski
anterior cingulate cortex; pain; pain affect; place avoidance; place escape