Neuropeptides play important modulatory roles throughout the nervous system, functioning as direct effectors or as interacting partners with other neuropeptide and neurotransmitter systems. Limbic brain areas involved in learning, memory and emotions are particularly rich in neuropeptides. This review will focus on the amygdala, a limbic region that plays a key role in emotional-affective behaviors and pain modulation. The amygdala is comprised of different nuclei; the basolateral (BLA) and central (CeA) nuclei and in between, the intercalated cells (ITC), have been linked to pain-related functions. A wide range of neuropeptides are found in the amygdala, particularly in the CeA, but this review will discuss those neuropeptides that have been explored for their role in pain modulation. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a key peptide in the afferent nociceptive pathway from the parabrachial area and mediates excitatory drive of CeA neurons. CeA neurons containing corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) and/or somatostatin (SOM) are a source of long-range projections and serve major output functions, but CRF also acts locally to excite neurons in the CeA and BLA. Neuropeptide S (NPS) is associated with inhibitory ITC neurons that gate amygdala output. Oxytocin and vasopressin exert opposite (inhibitory and excitatory, respectively) effects on amygdala output. The opioid system of mu, delta and kappa receptors (MOR, DOR, KOR) and their peptide ligands (β-endorphin, enkephalin, dynorphin) have complex and partially opposing effects on amygdala function. Neuropeptides therefore serve as valuable targets to regulate amygdala function in pain conditions. This article is part of the special issue on Neuropeptides.

中文翻译：

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杏仁核，神经肽和与疼痛有关的慢性情感行为。

神经肽在整个神经系统中起着重要的调节作用，起着直接效应器的作用或与其他神经肽和神经递质系统的相互作用伙伴。涉及学习，记忆和情感的边缘大脑区域特别富含神经肽。这篇综述将集中在杏仁核上，杏仁核是在情感情感行为和疼痛调节中起关键作用的边缘区域。杏仁核由不同的核组成。基底外侧（BLA）和中央（CeA）核以及插入细胞（ITC）之间的核与疼痛相关的功能有关。在杏仁核中，尤其是在CeA中，发现了各种各样的神经肽，但本文将讨论那些在疼痛调节中已被探索的神经肽。降钙素基因相关肽（CGRP）是从臂旁区传入的伤害感受途径中的关键肽，介导CeA神经元的兴奋性驱动。含有促肾上腺皮质激素释放因子（CRF）和/或生长抑素（SOM）的CeA神经元是远距离投射的来源，并具有主要的输出功能，但CRF还在局部发挥作用，以激发CeA和BLA中的神经元。神经肽S（NPS）与抑制杏仁核输出的抑制性ITC神经元相关。催产素和加压素对杏仁核的输出产生相反的作用（分别是抑制性和兴奋性）。mu，delta和kappa受体（MOR，DOR，KOR）和其肽配体（β-内啡肽，脑啡肽，强啡肽）的阿片样物质系统对杏仁核功能具有复杂且部分相反的作用。因此，神经肽是在疼痛情况下调节杏仁核功能的重要靶标。本文是有关神经肽的特刊的一部分。