Chronic pain as a depressive equivalent

Abstract

Can certain chronic pain syndromes be equated with depression? Can they be treated with antidepressant drugs and other measures helpful in the management of depression? This concept has received substantial attention only recently and remains controversial. When this article was submitted to reviewers, the resulting opinions proved to be varied indeed. We decided to resolve the dilemma by publishing the article along with commentaries by three reviewers. We believe our readers will find them of interest.