Anyone delving deeper into the world of chronic pain research will have noticed a wide array of theories and studies on the brain [1]. On one hand, functional neuroimaging research looks at the activity of certain areas of the brain or what areas seem to be ‘talking’ to each other. On the other hand, structural neuroimaging studies highlight which brain regions look different or what regions are connected with each other [2]. However, researchers still do not quite understand how these altered brain regions interact with each other and what this has to do with chronic pain. Furthermore, structural and functional studies are rarely integrated. While functional data gives us information about active networks, it does not guarantee strong physical connections within this network. On the opposite hand, structural studies provide us with an anatomical framework for the network but does not guarantee the active use of all connections. So, even though there is plenty of brain research, there is still a lot of work to be done!
Read more

Do we not all experience a poor night of sleep sometimes? Importantly, this can impact our mood and even our pain perception the next day, which is especially relevant in persons with chronic pain. Chronic pain, defined as pain persisting or recurring for more than three months, affects millions of people worldwide and reflects one of the leading causes of years lived with disability. Remarkably, chronic pain is commonly associated with sleep disturbances, with poor sleep consistently linked to greater daily pain. However, the sleep-pain link is known to be multifactorial and thereby influenced by a variety of factors in a person’s daily life. Among these factors, affect emerged as a potential contributor to this association.
Read more

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is a debilitating and complex chronic disease, characterized by a wide range of symptoms including severe fatigue, post-exertional malaise (PEM), chronic widespread pain, sleep problems and cognitive impairments. Although the biological mechanisms underlying ME/CFS are not yet fully understood, researchers have discovered that several biological systems function differently in individuals with ME/CFS compared to healthy people.
Read more

A bad night of sleep can leave us feeling more irritable, less focused, and sometimes even more sensitive to pain. But what happens to pain, mood and the brain when sleep is deliberately disrupted? At Pain Science in Motion 2026, I presented our ongoing systematic review on the effects of experimental sleep disruption on these outcomes.
Read more

Around 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. Fortunately, about 90% of women survive for more than five years after their diagnosis. However, surviving breast cancer does not always mean returning to life as it was before. Many breast cancer survivors (BCS) continue to experience long-term symptoms related to cancer or its treatment. One of the most common symptoms is pain, which affects almost half of BCS. For some of these women, pain is also accompanied by perceived injustice.
Read more

Could chronic low back pain be linked to how your body processes sugar? The GLOW study investigates whether altered glucose metabolism in people with chronic low back pain may be related to the IGF1/GH hormonal axis and changes in DNA methylation. Researchers will combine continuous glucose monitoring, nutritional interventions, and blood analyses to explore these potential biological links. Understanding these mechanisms could provide new insights into chronic low back pain and help identify potential biomarkers. Interested in participating? Visit **paininmotion.be/glow** to learn more about the GLOW study.
Read more

For many new mothers, sleepless nights are simply seen as part of the job. But what if persistent sleep problems are more than just a consequence of having a baby - and could actually affect recovery, mental health, physical activity and pain within this population?
Read more

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is defined as pain for at least 3 months every day and has no structural cause, such as spinal pathologies, in 90% of cases. This inability to identify the root cause leads to overuse of painkillers and surgery. However, recent research lifts a corner of the veil as to why some people experience low back pain although no structural changes are present.
Read more

Pain is usually assessed through questionnaires and standardized protocols. However, these approaches may not capture the variability in pain experiences among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to the same extent as they do in neurotypical individuals. Differences in communication, sensory processing, and behavioral expression may influence how pain is perceived, expressed, and interpreted. Consequently, pain in autistic individuals is often underrecognized and misunderstood.
Read more