The Neuroscience of Pain, Anesthetics, and Analgesics

The Neuroscience of Pain, Anesthetics and Analgesics examines the syndromes of pain and how they interlink with anesthesia and analgesics. The book covers assessments, screening and resources, and provides applications to related areas of medicine. It explores how the perception of pain results from a multifaceted interaction between illness beliefs, age, gender, time of onset, stress, socioeconomic status, and other factors. In addition, it scrutinizes how the neuroscience of pain in one condition may be relevant to understanding pain observed in other conditions. Sections address the onset of pain, the cause of pain, and the administration of analgesia or anesthesia. The book works to clarify all of the subjects pertinent to anesthesia and the brain. Featuring chapters on neurotransmitters, pharmacology and brain imaging, this volume discusses the mechanisms of pain and experimental studies undertaken to better understand the pathways involved. - Includes content on the features and assessments of pain, anesthesia and analgesia - Provides a mini-dictionary of terms and summary points that succinctly encapsulate each chapter - Covers a broad range of topics related to the neuroscience of analgesics and anesthetics - Helps readers navigate key areas for research and further clinical recommendations - Features chapters on molecular pathways, imaging and a deep look at behavior associated with the experience of pain