Depression linked to chronic pain

[webslave]

During the five seconds while their arm was touched with the hot device, their brains continued to show increased emotional activation. But at the same time, brain networks normally involved in mitigating pain were less activated in the depressed people than the others.

More than three quarters of depressed people have recurring or chronic pain, while 30 percent to 60 percent of people with chronic pain report symptoms of depression, the researchers wrote in the Archives of General Psychiatry.

"If a person has chronic pain together with depression, this is a very debilitating condition. This condition is very difficult to treat and the disability is much higher and the cost of treatment is very high," Strigo said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081103/sc_ ... ion_pain_1