Pain and Depression: A Neurobiological Perspective of Their Relationship

Remarkable progresses have been achieved regarding the understanding of the neurobiological bases of pain and depression. The principal role of neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, and neurohormones has been proposed in the development of pain and depression. With the progression of molecular biology, an intricate interaction among biological factors accountable to the development and management of pain and depression has been also shown in a numerous preclinical and clinical researches. This mini-review will briefly describe the current issues and future research direction for better understanding of the relationship between pain and depression.