Abstract
Environment in early life is one of the psychological, emotional and social factors relating to the development of chronic pain in the period of maturity. Here, we review the exploration of mechanisms associated with the effect of early life stress on the neuropathic pain in maturation period and of the functional alteration of nervous system in the brain. Maternal separation and social isolation (MSSI) induces the emotional dysfunction in the maturation period of mice. MSSI mice showed the enhancement of mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia induced by partial sciatic nerve ligation which is model of neuropathic pain. Alteration of BDNF levels in the brain is involved in the development of neuropathic pain - induced emotional dysfunction in MSSI mice. Furthermore, MSSI increased the p- ERK, a neuronal activation maker, positive cells in multi brain regions, suggesting that increased brain activity induced by MSSI contributes to the enhancement of neuropathic pain. Thus, our findings demonstrate that early life stress may produce the exacerbation and chronification of pain.
