Depression and changed pain perception: Hints for a central disinhibition mechanism

The results contradict the former assumption of a general insensitivity to experimental pain in depressive disorder. In the mostly pain-free patients signs of an enhanced central hyperexcitability are even more pronounced than usually found in chronic pain patients (e.g. FMS), indicating common mechanisms in depressive disorder and chronic pain in accordance with the assumption of non-pain associated mechanisms in depressive disorder for central hyperexcitability, e.g. by inhibited serotonergic function. Furthermore, this trial demonstrates the feasibility of QST in depressive patients.