A Clinical Correlation Made Between Opioid-induced Hyperalgesia and Hyperkatifeia with Brain Alterations Induced by Long-term Prescription Opioid Use

Abstract

The goal of this article is to establish a correlation between the clinical manifestations of opioid-induced hyperalgesia and hyperkatifeia with the morphological and functional connectivity changes seen in the human brain that can be caused by long-term prescription opioid use.  This will be accomplished by reviewing the imaging results found in a small but unique study that demonstrated morphological and functional connectivity changes in long-term prescription opioid users.  The primary regions that were affected were the amygdala and the white matter tracts connected to it.  Therefore, by reviewing the known functions of the amygdala and the white matter tracts- uncinate fasciculus, stria terminalis, and ventral amygdalofugal- and then doing a comparative analysis between the signs and symptoms of the clinical syndromes of opioid-induced hyperalgesia and hyperkatifeia a very obvious correlation has been recognized.