The Role of the Brain's Endocannabinoid System in Pain and Its Modulation by Stress

Research output: Chapter in Book or Conference Publication/ProceedingConference Publicationpeer-review

44 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Stress has a complex, bidirectional modulatory influence on pain. Stress may either reduce (stress-induced analgesia) or exacerbate (stress-induced hyperalgesia) pain depending on the nature, duration, and intensity of the stressor. The endogenous cannabinoid (endocannabinoid) system is present throughout the neuroanatomical pathways that mediate and modulate responses to painful stimuli. The specific role of the endocannabinoid system in the brain in pain and the modulation of pain by stress is reviewed herein. We first provide a brief overview of the endocannabinoid system, followed by a review of the evidence that the brain's endocannabinoid system modulates pain. We provide a comprehensive evaluation of the role of the endocannabinoid system supraspinally, and particularly in the rostral ventromedial medulla, periaqueductal gray, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex, in pain, stress-induced analgesia, and stress-induced hyperalgesia. Increased understanding of endocannabinoid-mediated regulation of pain and its modulation by stress will inform the development of novel therapeutic approaches for pain and its comorbidity with stress-related disorders.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationEndocannabinoids, 2015
EditorsLoren Parsons, Matthew Hill
PublisherAcademic Press Inc.
Pages203-255
Number of pages53
ISBN (Print)9780128012789
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2015

Publication series

NameInternational Review of Neurobiology
Volume125
ISSN (Print)0074-7742

Keywords

  • 2-Arachidonyl glycerol
  • Anandamide
  • Cannabinoid CB receptor
  • Descending pain pathway
  • Fear
  • Nociception

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The Role of the Brain's Endocannabinoid System in Pain and Its Modulation by Stress'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this