The effect of pain on the neuronal activity in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus and its consequences on the reproductive axis

Pain, an unpleasant feeling resulting from physical or psychological damage, manifests in various diseases such as migraine, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, back pain, and neuropathy, disrupting the physiology of the body system. Prolonged pain can detrimentally affect other body tissues, leading to disorders by interfering with hormone secretion. Several studies show that pain can damage the reproductive process. Within the hypothalamus, a population of kisspeptin, neurokinin B, and dynorphin (KNDy) neurons plays an important role in regulating the reproductive axis. This study aims to investigate the effect of pain on hypothalamic neuron activity and its subsequent implications on the reproductive pathway.