EXPRESS: Static and dynamic perspective on brain activity and functional connectivity alternations in the comorbidity of chronic pain and depression: An fMRI study in rats

Key Points

• The central research aim is to investigate the neural mechanisms behind the comorbidity of chronic pain and depression.
• Utilized fMRI to analyze brain activity in rats.
• Examined both static and dynamic perspectives of functional connectivity.
• Assessed network-level neural alterations in the context of pain-depression comorbidity.
• Identified significant alterations in neural connectivity related to chronic pain and depression.
• Revealed a pain-mediated pathway that links brain activity to changes in emotional states.
• Provided evidence of integrated interactions between pain and depression in neural mechanisms.