Mechanisms of Susceptibility/Resistance to Chronic Pain Development

Basic and clinical chronic pain research has been focused on the individuals that manifest pain and on the mechanisms sustaining pain and related comorbidities. However, a relevant number of clinically characterized subjects, on similar conditions, do not manifest pain. Factors underlying such susceptibility/resistance to chronic pain development remain largely unknown though a relevant number of studies mainly on postsurgical pain reveal that unfavorable pain trajectories are associated with anxiety, depression and pain catastrophizing. In this workshop we will present and discuss novel studies that have been revealing neurophysiological states, psychobiological mechanisms and molecular environments that prior or circa pain onset explain the behavioral differences between susceptible and resistant individual as well as offering relevant cues on the mechanisms conferring pain protection. Professor Fiona Blyth will present on the risk factors underlying common pain trajectories. Professor Herta Flor will present new psychobiological data on learning-related brain mechanisms pertaining to common and distinctive profiles of pain susceptibility across different clinical pain conditions. Prof. Hugo Leite-Almeida, will present (endo)phenotypical manifestations of pain susceptibility/resistance present prior to pain onset in rodent models of chronic pain as well as potential targets to manipulate such susceptibility/resistance.