Director Center for Translational Pain Research
Director Center of Excellence for Chronic Pain and Drug Abuse Research
Professor of Physiology, Anesthesia, PM&R
Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine
Dr. Apkarian has studied pain for two decades, both in animal models and fMRI studies in humans.
His current interests include cortical dynamics of pain as well as brain plasticity. His overall goal is the uncovering of brain mechanisms underlying PAIN QUALIA. This work aims to alleviate clinical pain conditions and achieve a more profound theoretical and mechanistic understanding of the brain.
Select Publications
- Apkarian, A. V., Baliki, M. N., & Geha, P. Y. (2009). Towards a theory of chronic pain. Progress in neurobiology, 87(2), 81-97.
- Chang, P. C., Pollema-Mays, S. L., Centeno, M. V., Procissi, D., Contini, M., Baria, A. T., … & Apkarian, A. V. (2014). Role of nucleus accumbens in neuropathic pain: linked multi-scale evidence in the rat transitioning to neuropathic pain. PAIN®, 155(6), 1128-1139.
- Krieger, J. N., Stephens, A. J., Landis, J. R., Clemens, J. Q., Kreder, K., Lai, H. H., … & Andriole, G. L. (2015). Relationship between chronic nonurological associated somatic syndromes and symptom severity in urological chronic pelvic pain syndromes: baseline evaluation of the MAPP study. The Journal of urology, 193(4), 1254-1262.
- APKARIAN, A. V., JÄRVI, E. J., & KNIFFKlº, K. D. (1989). Activation of carotid sinus baroreceptors reduces pain sensations evoked by electrical and cold stimulation. Proc Finn Dent Soc, 85(4-5).
- Petre, B., Torbey, S., Griffith, J. W., De Oliveira, G., Herrmann, K., Mansour, A., … & Apkarian, A. V. (2015). Smoking increases risk of pain chronification through shared corticostriatal circuitry. Human brain mapping, 36(2), 683-694.
- Kan, L., Mutso, A. A., McGuire, T. L., Apkarian, A. V., & Kessler, J. A. (2014). Opioid signaling in mast cells regulates injury responses associated with heterotopic ossification. Inflammation Research, 63(3), 207-215.