Chronic pain impacts fifteen to twenty percent of the world and costs the population of the United States somewhere around $500 billion a year. And even though opiates are commonly prescribed to treat chronic pain, the epidemic we’re seeing from opiate addiction is staggering. There has to be a better way! That’s exactly what my guest for this episode has dedicated his life to discovering. Join me for a fascinating conversation with Dr. Vania Apkarian as we discuss what causes chronic pain, its relationship to the brain, and the future of chronic pain management.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

• Defining chronic pain [1:59]
• How well do we manage chronic pain? [4:20] 
• The biggest misconceptions about the relationship between acute and chronic pain [6:07]
• Dr. Apkarian’s most significant findings on the mechanisms of chronic pain [7:18]
• The role of the mesocorticolimbic system in chronic pain [13:52] 
• The relationship between addiction and chronic pain [16:19]
• The role of learning and memory for development and maintenance of pain [18:42] 
• Examining the ways chronic pain changes the brain [23:42] 
• What Dr. Apkarian needs surgeons to know about chronic pain [26:42] 
• Dr. Apkarian’s most gratifying contribution to his field [29:25]

Resources & People Mentioned

• Chronic Pain: The Role of Learning and Brain Plasticity (Paper)
• Brain Mechanisms of Chronic Pain: Critical Role of Translational Approach (Paper)

Connect with Dr. Vania Apkarian

• Dr. Apkarian’s website 

Connect With Maxwell Boakye

• https://maxwellboakye.com/podcast 
• Like on Facebook
• Follow on Twitter
• Follow on LinkedIn
• DrMaxBoakye (at) Gmail.com

Subscribe to Optimal Neuro|spine on
Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts