Neural circuits regulating visceral pain

Abstract Visceral hypersensitivity, a common clinical manifestation of irritable bowel syndrome, may contribute to the development of chronic visceral pain, which is a major challenge for both patients and health providers. Neural circuits in the brain encode, store, and transfer pain information across brain regions. In this review, we focus on the anterior cingulate cortex and paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus to highlight the progress in identifying the neural circuits involved in visceral pain. We also discuss several neural circuit mechanisms and emphasize the importance of cross-species, multiangle approaches and the identification of specific neurons in determining the neural circuits that control visceral pain.