The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is activated in both acute and chronic pain. In this
Review, we discuss increasing evidence from rodent studies that ACC activation contributes …

To compare findings across species, neuroscience relies on cross-species homologies,
particularly in terms of brain areas. For cingulate cortex, a structure implicated in behavioural …

'How Emotions Are Made did what all great books do. It took a subject I thought I understood
and turned my understanding upside down'–Malcolm Gladwell, author of The Tipping Point …

The sensory, associative and limbic neocortical structures play a critical role in shaping
incoming noxious inputs to generate variable pain perceptions. Technological advances in …

Evidence from imaging and anatomical studies suggests that the midcingulate cortex (MCC)
is a dynamic hub lying at the interface of affect and cognition. In particular, this neural system …

How sensory information is transformed by learning into adaptive behaviors is a
fundamental question in neuroscience. Studies of auditory fear conditioning have revealed …

Midbrain dopamine neurons are well known for their strong responses to rewards and their
critical role in positive motivation. It has become increasingly clear, however, that dopamine …

Pain is fundamentally unpleasant, a feature that protects the organism by promoting
motivation and learning. Relief of aversive states, including pain, is rewarding. The …

Pain decreases the activity of many ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine (DA) neurons,
yet the underlying neural circuitry connecting nociception and the DA system is not …

Recent neuroimaging studies suggest that the brain adapts with pain, as well as imparts risk
for developing chronic pain. Within this context, we revisit the concepts for nociception, acute …