Chronic Pain Linked to Dysfunction in ACC Due to Neural and Dopamine Deficits

Fast Summary

• Chronic pain is recognized as a significant global health issue with limited effective long-term treatments.
• Research highlights abnormal signaling in teh anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) as a contributing factor to chronic pain.
• The underlying mechanisms behind these abnormal ACC signals remain unclear, according to the study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), Volume 122, Issue 26, July 2025.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The prevalence of chronic pain is a critical concern for India, especially considering its high population and increasing incidences of lifestyle-related diseases. Understanding the role of abnormal signaling in the anterior cingulate cortex opens new avenues for scientific exploration that could contribute to both global and local advancements in healthcare treatment options. For India’s healthcare system-which frequently enough struggles with resources-innovative approaches informed by fundamental neuroscience research might reduce reliance on prolonged pharmacological interventions and offer targeted solutions to deal with chronic pain conditions more effectively.

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