Involvement of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis in the negative affective component of visceral and somatic pain in rats

Using a conditioned place paradigm, we examined the involvement of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST) in the negative affective component of visceral and somatic pain induced by intraperitoneal acetic acid and intraplantar formalin injections, respectively, in rats. Bilateral BST lesions suppressed both the acetic acid- and formalin-induced conditioned place aversion, suggesting the crucial role of the BST in the negative affective component of visceral and somatic pain.