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Prati JM, Pontes-Silva A, Gianlorenço ACL. The cerebellum and its connections to other brain structures involved in motor and non-motor functions: A comprehensive review. Behav Brain Res 2024; 465:114933. [PMID: 38458437 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.114933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
The cerebellum has a large network of neurons that communicate with several brain structures and participate in different functions. Recent studies have demonstrated that the cerebellum is not only associated with motor functions but also participates in several non-motor functions. It is suggested that the cerebellum can modulate behavior through many connections with different nervous system structures in motor, sensory, cognitive, autonomic, and emotional processes. Recently, a growing number of clinical and experimental studies support this theory and provide further evidence. In light of recent findings, a comprehensive review is needed to summarize the knowledge on the influence of the cerebellum on the processing of different functions. Therefore, the aim of this review was to describe the neuroanatomical aspects of the activation of the cerebellum and its connections with other structures of the central nervous system in different behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Mário Prati
- Postgraduate Program in Physical Therapy, Department of Physical Therapy, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
| | - André Pontes-Silva
- Postgraduate Program in Physical Therapy, Department of Physical Therapy, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
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2
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Del Mauro G, Sevel LS, Boissoneault J, Wang Z. Divergent association between pain intensity and resting-state fMRI-based brain entropy in different age groups. J Neurosci Res 2024; 102:e25341. [PMID: 38751218 PMCID: PMC11154588 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Pain is a multidimensional subjective experience sustained by multiple brain regions involved in different aspects of pain experience. We used brain entropy (BEN) estimated from resting-state fMRI (rsfMRI) data to investigate the neural correlates of pain experience. BEN was estimated from rs-fMRI data provided by two datasets with different age range: the Human Connectome Project-Young Adult (HCP-YA) and the Human Connectome project-Aging (HCP-A) datasets. Retrospective assessment of experienced pain intensity was retrieved from both datasets. No main effect of pain intensity was observed. The interaction between pain and age, however, was related to increased BEN in several pain-related brain regions, reflecting greater variability of spontaneous brain activity. Dividing the sample into a young adult group (YG) and a middle age-aging group (MAG) resulted in two divergent patterns of pain-BEN association: In the YG, pain intensity was related to reduced BEN in brain regions involved in the sensory processing of pain; in the MAG, pain was associated with increased BEN in areas related to both sensory and cognitive aspects of pain experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianpaolo Del Mauro
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Landrew Samuel Sevel
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jeff Boissoneault
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Ze Wang
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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3
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Basedau H, May A, Mehnert J. Cerebellar somatotopy of the trigemino-cervical complex during nociception. Eur J Pain 2024; 28:719-728. [PMID: 38013614 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.2212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The somatotopic organization of the human cerebellum processes somato-motoric input. Its role during pain perception for nociceptive input remains ambiguous. A standardized experimental trigeminal nociceptive input in functional imaging might clarify the role of the cerebellum in trigeminal nociception. Also of interest is the greater occipital nerve, which innervates the back of the head, and can influence the trigeminal perception due to functional coupling within the brainstem, forming the so-called trigemino-cervical complex. METHODS In our preregistered study (clinicaltrials.gov: NTC03999060), we stimulated the greater occipital as well as the three main branches of the trigeminal nerve during functional magnetic resonance imaging in two independent cohorts of young healthy volunteers without psychiatric, neurological or pain-related disorders to disentangle overlapping somatotopic cerebellar organization of the nerves innervating the human head. RESULTS We found a dominant effect of the first trigeminal branch in the cerebellum, underpinning its particular role for headache diseases, and somatotopic representations in bilateral cerebellar lobules I-IV, V, VIIb, VIIIa and Crus I as well as in the brainstem. SIGNIFICANCE The study expands the current knowledge on facial and head pain processing by the cerebellum and provides an initial somatotopic map of the trigemino-cervical complex in the human cerebellum with a predominant representation of the first trigeminal branch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hauke Basedau
- Department of Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Arne May
- Department of Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jan Mehnert
- Department of Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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Li CN, Keay KA, Henderson LA, Mychasiuk R. Re-examining the Mysterious Role of the Cerebellum in Pain. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1538232024. [PMID: 38658164 PMCID: PMC11044115 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1538-23.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Pain is considered a multidimensional experience that embodies not merely sensation, but also emotion and perception. As is appropriate for this complexity, pain is represented and processed by an extensive matrix of cortical and subcortical structures. Of these structures, the cerebellum is gaining increasing attention. Although association between the cerebellum and both acute and chronic pain have been extensively detailed in electrophysiological and neuroimaging studies, a deep understanding of what functions are mediated by these associations is lacking. Nevertheless, the available evidence implies that lobules IV-VI and Crus I are especially pertinent to pain processing, and anatomical studies reveal that these regions connect with higher-order structures of sensorimotor, emotional, and cognitive function. Therefore, we speculate that the cerebellum exerts a modulatory role in pain via its communication with sites of sensorimotor, executive, reward, and limbic function. On this basis, in this review, we propose numerous ways in which the cerebellum might contribute to both acute and chronic pain, drawing particular attention to emotional and cognitive elements of pain. In addition, we emphasise the importance of advancing our knowledge about the relationship between the cerebellum and pain by discussing novel therapeutic opportunities that capitalize on this association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Crystal N Li
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Translational Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Kevin A Keay
- School of Medical Sciences (Neuroscience) and Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Luke A Henderson
- School of Medical Sciences (Neuroscience) and Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Richelle Mychasiuk
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Translational Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
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McBenedict B, Petrus D, Pires MP, Pogodina A, Arrey Agbor DB, Ahmed YA, Castro Ceron JI, Balaji A, Abrahão A, Lima Pessôa B. The Role of the Insula in Chronic Pain and Associated Structural Changes: An Integrative Review. Cureus 2024; 16:e58511. [PMID: 38770492 PMCID: PMC11103916 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.58511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain affects a substantial portion of the global population, significantly impacting quality of life and well-being. This condition involves complex mechanisms, including dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system, which plays a crucial role in pain perception. The insula, a key brain region involved in pain processing, plays a critical role in pain perception and modulation. Lesions in the insula can result in pain asymbolia, where pain perception remains intact but emotional responses are inappropriate. The insula is anatomically and functionally divided into anterior and posterior regions, with the posterior insula processing nociceptive input based on intensity and location before relaying it to the anterior insula for emotional mediation. Understanding the insula's intricate role in pain processing is crucial, as it is involved in encoding prediction errors and mediating emotional dimensions of pain perception. The focus of this review was on synthesizing existing literature on the role of the insula in chronic pain and associated structural changes. The goal was to integrate findings from various sources to provide a comprehensive overview of the topic. The search strategy included a combination of Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and relevant keywords related to insula and chronic pain. The following databases were surveyed: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science. We identified a total of 2515 articles, and after following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline based on eligibility criteria, 46 articles were used to synthesize this review. Our study highlights the pivotal role of the insula in chronic pain processing and associated structural changes, integrating findings from diverse studies and neuroimaging investigations. Beyond mere pain sensation, the insula contributes to emotional awareness, attention, and salience detection within the pain network. Various chronic pain conditions reveal alterations in insular activity and connectivity, accompanied by changes in gray matter volume and neurochemical profiles. Interventions targeting the insula show promise in alleviating chronic pain symptoms. However, further research is needed to understand underlying mechanisms, which can aid in developing more effective therapeutic interventions for pain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dulci Petrus
- Family Health, Directorate of Special Programs, Ministry of Health and Social Services, Windhoek, NAM
| | | | - Anna Pogodina
- Medicine and Surgery, University of Buckingham, Buckingham, GBR
| | | | - Yusuf A Ahmed
- Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, EGY
| | - Jose Ittay Castro Ceron
- Academic Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Autonomous University of the State of Hidalgo, Pachuca, MEX
| | - Aishwariya Balaji
- General Practice, Government Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, IND
| | - Ana Abrahão
- Public Health, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, BRA
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Zhang C, Zhang Z, Li Y, Yin Y, Feng C, Zhan W, Fu R, Yu Q, Jiang G, Wang C. Alterations in functional connectivity in patients with non-specific chronic low back pain after motor control exercise: a randomized trial. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med 2024; 60:319-330. [PMID: 38358464 PMCID: PMC11112508 DOI: 10.23736/s1973-9087.24.08087-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Motor control exercise (MCE) is effective in alleviating non-specific chronic low back pain (NCLBP). Neuro-imaging research is warranted to explore the underlying neural mechanisms of MCE. AIM We used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) to explore the central mechanism underpinning the effects of MCE in patients with NCLBP. DESIGN A randomized, single-blinded, controlled trial. SETTING The setting was out-patient and community. POPULATION Fifty-eight patients with NCLBP. METHODS Patients were randomized into the MCE or manual therapy (MT) group. All the participants completed pain-related clinical assessments and rs-fMRI scans before and after intervention. We performed exploratory whole-brain analyses in regional homogeneity (ReHo) and resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) with significant post-pre differences in ReHo before and after intervention, and investigated associations between imaging and pain-related clinical assessments. RESULTS Compared with the MT group, a greater alleviation in pain intensity and disability was observed in the MCE group after intervention, and was sustained at the 6-month follow-up (P<0.001). Only the MCE group showed increased ReHo values in the right pre-central gyrus and decreased ReHo values in the bilateral posterior cerebellum (voxel level P<0.001, cluster-level FWE corrected P<0.05). Decreased rsFC of the right posterior cerebellum-left superior parietal gyrus and left insula were significantly positively associated with pain-related disability (voxel level P<0.001, cluster-level FWE corrected P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrated that MCE had superior effects in relieving pain and pain-related disability, which might be associated with its modulation of rsFC between the cerebellum and areas involved in sensory-discriminative processing of noxious and somato-sensory stimuli, affection, and cognition. CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT This study provided preliminary evidence that MCE might alleviate NCLBP through its modulation of the function of brain areas related to chronic pain and postural control. Those results support MCE's clinical application and help physiotherapists to provide better multidisciplinary interventions with the combination of MCE and other first-line treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chanjuan Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhou Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yuelong Li
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yi Yin
- Department of Medical Imaging, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chenyang Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Wenfeng Zhan
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Ruochen Fu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Qiuhua Yu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China -
| | - Guihua Jiang
- Department of Medical Imaging, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chuhuai Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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Qiu Z, Zhong X, Yang Q, Shi X, He L, Zhou H, Xu X. Altered spontaneous brain activity in lumbar disc herniation patients: insights from an ALE meta-analysis of neuroimaging data. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1349512. [PMID: 38379762 PMCID: PMC10876805 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1349512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective To explore the characteristics of spontaneous brain activity changes in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH), and help reconcile the contradictory findings in the literature and enhance the understanding of LDH-related pain. Materials and methods PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), SinoMed, and Wanfang databases were searched for literature that studies the changes of brain basal activity in patients with LDH using regional homogeneity (ReHo) and amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation/fraction amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF/fALFF) analysis methods. Activation likelihood estimation (ALE) was used to perform a meta-analysis of the brain regions with spontaneous brain activity changes in LDH patients compared with healthy controls (HCs). Results A total of 11 studies were included, including 7ALFF, 2fALFF, and 2ReHo studies, with a total of 269 LDH patients and 277 HCs. Combined with the data from the ALFF/fALFF and ReHo studies, the meta-analysis results showed that compared with HCs, LDH patients had increased spontaneous brain activity in the right middle frontal gyrus (MFG), left anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the right anterior lobe of the cerebellum, while they had decreased spontaneous brain activity in the left superior frontal gyrus (SFG). Meta-analysis using ALFF/fALFF data alone showed that compared with HCs, LDH patients had increased spontaneous brain activity in the right MFG and left ACC, but no decrease in spontaneous brain activity was found. Conclusion In this paper, through the ALE Meta-analysis method, based on the data of reported rs-fMRI whole brain studies, we found that LDH patients had spontaneous brain activity changes in the right middle frontal gyrus, left anterior cingulate gyrus, right anterior cerebellar lobe and left superior frontal gyrus. However, it is still difficult to assess whether these results are specific and unique to patients with LDH. Further neuroimaging studies are needed to compare the effects of LDH and other chronic pain diseases on the spontaneous brain activity of patients. Furthermore, the lateralization results presented in our study also require further LDH-related pain side-specific grouping study to clarify this causation. Systematic review registration PROSPERO, identifier CRD42022375513.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Xiaoxue Xu
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China
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Liu S, Zhang X, You B, Jiang G, Chen H, Jackson T. Pain Catastrophizing Dimensions Mediate the Relationship between Chronic Pain Severity and Depression. Pain Manag Nurs 2024; 25:4-10. [PMID: 37059665 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmn.2023.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although past studies have found significant positive correlations of both pain severity and overall pain catastrophizing (PC) levels with depression in chronic pain samples, less is known about the extent to which specific PC dimensions (i.e., helplessness, magnification, rumination) explain links between pain severity and depression. AIM This study assessed the relative importance of PC dimensions as mediators of relations between chronic pain severity and depression. DESIGN A cross sectional study design was employed. METHOD Mainland Chinese adults with chronic pain (n = 983) completed validated questionnaire measures of PC, depression, and chronic pain severity within a cross-sectional research design. RESULTS Analyses indicated helplessness mediated the association between pain severity and depression while magnification partially mediated the association of helplessness with depression. Conversely, rumination did not make a significant contribution in the mediation model. CONCLUSIONS The helplessness dimension of PC, in particular, may help to explain why people with more severe chronic pain are prone to co-occurring depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyang Liu
- From the Key Laboratory of Cognition & Personality, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- From the Key Laboratory of Cognition & Personality, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Beibei You
- School of Nursing, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang City, Guizhou, China
| | - Guifang Jiang
- Department of Nursing, Zhouning County Chinese Medical Hospital, Shicheng, Fujian, China
| | - Hong Chen
- From the Key Laboratory of Cognition & Personality, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Todd Jackson
- Department of Psychology, University of Macau, Taipa, Macau, SAR China.
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Parsaei M, Taebi M, Arvin A, Moghaddam HS. Brain structural and functional abnormalities in patients with tension-type headache: A systematic review of magnetic resonance imaging studies. J Neurosci Res 2024; 102:e25294. [PMID: 38284839 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Tension-type headache (TTH) stands as the most prevalent form of headache, yet an adequate understanding of its underlying mechanisms remains elusive. This article endeavors to comprehensively review structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies investigating TTH patients, to gain valuable insights into the pathophysiology of TTH, and to explore new avenues for enhanced treatment strategies. We conducted a systematic search to identify relevant articles examining brain MRI disparities between TTH individuals and headache-free controls (HFC). Fourteen studies, encompassing 312 diagnosed TTH patients, were selected for inclusion. Among these, eight studies utilized conventional MRI, one employed diffusion tensor imaging, and five implemented various functional MRI modalities. Consistent findings across these studies revealed a notable increase in white matter hyperintensity (WMH) in TTH patients. Furthermore, the potential involvement of the specific brain areas recognized to be involved in different dimensions of pain perception including cortical regions (anterior and posterior cingulate cortex, prefrontal cortex, anterior and posterior insular cortex), subcortical regions (thalamus, caudate, putamen, and parahippocampus), cerebellum in TTH pathogenesis was identified. However, no significant association was established between TTH and intracranial abnormalities or total intracranial volume. In conclusion, these findings support the hypotheses regarding the role of central mechanisms in TTH pathophysiology and offer probable brain regions implicated in these mechanisms. Due to the scarce data on the precise role of these regions in the TTH, further preclinical and clinical investigations should be done to advance our knowledge and enhance targeted therapeutic options of TTH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammadamin Parsaei
- Maternal, Fetal & Neonatal Research Center, Family Health Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Morvarid Taebi
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alireza Arvin
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Sanjari Moghaddam
- Psychiatry and Psychology Research Center, Roozbeh Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Tang Y, Shi Y, Xu Z, Hu J, Zhou X, Tan Y, Lan X, Zhou X, Yang J, Zhang J, Deng B, Liu D. Altered gray matter volume and functional connectivity in lung cancer patients with bone metastasis pain. J Neurosci Res 2024; 102. [PMID: 38284835 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Bone metastasis pain (BMP) is a severe chronic pain condition. Our previous studies on BMP revealed functional brain abnormalities. However, the potential effect of BMP on brain structure and function, especially gray matter volume (GMV) and related functional networks, have not yet been clearly illustrated. Voxel-based morphometry and functional connectivity (FC) analysis methods were used to investigate GMV and intrinsic FC differences in 45 right-handed lung cancer patients with BMP(+), 37 lung cancer patients without BMP(-), and 45 healthy controls (HCs). Correlation analysis was performed thereafter with all clinical variables by Pearson correlation. Compared to HCs, BMP(+) group exhibited decreased GMV in medial frontal gyrus (MFG) and right middle temporal gyrus (MTG). Compared with BMP(-) group, BMP(+) group exhibited reduced GMV in cerebelum_6_L and left lingual gyrus. However, no regions with significant GMV differences were found between BMP(-) and HCs groups. Receiver operating characteristic analysis indicated the potential classification power of these aberrant regions. Correlation analysis revealed that GMV in the right MTG was positively associated with anxiety in BMP(+) group. Further FC analysis demonstrated enhanced interactions between MFG/right MTG and cerebellum in BMP(+) patients compared with HCs. These results showed that BMP was closely associated with cerebral alterations, which may induce the impairment of pain moderation circuit, deficits in cognitive function, dysfunction of emotional control, and sensorimotor processing. These findings may provide a fresh perspective and further neuroimaging evidence for the possible mechanisms of BMP. Furthermore, the role of the cerebellum in pain processing needs to be further investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Tang
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yumei Shi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zhen Xu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Junlin Hu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xueying Zhou
- Department of Medical Oncology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yong Tan
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaosong Lan
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xiaoyu Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiuquan Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Benmin Deng
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Daihong Liu
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
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Rodrigues JM, Ventura C, Abreu M, Santos C, Monte J, Machado JP, Santos RV. Electro-Acupuncture Effects Measured by Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging-A Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 12:2. [PMID: 38200908 PMCID: PMC10778902 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12010002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Electro-acupuncture, an innovative adaptation of traditional acupuncture, combines electrical stimulation with acupuncture needles to enhance therapeutic effects. While acupuncture is widely used, its biological mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Recent research has explored the neurophysiological aspects of acupuncture, particularly through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate its effects on brain activity. METHODS In this systematic review, we conducted an extensive search for randomized clinical trials examining electro-acupuncture effects measured by fMRI. We employed strict eligibility criteria, quality assessment, and data extraction. RESULTS Five studies met our inclusion criteria and were analyzed. The selected studies investigated electro-acupuncture in various medical conditions, including carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and obesity. Notably, electro-acupuncture was found to modulate brain activity and connectivity in regions associated with pain perception, emotional regulation, and cognitive processing. These findings align with the holistic approach of traditional Chinese medicine, emphasizing the interconnectedness of body and mind. DISCUSSION In carpal tunnel syndrome, electro-acupuncture at both local and distal sites showed neurophysiological improvements, suggesting distinct neuroplasticity mechanisms. In fibromyalgia, somatosensory electro-acupuncture correlated with reduced pain severity, enhanced brain connectivity, and increased gamma-aminobutyric acid levels. For Crohn's disease, electro-acupuncture influenced the homeostatic afferent processing network, potentially mitigating gut inflammation. Electro-acupuncture for irritable bowel syndrome led to decreased activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, offering pain relief, while electro-acupuncture for obesity impacted brain regions associated with dietary inhibition and emotional regulation. CONCLUSION This systematic review provides evidence that electro-acupuncture can positively impact a range of medical conditions, possibly by modulating brain activity and connectivity. While the quality of the reviewed studies is generally good, further research with larger sample sizes and longer-term assessments is needed to better understand the mechanisms and optimize electro-acupuncture protocols for specific health conditions. The limited number of studies in this review emphasizes the need for broader investigations in this promising field. The research protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023465866).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Magalhães Rodrigues
- IPTC—Research Department in Complementary Therapies, Portuguese Institute of Taiji and Qigong, 4470-765 Maia, Portugal
- ABS—Health Level Department, Atlântico Business School, 4405-604 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
- CBSin—Center of BioSciences in Integrative Health, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- ICBAS—School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Cristina Ventura
- IPTC—Research Department in Complementary Therapies, Portuguese Institute of Taiji and Qigong, 4470-765 Maia, Portugal
- ABS—Health Level Department, Atlântico Business School, 4405-604 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
| | - Manuela Abreu
- IPTC—Research Department in Complementary Therapies, Portuguese Institute of Taiji and Qigong, 4470-765 Maia, Portugal
- ABS—Health Level Department, Atlântico Business School, 4405-604 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
| | - Catarina Santos
- IPTC—Research Department in Complementary Therapies, Portuguese Institute of Taiji and Qigong, 4470-765 Maia, Portugal
- ABS—Health Level Department, Atlântico Business School, 4405-604 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
| | - Joana Monte
- ABS—Health Level Department, Atlântico Business School, 4405-604 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
| | - Jorge Pereira Machado
- CBSin—Center of BioSciences in Integrative Health, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- ICBAS—School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
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12
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Chiang CC, Wu YC, Lan CH, Wang KC, Tang HC, Chang ST. Exploring CNS Involvement in Pain Insensitivity in Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathy Type 4: Insights from Tc-99m ECD SPECT Imaging. Tomography 2023; 9:2261-2269. [PMID: 38133079 PMCID: PMC10747491 DOI: 10.3390/tomography9060175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type 4 (HSAN4), also known as congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis (CIPA), is a rare genetic disorder caused by NTRK1 gene mutations, affecting nerve growth factor signaling. This study investigates the central nervous system's (CNS) involvement and its relation to pain insensitivity in HSAN4. We present a 15-year-old girl with HSAN4, displaying clinical signs suggestive of CNS impact, including spasticity and a positive Babinski's sign. Using Technetium-99m ethyl cysteinate dimer single-photon emission computed tomography (Tc-99m ECD SPECT) imaging, we discovered perfusion deficits in key brain regions, notably the cerebellum, thalamus, and postcentral gyrus. These regions process pain signals, providing insights into HSAN4's pain insensitivity. This study represents the first visualization of CNS perfusion abnormality in an HSAN4 patient. It highlights the intricate relationship between the peripheral and central nervous systems in HSAN4. The complexity of HSAN4 diagnosis, involving potential unidentified genes, underscores the need for continued research to refine diagnostic approaches and develop comprehensive treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Chun Chiang
- Department of Medical Education and Research, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 813, Taiwan; (C.-C.C.); (Y.-C.W.)
- School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan; (C.-H.L.); (K.-C.W.); (H.-C.T.)
| | - Yu-Che Wu
- Department of Medical Education and Research, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 813, Taiwan; (C.-C.C.); (Y.-C.W.)
| | - Chiao-Hsin Lan
- School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan; (C.-H.L.); (K.-C.W.); (H.-C.T.)
| | - Kuan-Chieh Wang
- School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan; (C.-H.L.); (K.-C.W.); (H.-C.T.)
| | - Hsuan-Ching Tang
- School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan; (C.-H.L.); (K.-C.W.); (H.-C.T.)
| | - Shin-Tsu Chang
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 813, Taiwan
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung 407, Taiwan
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei 114, Taiwan
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13
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Chen C, Tassou A, Morales V, Scherrer G. Graph theory analysis reveals an assortative pain network vulnerable to attacks. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21985. [PMID: 38082002 PMCID: PMC10713541 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49458-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The neural substrate of pain experience has been described as a dense network of connected brain regions. However, the connectivity pattern of these brain regions remains elusive, precluding a deeper understanding of how pain emerges from the structural connectivity. Here, we employ graph theory to systematically characterize the architecture of a comprehensive pain network, including both cortical and subcortical brain areas. This structural brain network consists of 49 nodes denoting pain-related brain areas, linked by edges representing their relative incoming and outgoing axonal projection strengths. Within this network, 63% of brain areas share reciprocal connections, reflecting a dense network. The clustering coefficient, a measurement of the probability that adjacent nodes are connected, indicates that brain areas in the pain network tend to cluster together. Community detection, the process of discovering cohesive groups in complex networks, successfully reveals two known subnetworks that specifically mediate the sensory and affective components of pain, respectively. Assortativity analysis, which evaluates the tendency of nodes to connect with other nodes that have similar features, indicates that the pain network is assortative. Finally, robustness, the resistance of a complex network to failures and perturbations, indicates that the pain network displays a high degree of error tolerance (local failure rarely affects the global information carried by the network) but is vulnerable to attacks (selective removal of hub nodes critically changes network connectivity). Taken together, graph theory analysis unveils an assortative structural pain network in the brain that processes nociceptive information. Furthermore, the vulnerability of this network to attack presents the possibility of alleviating pain by targeting the most connected brain areas in the network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chong Chen
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
| | - Adrien Tassou
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Valentina Morales
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Grégory Scherrer
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
- New York Stem Cell Foundation ‒ Robertson Investigator, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
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14
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Park KM, Kim KT, Lee DA, Cho YW. Redefining the role of the cerebellum in restless legs syndrome. Sleep Med 2023; 112:256-261. [PMID: 37925852 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2023.10.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We aimed to investigate alterations in cerebellar volume and the intrinsic cerebellar network in patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS). METHODS We recruited 69 patients with RLS and 50 healthy controls who underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including three-dimensional T1-weighted imaging. The total cerebellar volume and cerebellar volume subdivisions were analyzed through automatic cerebellum anatomical parcellation using U-Net with locally constrained optimization program. The intrinsic cerebellar network was calculated through brain analysis using a graph theory program based on the cerebellar volume subdivisions. The cerebellar volumes and intrinsic cerebellar networks were compared between patients with RLS and healthy controls. RESULTS The cerebellar volume and subdivisions in patients with RLS did not show significant differences compared to those in healthy controls. However, significant alterations were observed in the intrinsic cerebellar network of patients with RLS. Increased mean clustering coefficient (0.185 vs. 0.114; p = 0.047) and small-worldness index (0.927 vs. 0.800; p = 0.047) were observed in patients with RLS. Additionally, total cerebellar volume was negatively correlated with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (r = -0.398; p = 0.020) and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI; r = -0.396; p = 0.011). Negative correlations were additionally observed between the right X lobule volume and the International Restless Legs Syndrome Severity Scale (r = -0.425; p = 0.008) and between the vermis VIII volume and ISI score (r = -0.399; p = 0.011). CONCLUSION We demonstrated alterations in the intrinsic cerebellar network in patients with RLS compared with healthy controls, showing increased connectivity with increased segregation in patients with RLS. This suggests a potential role of the cerebellum in RLS pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang Min Park
- Department of Neurology, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, South Korea
| | - Keun Tae Kim
- Department of Neurology, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Dong Ah Lee
- Department of Neurology, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, South Korea
| | - Yong Won Cho
- Department of Neurology, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, South Korea.
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Stacheneder R, Alt L, Straube A, Ruscheweyh R. Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (t-DCS) of the Cerebellum on Pain Perception and Endogenous Pain Modulation: a Randomized, Monocentric, Double-Blind, Sham-Controlled Crossover Study. CEREBELLUM (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2023; 22:1234-1242. [PMID: 36482026 PMCID: PMC10657278 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-022-01498-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence demonstrates a role of the cerebellum in nociception. Some studies suggest that this is mediated via endogenous pain modulation. Here, we used t-DCS to test the effects of modulation of cerebellar function on nociception and endogenous pain modulation. Anodal, cathodal, and sham cerebellar t-DCS were investigated in a cross-over design in 21 healthy subjects. The nociceptive flexor (RIII) reflex, conditioning pain modulation (CPM), and offset analgesia (OA) paradigms were used to assess endogenous pain modulation. Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) and pain ratings were used to assess supraspinal nociception and pain perception, respectively. No significant t-DCS effects were detected when including all t-DCS types and time points (baseline, 0, 30, 60 min post t-DCS) in the analysis. Exploratory analysis revealed an increased RIII reflex size immediately after cathodal t-DCS (compared to sham, P = 0.046, η2p = 0.184), in parallel with a trend for a decrease in electrical pain thresholds (P = 0.094, η2p = 0.134), and increased N120 SEP amplitudes 30 min after cathodal compared to anodal t-DCS (P = 0.007, η2p = 0.374). OA was increased after anodal compared to sham stimulation (P = 0.023, η2p = 0.232). Exploratory results suggested that cathodal (inhibitory) cerebellar t-DCS increased pain perception and reduced endogenous pain inhibition while anodal (excitatory) t-DCS increased endogenous pain inhibition. Results are principally compatible with activation of endogenous pain inhibition by cerebellar excitation. However, maybe due to limited t-DCS skull penetration, effects were small and unlikely to be clinically significant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina Stacheneder
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Großhadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Marchioni-Str. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Mannheim, 68167, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Laura Alt
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Großhadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Marchioni-Str. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Ulm University Hospital, 89081, Ulm, Germany
| | - Andreas Straube
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Großhadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Marchioni-Str. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
- Research Training Group 2175, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Ruth Ruscheweyh
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Großhadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Marchioni-Str. 15, 81377, Munich, Germany.
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.
- Research Training Group 2175, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.
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16
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Gianola M, Llabre MM, Losin EAR. Does pain hurt more in Spanish? The neurobiology of pain among Spanish-English bilingual adults. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2023; 19:nsad074. [PMID: 38102223 PMCID: PMC10868134 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsad074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
We previously found Spanish-English bilingual adults reported higher pain intensity when exposed to painful heat in the language of their stronger cultural orientation. Here, we elucidate brain systems involved in language-driven alterations in pain responses. During separate English- and Spanish-speaking fMRI scanning runs, 39 (21 female) bilingual adults rated painful heat intermixed between culturally evocative images and completed sentence reading tasks. Surveys of cultural identity and language use measured relative preference for US-American vs Hispanic culture (cultural orientation). Participants produced higher intensity ratings in Spanish compared to English. Group-level whole-brain differences in pain-evoked activity between languages emerged in somatosensory, cingulate, precuneus and cerebellar cortex. Regions of interest associated with semantic, attention and somatosensory processing showed higher average pain-evoked responses in participants' culturally preferred language, as did expression of a multivariate pain-predictive pattern. Follow-up moderated mediation analyses showed somatosensory activity mediated language effects on pain intensity, particularly for Hispanic oriented participants. These findings relate to distinct ('meddler', 'spotlight' and 'inducer') hypotheses about the nature of language effects on perception and cognition. Knowledge of language influences on pain could improve efficacy of culturally sensitive treatment approaches across the diversity of Hispanic adults to mitigate documented health disparities in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Gianola
- Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida 33146, USA
| | - Maria M Llabre
- Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida 33146, USA
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17
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Sanchis-Alfonso V, Beser-Robles M, Ten-Esteve A, Ramírez-Fuentes C, Alberich-Bayarri Á, Espert R, García-Larrea L, Martí-Bonmatí L. Brain network functional connectivity changes in patients with anterior knee pain: a resting-state fMRI exploratory study. Eur Radiol Exp 2023; 7:60. [PMID: 37806998 PMCID: PMC10560652 DOI: 10.1186/s41747-023-00378-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study investigates the functional brain connectivity in patients with anterior knee pain (AKP). While biomechanical models are frequently employed to investigate AKP, it is important to recognize that pain can manifest even in the absence of structural abnormalities. Leveraging the capabilities of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), this research aims to investigate the brain mechanisms present in AKP patients. METHODS Forty-five female subjects (24 AKP patients, 21 controls) underwent resting-state fMRI and T1-weighted structural MRI. Functional brain connectivity patterns were analyzed, focusing on pain network areas, and the influence of catastrophizing thoughts was evaluated. RESULTS Comparing patients and controls, several findings emerged. First, patients with AKP exhibited increased correlation between the right supplementary motor area and cerebellum I, as well as decreased correlation between the right insula and the left rostral prefrontal cortex and superior frontal gyrus. Second, in AKP patients with catastrophizing thoughts, there was increased correlation of the left lateral parietal cortex with two regions of the right cerebellum (II and VII) and the right pallidum, and decreased correlation between the left medial frontal gyrus and the right thalamus. Furthermore, the correlation between these regions showed promising results for discriminating AKP patients from controls, achieving a cross-validation accuracy of 80.5%. CONCLUSIONS Resting-state fMRI revealed correlation differences in AKP patients compared to controls and based on catastrophizing thoughts levels. These findings shed light on neural correlates of chronic pain in AKP, suggesting that functional brain connectivity alterations may be linked to pain experience in this population. RELEVANCE STATEMENT Etiopathogenesis of pain in anterior knee pain patients might not be limited to the knee, but also to underlying alterations in the central nervous system: cortical changes might lead a perpetuation of pain. KEY POINTS • Anterior knee pain patients exhibit distinct functional brain connectivity compared to controls, and among catastrophizing subgroups. • Resting-state fMRI reveals potential for discriminating anterior knee pain patients with 80.5% accuracy. • Functional brain connectivity differences improve understanding of pain pathogenesis and objective anterior knee pain identification.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - María Beser-Robles
- Biomedical Imaging Research Group (GIBI230), Hospital Universitario Y Politécnico E Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Amadeo Ten-Esteve
- Biomedical Imaging Research Group (GIBI230), Hospital Universitario Y Politécnico E Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe, Valencia, Spain
- Department of Technologies for Health and Well-Being, Polytechnic University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Ángel Alberich-Bayarri
- Biomedical Imaging Research Group (GIBI230), Hospital Universitario Y Politécnico E Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe, Valencia, Spain
- Quantitative Imaging Biomarkers in Medicine, QUIBIM SL, Valencia, Spain
| | - Raúl Espert
- Departamento de Psicobiología, Unidad de Neuropsicología, Hospital Clinic Universitari, Universidad de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Luis García-Larrea
- Center for Neuroscience Research of Lyon (CRNL), NeuroPain Team, U 1028, INSERM, Lyon-1 University, Bron, France
| | - Luis Martí-Bonmatí
- Biomedical Imaging Research Group (GIBI230), Hospital Universitario Y Politécnico E Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe, Valencia, Spain
- Radiology Department, Hospital Universitario Y Politécnico La Fe, Valencia, Spain
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18
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Borelli E, Benuzzi F, Ballotta D, Bandieri E, Luppi M, Cacciari C, Porro CA, Lui F. Words hurt: common and distinct neural substrates underlying nociceptive and semantic pain. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1234286. [PMID: 37829724 PMCID: PMC10565001 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1234286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Recent studies have shown that processing semantic pain, such as words associated with physical pain, modulates pain perception and enhances activity in regions of the pain matrix. A direct comparison between activations due to noxious stimulation and processing of words conveying physical pain may clarify whether and to what extent the neural substrates of nociceptive pain are shared by semantic pain. Pain is triggered also by experiences of social exclusion, rejection or loss of significant others (the so-called social pain), therefore words expressing social pain may modulate pain perception similarly to what happens with words associated with physical pain. This event-related fMRI study aims to compare the brain activity related to perceiving nociceptive pain and that emerging from processing semantic pain, i.e., words related to either physical or social pain, in order to identify common and distinct neural substrates. Methods Thirty-four healthy women underwent two fMRI sessions each. In the Semantic session, participants were presented with positive words, negative pain-unrelated words, physical pain-related words, and social pain-related words. In the Nociceptive session, participants received cutaneous mechanical stimulations that could be either painful or not. During both sessions, participants were asked to rate the unpleasantness of each stimulus. Linguistic stimuli were also rated in terms of valence, arousal, pain relatedness, and pain intensity, immediately after the Semantic session. Results In the Nociceptive session, the 'nociceptive stimuli' vs. 'non-nociceptive stimuli' contrast revealed extensive activations in SI, SII, insula, cingulate cortex, thalamus, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. In the Semantic session, words associated with social pain, compared to negative pain-unrelated words, showed increased activity in most of the same areas, whereas words associated with physical pain, compared to negative pain-unrelated words, only activated the left supramarginal gyrus and partly the postcentral gyrus. Discussion Our results confirm that semantic pain partly shares the neural substrates of nociceptive pain. Specifically, social pain-related words activate a wide network of regions, mostly overlapping with those pertaining to the affective-motivational aspects of nociception, whereas physical pain-related words overlap with a small cluster including regions related to the sensory-discriminative aspects of nociception. However, most regions of overlap are differentially activated in different conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Borelli
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Francesca Benuzzi
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Daniela Ballotta
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Elena Bandieri
- Oncology and Palliative Care Units, Civil Hospital Carpi, USL, Carpi, Italy
| | - Mario Luppi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Hematology Unit and Chair, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria di Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Cristina Cacciari
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Carlo Adolfo Porro
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Fausta Lui
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
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19
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Affatato O, Rukh G, Schiöth HB, Mwinyi J. Volumetric Differences in Cerebellum and Brainstem in Patients with Migraine: A UK Biobank Study. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2528. [PMID: 37760969 PMCID: PMC10526353 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11092528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The cerebellum and the brainstem are two brain structures involved in pain processing and modulation that have also been associated with migraine pathophysiology. The aim of this study was to investigate possible associations between the morphology of the cerebellum and brainstem and migraine, focusing on gray matter differences in these brain areas. Methods: The analyses were based on data from 712 individuals with migraine and 45,681 healthy controls from the UK Biobank study. Generalized linear models were used to estimate the mean gray matter volumetric differences in the brainstem and the cerebellum. The models were adjusted for important biological covariates such as BMI, age, sex, total brain volume, diastolic blood pressure, alcohol intake frequency, current tobacco smoking, assessment center, material deprivation, ethnic background, and a wide variety of health conditions. Secondary analyses investigated volumetric correlation between cerebellar sub-regions. Results: We found larger gray matter volumes in the cerebellar sub-regions V (mean difference: 72 mm3, 95% CI [13, 132]), crus I (mean difference: 259 mm3, 95% CI [9, 510]), VIIIa (mean difference: 120 mm3, 95% CI [0.9, 238]), and X (mean difference: 14 mm3, 95% CI [1, 27]). Conclusions: Individuals with migraine show larger gray matter volumes in several cerebellar sub-regions than controls. These findings support the hypothesis that the cerebellum plays a role in the pathophysiology of migraine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oreste Affatato
- Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience Unit, Department of Surgical Science, Uppsala University, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
- Uppsala University’s Centre for Women’s Mental Health during the Reproductive Lifespan—WoMHeR, Uppsala University, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Gull Rukh
- Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience Unit, Department of Surgical Science, Uppsala University, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Helgi Birgir Schiöth
- Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience Unit, Department of Surgical Science, Uppsala University, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jessica Mwinyi
- Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience Unit, Department of Surgical Science, Uppsala University, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
- Uppsala University’s Centre for Women’s Mental Health during the Reproductive Lifespan—WoMHeR, Uppsala University, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
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20
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Shaikh A, Li YQ, Lu J. Perspectives on pain in Down syndrome. Med Res Rev 2023; 43:1411-1437. [PMID: 36924439 DOI: 10.1002/med.21954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS) or trisomy 21 is a genetic condition often accompanied by chronic pain caused by congenital abnormalities and/or conditions, such as osteoarthritis, recurrent infections, and leukemia. Although DS patients are more susceptible to chronic pain as compared to the general population, the pain experience in these individuals may vary, attributed to the heterogenous structural and functional differences in the central nervous system, which might result in abnormal pain sensory information transduction, transmission, modulation, and perception. We tried to elaborate on some key questions and possible explanations in this review. Further clarification of the mechanisms underlying such abnormal conditions induced by the structural and functional differences is needed to help pain management in DS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ammara Shaikh
- Department of Human Anatomy, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Yun-Qing Li
- Department of Anatomy, Histology, and Embryology & K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
- Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jie Lu
- Department of Human Anatomy, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China
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21
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Wang Q, Tao Y, Sun T, Yuan J, Ao J, Hong X, Jin Z, Zeng F, Lei Y. Comparison of brain functional response to mechanical prickling stimuli to the glabrous and hairy skin. Skin Res Technol 2023; 29:e13446. [PMID: 37753684 PMCID: PMC10460934 DOI: 10.1111/srt.13446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A kind of prickle sensation, which is a composite feeling of pain and itch, can be evoked by mechanical stimulation of fiber ends from fabric surface against to human hairy skin, rather than glabrous skin. Now, a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study was conducted to investigate the cognitive differences in the brain for mechanical prickling stimuli to the two types of skin. MATERIALS AND METHODS A nylon filament with the diameter of 205 μm and the length of 8 mm was used to deliver mechanical prickling stimuli respectively to two skin sites, fingertip (glabrous skin) and volar forearm (hairy skin), of eight healthy male subjects. Simultaneously, the technology of fMRI was adopted to acquire BOLD (Blood Oxygen Level-Dependent) signals of brain functional response of the subjects. RESULTS Somatosensory areas, emotional areas, and the posterior parietal cortex (especially the precuneus) are important brain regions that distinguish between the two conditions. The representation of mechanical prickling stimulation to glabrous skin in the brain favors much more the tactile information of the stimulation and contains no itch, while the key brain area, precuneus, involved in itch was activated by the same mechanical prickling stimulation to hairy skin, and brain response for the condition of hairy skin contains more emotional information, which plays an important role in pain processing. CONCLUSION Therefore, it can be inferred that a kind of stronger prickle sensation, which contains both pain and itch, was evoked by mechanical stimulation to hairy skin than glabrous skin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qicai Wang
- College of Textile Science and Engineering (International Institute of Silk)Key Laboratory of Intelligent Textile and Flexible Interconnection of Zhejiang ProvinceZhejiang Sci‐Tech UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Yuan Tao
- High Fashion Womenswear InstituteHangzhou Vocational and Technical CollegeHangzhouZhejiangChina
| | - Tao Sun
- Department of RadiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Jie Yuan
- Clothing Engineering Research Center of Zhejiang ProvinceZhejiang Sci‐Tech UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Jiayu Ao
- College of Textile Science and Engineering (International Institute of Silk)Key Laboratory of Intelligent Textile and Flexible Interconnection of Zhejiang ProvinceZhejiang Sci‐Tech UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Xinghua Hong
- College of Textile Science and Engineering (International Institute of Silk)Key Laboratory of Intelligent Textile and Flexible Interconnection of Zhejiang ProvinceZhejiang Sci‐Tech UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Zimin Jin
- College of Textile Science and Engineering (International Institute of Silk)Key Laboratory of Intelligent Textile and Flexible Interconnection of Zhejiang ProvinceZhejiang Sci‐Tech UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Fangmeng Zeng
- College of Textile Science and Engineering (International Institute of Silk)Key Laboratory of Intelligent Textile and Flexible Interconnection of Zhejiang ProvinceZhejiang Sci‐Tech UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Yutian Lei
- College of Education ScienceQuanzhou Normal UniversityFujianChina
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22
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He H, Hu L, Tan S, Tang Y, Duan M, Yao D, Zhao G, Luo C. Functional Changes of White Matter Are Related to Human Pain Sensitivity during Sustained Nociception. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:988. [PMID: 37627873 PMCID: PMC10451736 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10080988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Pain is considered an unpleasant perceptual experience associated with actual or potential somatic and visceral harm. Human subjects have different sensitivity to painful stimulation, which may be related to different painful response pattern. Excellent studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have found the effect of the functional organization of white matter (WM) on the descending pain modulatory system, which suggests that WM function is feasible during pain modulation. In this study, 26 pain sensitive (PS) subjects and 27 pain insensitive (PIS) subjects were recruited based on cold pressor test. Then, all subjects underwent the cold bottle test (CBT) in normal (26 degrees temperature stimulating) and cold (8 degrees temperature stimulating) conditions during fMRI scan, respectively. WM functional networks were obtained using K-means clustering, and the functional connectivity (FC) was assessed among WM networks, as well as gray matter (GM)-WM networks. Through repeated measures ANOVA, decreased FC was observed between the GM-cerebellum network and the WM-superior temporal network, as well as the WM-sensorimotor network in the PS group under the cold condition, while this difference was not found in PIS group. Importantly, the changed FC was positively correlated with the state and trait anxiety scores, respectively. This study highlighted that the WM functional network might play an integral part in pain processing, and an altered FC may be related to the descending pain modulatory system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui He
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China; (H.H.); (L.H.); (S.T.); (Y.T.); (M.D.); (D.Y.)
| | - Lan Hu
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China; (H.H.); (L.H.); (S.T.); (Y.T.); (M.D.); (D.Y.)
| | - Saiying Tan
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China; (H.H.); (L.H.); (S.T.); (Y.T.); (M.D.); (D.Y.)
| | - Yingjie Tang
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China; (H.H.); (L.H.); (S.T.); (Y.T.); (M.D.); (D.Y.)
| | - Mingjun Duan
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China; (H.H.); (L.H.); (S.T.); (Y.T.); (M.D.); (D.Y.)
| | - Dezhong Yao
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China; (H.H.); (L.H.); (S.T.); (Y.T.); (M.D.); (D.Y.)
- Research Unit of NeuroInformation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Guocheng Zhao
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China; (H.H.); (L.H.); (S.T.); (Y.T.); (M.D.); (D.Y.)
| | - Cheng Luo
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China; (H.H.); (L.H.); (S.T.); (Y.T.); (M.D.); (D.Y.)
- High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610056, China
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23
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Salberg S, Li CN, Beveridge JK, Noel M, Yamakawa GR, Mychasiuk R. Gene expression changes in the cerebellum are associated with persistent post-injury pain in adolescent rats exposed to early life stress. NEUROBIOLOGY OF PAIN (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2023; 14:100145. [PMID: 38099278 PMCID: PMC10719517 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynpai.2023.100145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Chronic pain develops following injury in approximately 20% of adolescents, at twice the rate in females than males. Adverse childhood experiences also increase the risk for poor health outcomes, such as chronic pain. Emerging literature suggests the cerebellum to be involved in pain processing, however detailed explorations into how the cerebellum contributes to pain are lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to characterise chronic pain outcomes and cerebellar gene expression changes following early life stress and injury in both sexes. The adverse childhood experience of neglect was modelled using a maternal separation (MS) paradigm, which was combined with a subsequent injury (mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) or plantar incision surgery) in adolescent male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. We measured behavioural nociceptive sensitivity, systemic modulators of pain such as calcitonin gene-related protein (CGRP) and Substance P, as well as gene expression of IL1β, GFAP, GR, MR, GABRA1, CNR1, MAOA, and DAT1 in the cerebellum to examine associations between pain and neuroinflammation, the stress response, inhibitory neurotransmission, and monoaminergic function. We found increases in mechanical nociceptive sensitivity following plantar incision surgery. Sex differences were observed in anxiety-like behaviour and neuroinflammation, whereas systemic pain modulators showed cumulative effects with the addition of stressors. Most interestingly however, the increases in nociceptive sensitivity were associated with the suppressed expression of cerebellar genes that regulate stress, inhibition, cannabinoid function, and dopaminergic function, alongside sex-dependent distinctions for genes involved in inflammation and injury. This study highlights a novel link between nociception and molecular function in the cerebellum. Further investigation into how the cerebellum contributes to pain in males and females will facilitate novel therapeutic insights and opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Salberg
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Crystal N. Li
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jaimie K. Beveridge
- Department of Psychology, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, The University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Melanie Noel
- Department of Psychology, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, The University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Glenn R. Yamakawa
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Richelle Mychasiuk
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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24
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Häfele M, Kreitz S, Ludwig A, Hess A, Wank I. The impact of HCN4 channels on CNS brain networks as a new target in pain development. FRONTIERS IN NETWORK PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 3:1090502. [PMID: 37496803 PMCID: PMC10368246 DOI: 10.3389/fnetp.2023.1090502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
While it is well established that the isoform 2 of the hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated cation channel (HCN2) plays an important role in the development and maintenance of pain, the role of the closely related HCN4 isoform in the processing of nociceptive signals is not known. HCN4 channels are highly expressed in the thalamus, a region important for stimulus transmission and information processing. We used a brain-specific HCN4-knockout mouse line (HCN4-KO) to explore the role of HCN4 channels in acute nociceptive processing using several behavioral tests as well as a multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) approach. Functional MRI (fMRI) brain responses were measured during acute peripheral thermal stimulation complemented by resting state (RS) before and after stimulation. The data were analyzed by conventional and graph-theoretical approaches. Finally, high-resolution anatomical brain data were acquired. HCN4-KO animals showed a central thermal, but not a mechanical hypersensitivity in behavioral experiments. The open field analysis showed no significant differences in motor readouts between HCN4-KO and controls but uncovered increased anxiety in the HCN4-KO mice. Thermal stimulus-driven fMRI (s-fMRI) data revealed increased response volumes and response amplitudes for HCN4-KO, most pronounced at lower stimulation temperatures in the subcortical input, the amygdala as well as in limbic/hippocampal regions, and in the cerebellum. These findings could be cross-validated by graph-theoretical analyses. Assessment of short-term RS before and after thermal stimulation revealed that stimulation-related modulations of the functional connectivity only occurred in control animals. This was consistent with the finding that the hippocampus was found to be smaller in HCN4-KO. In summary, the deletion of HCN4 channels impacts on processing of acute nociception, which is remarkably manifested as a thermal hypersensitive phenotype. This was mediated by the key regions hypothalamus, somatosensory cortex, cerebellum and the amygdala. As consequence, HCN4-KO mice were more anxious, and their brain-wide RS functional connectivity could not be modulated by thermal nociceptive stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Häfele
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Silke Kreitz
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Andreas Ludwig
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Andreas Hess
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Institute of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- FAU NeW—Research Center for New Bioactive Compounds, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Isabel Wank
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
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25
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Reyes N, Huang JJ, Choudhury A, Pondelis N, Locatelli EV, Felix ER, Pattany PM, Galor A, Moulton EA. Botulinum toxin A decreases neural activity in pain-related brain regions in individuals with chronic ocular pain and photophobia. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1202341. [PMID: 37404468 PMCID: PMC10315909 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1202341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction To examine the effect of botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) on neural mechanisms underlying pain and photophobia using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in individuals with chronic ocular pain. Methods Twelve subjects with chronic ocular pain and light sensitivity were recruited from the Miami Veterans Affairs eye clinic. Inclusion criteria were: (1) chronic ocular pain; (2) presence of ocular pain over 1 week recall; and (3) presence of photophobia. All individuals underwent an ocular surface examination to capture tear parameters before and 4-6 weeks after BoNT-A injections. Using an event-related fMRI design, subjects were presented with light stimuli during two fMRI scans, once before and 4-6 weeks after BoNT-A injection. Light evoked unpleasantness ratings were reported by subjects after each scan. Whole brain blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) responses to light stimuli were analyzed. Results At baseline, all subjects reported unpleasantness with light stimulation (average: 70.8 ± 32.0). Four to six weeks after BoNT-A injection, unpleasantness scores decreased (48.1 ± 33.6), but the change was not significant. On an individual level, 50% of subjects had decreased unpleasantness ratings in response to light stimulation compared to baseline ("responders," n = 6), while 50% had equivalent (n = 3) or increased (n = 3) unpleasantness ("non-responders"). At baseline, several differences were noted between responders and non-responders; responders had higher baseline unpleasantness ratings to light, higher symptoms of depression, and more frequent use of antidepressants and anxiolytics, compared to non-responders. Group analysis at baseline displayed light-evoked BOLD responses in bilateral primary somatosensory (S1), bilateral secondary somatosensory (S2), bilateral anterior insula, paracingulate gyrus, midcingulate cortex (MCC), bilateral frontal pole, bilateral cerebellar hemispheric lobule VI, vermis, bilateral cerebellar crus I and II, and visual cortices. BoNT-A injections significantly decreased light evoked BOLD responses in bilateral S1, S2 cortices, cerebellar hemispheric lobule VI, cerebellar crus I, and left cerebellar crus II. BoNT-A responders displayed activation of the spinal trigeminal nucleus at baseline where non-responders did not. Discussion BoNT-A injections modulate light-evoked activation of pain-related brain systems and photophobia symptoms in some individuals with chronic ocular pain. These effects are associated with decreased activation in areas responsible for processing the sensory-discriminative, affective, dimensions, and motor responses to pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Reyes
- Surgical Services, Miami Veterans Administration Medical Center, Miami, FL, United States
- Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Jaxon J. Huang
- Surgical Services, Miami Veterans Administration Medical Center, Miami, FL, United States
- Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Anjalee Choudhury
- Surgical Services, Miami Veterans Administration Medical Center, Miami, FL, United States
- Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Nicholas Pondelis
- Brain and Eye Pain Imaging Lab, Pain and Affective Neuroscience Center, Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Elyana V. Locatelli
- Surgical Services, Miami Veterans Administration Medical Center, Miami, FL, United States
- Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Elizabeth R. Felix
- Research Service, Miami Veterans Administration Medical Center, Miami, FL, United States
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Pradip M. Pattany
- Department of Radiology, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Anat Galor
- Surgical Services, Miami Veterans Administration Medical Center, Miami, FL, United States
- Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Eric A. Moulton
- Brain and Eye Pain Imaging Lab, Pain and Affective Neuroscience Center, Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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26
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Zhang J, Liu Y, Li Z, Hu Q, Huang X, Lv H, Xu J, Yu H. Functional magnetic resonance imaging studies of acupuncture at ST36: a coordinate-based meta-analysis. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1180434. [PMID: 37360179 PMCID: PMC10287969 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1180434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been widely used to investigate the brain effect of acupuncture point Stomach 36 (ST36, Zusanli). However, inconsistent results have hindered our understanding of the neural mechanisms of acupuncture at ST36. Objective To perform a meta-analysis of fMRI studies on acupuncture at ST36 to assess the brain atlas of acupuncture at ST36 from available studies. Method Based on a preregistered protocol in PROSPERO (CRD42019119553), a large set of databases was searched up to August 9, 2021, without language restrictions. Peak coordinates were extracted from clusters that showed significant signal differences before and after acupuncture treatment. A meta-analysis was performed using seed-based d mapping with permutation of subject images (SDM-PSI), a newly improved meta-analytic method. Results A total of 27 studies (27 ST36) were included. This meta-analysis found that ST36 could activate the left cerebellum, the bilateral Rolandic operculum, the right supramarginal gyrus, and the right cerebellum. Functional characterizations showed that acupuncture at ST36 was mainly associated with action and perception. Conclusion Our results provide a brain atlas for acupuncture at ST36, which, besides offering a better understanding of the underlying neural mechanisms, also provides the possibility of future precision therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinhuan Zhang
- The Fourth Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yongfeng Liu
- Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zihan Li
- The Fourth Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qingmao Hu
- Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xingxian Huang
- The Fourth Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hanqing Lv
- Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jinping Xu
- Institute of Biomedical and Health Engineering, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Haibo Yu
- Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Shenzhen, China
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27
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Mosch B, Hagena V, Herpertz S, Diers M. Brain morphometric changes in fibromyalgia and the impact of psychometric and clinical factors: a volumetric and diffusion-tensor imaging study. Arthritis Res Ther 2023; 25:81. [PMID: 37208755 DOI: 10.1186/s13075-023-03064-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have repeatedly found distinct brain morphometric changes in patients with fibromyalgia (FM), mainly affecting gray and white matter abnormalities in areas related to sensory and affective pain processing. However, few studies have thus far linked different types of structural changes and not much is known about behavioral and clinical determinants that might influence the emergence and progression of such changes. METHODS We used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) to detect regional patterns of (micro)structural gray (GM) and white matter (WM) alterations in 23 patients with FM compared to 21 healthy controls (HC), while considering the influence of demographic, psychometric, and clinical variables (age, symptom severity, pain duration, heat pain threshold, depression scores). RESULTS VBM and DTI revealed striking patterns of brain morphometric changes in FM patients. Bilateral middle temporal gyrus (MTG), parahippocampal gyrus, left dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), right putamen, right caudate nucleus, and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) showed significantly decreased GM volumes. In contrast, increased GM volume was observed in bilateral cerebellum and left thalamus. Beyond that, patients displayed microstructural changes of WM connectivity within the medial lemniscus, corpus callosum, and tracts surrounding and connecting the thalamus. Sensory-discriminative aspects of pain (pain severity, pain thresholds) primarily showed negative correlations with GM within bilateral putamen, pallidum, right midcingulate cortex (MCC), and multiple thalamic substructures, whereas the chronicity of pain was negatively correlated with GM volumes within right insular cortex and left rolandic operculum. Affective-motivational aspects of pain (depressive mood, general activity) were related to GM and FA values within bilateral putamen and thalamus. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest a variety of distinct structural brain changes in FM, particularly affecting areas involved in pain and emotion processing such as the thalamus, putamen, and insula.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Mosch
- Clinical and Experimental Behavioral Medicine, Alexandrinenstraße 1-3, 44791, Bochum, Germany
| | - Verena Hagena
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, LWL University Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Alexandrinenstraße 1-3, 44791, Bochum, Germany
| | - Stephan Herpertz
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, LWL University Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Alexandrinenstraße 1-3, 44791, Bochum, Germany
| | - Martin Diers
- Clinical and Experimental Behavioral Medicine, Alexandrinenstraße 1-3, 44791, Bochum, Germany.
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28
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Casamento-Moran A, Mooney RA, Chib VS, Celnik PA. Cerebellar Excitability Regulates Physical Fatigue Perception. J Neurosci 2023; 43:3094-3106. [PMID: 36914263 PMCID: PMC10146467 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1406-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Fatigue is the subjective sensation of weariness, increased sense of effort, or exhaustion and is pervasive in neurologic illnesses. Despite its prevalence, we have a limited understanding of the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying fatigue. The cerebellum, known for its role in motor control and learning, is also involved in perceptual processes. However, the role of the cerebellum in fatigue remains largely unexplored. We performed two experiments to examine whether cerebellar excitability is affected after a fatiguing task and its association with fatigue. Using a crossover design, we assessed cerebellar inhibition (CBI) and perception of fatigue in humans before and after "fatigue" and "control" tasks. Thirty-three participants (16 males, 17 females) performed five isometric pinch trials with their thumb and index finger at 80% maximum voluntary capacity (MVC) until failure (force <40% MVC; fatigue) or at 5% MVC for 30 s (control). We found that reduced CBI after the fatigue task correlated with a milder perception of fatigue. In a follow-up experiment, we investigated the behavioral consequences of reduced CBI after fatigue. We measured CBI, perception of fatigue, and performance during a ballistic goal-directed task before and after the same fatigue and control tasks. We replicated the observation that reduced CBI after the fatigue task correlated with a milder perception of fatigue and found that greater endpoint variability after the fatigue task correlated with reduced CBI. The proportional relation between cerebellar excitability and fatigue indicates a role of the cerebellum in the perception of fatigue, which might come at the expense of motor control.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Fatigue is one of the most common and debilitating symptoms in neurologic, neuropsychiatric, and chronic illnesses. Despite its epidemiological importance, there is a limited understanding of the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying fatigue. In a series of experiments, we demonstrate that decreased cerebellar excitability relates to lesser physical fatigue perception and worse motor control. These results showcase the role of the cerebellum in fatigue regulation and suggest that fatigue- and performance-related processes might compete for cerebellar resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agostina Casamento-Moran
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21287
| | - Ronan A Mooney
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21287
| | - Vikram S Chib
- Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland 21287
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21287
| | - Pablo A Celnik
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21287
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21287
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29
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Wijnia JW, Oudman E, Batjes DM, Brouwer BA, Oey M, Postma A. Korsakoff syndrome and altered pain perception: a search of underlying neural mechanisms. Scand J Pain 2023; 23:424-432. [PMID: 36117250 DOI: 10.1515/sjpain-2022-0053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Patients with Korsakoff syndrome (KS) may have a diminished pain perception. Information on KS and pain is scarce and limited to case descriptions. The present study is the first to investigate the underlying neural mechanisms of altered pain perception in patients with KS more systematically. METHODS We conducted a literature search on neural correlates of pain perception in other neurocognitive disorders in which extensive research was done. RESULTS The brain areas that are affected in KS showed considerable overlap with the neural correlates of pain perception in other neurocognitive disorders. We discussed which different aspects of disturbed pain perception could play a role within KS, based on distinct neural damage and brain areas involved in pain perception. CONCLUSIONS Combining current knowledge, we hypothesize that diminished pain perception in KS may be related to lesioned neural connections between cerebral cortical networks and relays of mainly the thalamus, the periaqueductal gray, and possibly lower brain stem regions projecting to the cerebellum. Based on these neural correlates of altered pain perception, we assume that increased pain thresholds, inhibition of pain signals, and disturbed input to cerebral and cerebellar cortical areas involved in pain processing, all are candidate mechanisms in cases of diminished pain perception in KS. We recommend that clinicians need to be alert for somatic morbidity in patients with KS. Due to altered neural processing of nociceptive input the clinical symptoms of somatic morbidity may present differently (i.e. limited pain responses) and therefore are at risk of being missed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan W Wijnia
- Slingedael Center of Expertise for Korsakoff Syndrome, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Erik Oudman
- Slingedael Center of Expertise for Korsakoff Syndrome, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Deirdre M Batjes
- Slingedael Center of Expertise for Korsakoff Syndrome, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Brigitte A Brouwer
- Department of Neurology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Misha Oey
- Slingedael Center of Expertise for Korsakoff Syndrome, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Albert Postma
- Slingedael Center of Expertise for Korsakoff Syndrome, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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30
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Wen J, Gao Y, Li M, Hu S, Zhao M, Su C, Wang Q, Xi H, Zhan L, Lv Y, Antwi CO, Ren J, Jia X. Regional abnormalities of spontaneous brain activity in migraine: A coordinate‐based meta‐analysis. J Neurosci Res 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
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31
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Chen C, Tassou A, Morales V, Scherrer G. Graph theory analysis reveals an assortative pain network vulnerable to attacks. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.08.531580. [PMID: 36945626 PMCID: PMC10028857 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.08.531580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
The neural substrate of pain experience has been described as a dense network of connected brain regions. However, the connectivity pattern of these brain regions remains elusive, precluding a deeper understanding of how pain emerges from the structural connectivity. Here, we use graph theory to systematically characterize the architecture of a comprehensive pain network, including both cortical and subcortical brain areas. This structural brain network consists of 49 nodes denoting pain-related brain areas, linked by edges representing their relative incoming and outgoing axonal projection strengths. Sixty-three percent of brain areas in this structural pain network share reciprocal connections, reflecting a dense network. The clustering coefficient, a measurement of the probability that adjacent nodes are connected, indicates that brain areas in the pain network tend to cluster together. Community detection, the process of discovering cohesive groups in complex networks, successfully reveals two known subnetworks that specifically mediate the sensory and affective components of pain, respectively. Assortativity analysis, which evaluates the tendency of nodes to connect with other nodes with similar features, indicates that the pain network is assortative. Finally, robustness, the resistance of a complex network to failures and perturbations, indicates that the pain network displays a high degree of error tolerance (local failure rarely affects the global information carried by the network) but is vulnerable to attacks (selective removal of hub nodes critically changes network connectivity). Taken together, graph theory analysis unveils an assortative structural pain network in the brain processing nociceptive information, and the vulnerability of this network to attack opens up the possibility of alleviating pain by targeting the most connected brain areas in the network.
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Zhao J, Guo LX, Li HR, Gou XY, Liu XB, Zhang Y, Zhong DL, Li YX, Zheng Z, Li J, Feng Y, Jin RJ. The effects of acupuncture therapy in migraine: An activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis. Front Neurosci 2023; 16:1097450. [PMID: 36778899 PMCID: PMC9911686 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1097450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Previous functional magnetic resonance imaging studies indicated that acupuncture could activate the brain regions in patients with migraine. However, these studies showed inconsistent results. This activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis aimed to investigate the consistent activated change of brain regions between pre- and post-acupuncture treatment in migraineurs. Methods We conducted a literature search in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database, the Wanfang Database, and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database from their inception to 18 August, 2022, to obtain articles assessing the functional magnetic resonance imaging changes of acupuncture for migraine. Two investigators independently performed literature selection, data extraction, and quality assessment. The methodological quality was assessed with a modified version of the checklist. The reporting quality of interventions among included studies was evaluated by the Revised Standards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA). Our meta-analysis was conducted according to the GingerALE software. The Jackknife sensitivity analysis was used to assess the robustness of the results. Results 14 articles were finally included according to the eligible criteria. Regarding the immediate effect of acupuncture on migraine, the ALE meta-analysis demonstrated that the deactivation regions were mainly located in the superior frontal gyrus, and middle frontal gyrus (uncorrected P < 0.001). The ALE meta-analysis of the cumulative effect showed that the activation regions were the thalamus, superior frontal gyrus, posterior lobe of the cerebellum, insula, middle frontal gyrus, precentral gyrus, anterior cingulate, and the deactivation brain regions were located in the transverse temporal gyrus, postcentral gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, anterior cingulate, parahippocampal gyrus, inferior parietal lobule, and inferior occipital gyrus (uncorrected P < 0.001). Conclusion Acupuncture could activate multiple brain areas related with the regulation of pain conduction, processing, emotion, cognition, and other brain regions in patients with migraine. In the future, the combination of multiple imaging technologies could be a new approach to deeply investigate the central mechanism of acupuncture for migraine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhao
- School of Health Preservation and Rehabilitation, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Liu-xue Guo
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Hong-ru Li
- Centre of Preventive Treatment of Disease, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xin-yun Gou
- School of Health Preservation and Rehabilitation, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiao-bo Liu
- School of Health Preservation and Rehabilitation, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- School of Health Preservation and Rehabilitation, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Dong-ling Zhong
- School of Health Preservation and Rehabilitation, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yu-xi Li
- School of Health Preservation and Rehabilitation, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhong Zheng
- Mental Health Center, West China School of Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Juan Li
- School of Health Preservation and Rehabilitation, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China,*Correspondence: Juan Li,
| | - Yue Feng
- School of Acupuncture and Tuina, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China,Yue Feng,
| | - Rong-jiang Jin
- School of Health Preservation and Rehabilitation, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China,Rong-Jiang Jin,
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Salberg S, Doshen A, Yamakawa GR, Miller JV, Noel M, Henderson L, Mychasiuk R. The waiting game: investigating the neurobiological transition from acute to persistent pain in adolescent rats. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:6382-6393. [PMID: 36610738 PMCID: PMC10183733 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Persistent postsurgical pain affects 20% of youth undergoing a surgical procedure, with females exhibiting increased prevalence of chronic pain compared with males. This study sought to examine the sexually-dimorphic neurobiological changes underlying the transition from acute to persistent pain following surgery in adolescence. Male and female Sprague Dawley rats were randomly allocated to a sham or injury (plantar-incision surgery) condition and assessed for pain sensitivity while also undergoing magnetic resonance imaging at both an acute and chronic timepoint within adolescence. We found that injury resulted in persistent pain in both sexes, with females displaying most significant sensitivity. Injury resulted in significant gray matter density increases in brain areas including the cerebellum, caudate putamen/insula, and amygdala and decreases in the hippocampus, hypothalamus, nucleus accumbens, and lateral septal nucleus. Gray matter density changes in the hippocampus and lateral septal nucleus were driven by male rats whereas changes in the amygdala and caudate putamen/insula were driven by female rats. Overall, our results indicate persistent behavioral and neurobiological changes following surgery in adolescence, with sexually-dimorphic and age-specific outcomes, highlighting the importance of studying both sexes and adolescents, rather than extrapolating from male adult literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Salberg
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Angela Doshen
- School of Medical Sciences (Neuroscience), Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, 94 Mallett St, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Glenn R Yamakawa
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Jillian Vinall Miller
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 29 Street NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 2T9, Canada
| | - Melanie Noel
- Department of Psychology, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, The University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Dr NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Luke Henderson
- School of Medical Sciences (Neuroscience), Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, 94 Mallett St, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Richelle Mychasiuk
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
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Zhang X, Zhou J, Guo M, Cheng S, Chen Y, Jiang N, Li X, Hu S, Tian Z, Li Z, Zeng F. A systematic review and meta-analysis of voxel-based morphometric studies of migraine. J Neurol 2023; 270:152-170. [PMID: 36098838 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-022-11363-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To comprehensively summarize and meta-analyze the concurrence across voxel-based morphometric (VBM) neuroimaging studies of migraine. METHODS Neuroimaging studies published from origin to August 1, 2021 were searched in six databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, and Chongqing VIP. Study selection, quality assessment, and data extraction were conducted by two independent researchers. Anisotropic effect size-signed differential mapping (AES-SDM) and activation likelihood estimation (ALE) were used to perform the meta-analysis of available studies reporting whole-brain gray matter (GM) structural data in migraine patients. Clinical variables correlation analysis and migraine subgroup analysis were also conducted. RESULTS 40 articles were included after the strict screening, containing 1616 migraine patients and 1681 matched healthy subjects (HS) in total. Using the method of AES-SDM, migraine patients showed GM increase in the bilateral amygdala, the bilateral parahippocampus, the bilateral temporal poles, the bilateral superior temporal gyri, the left hippocampus, the right superior frontal gyrus, and the left middle temporal gyrus, as well as GM decrease in the left insula, the bilateral cerebellum (hemispheric lobule IX), the right dorsal medulla, the bilateral rolandic operculum, the right middle frontal gyrus, and the right inferior parietal gyrus. Using the method of ALE, migraine patients showed GM increase in the left parahippocampus and GM decrease in the left insula. The results of correlation analysis showed that many of these brain regions were associated with migraine headache frequency and migraine disease duration. Migraine patients in different subtypes (such as migraine without aura (MwoA), migraine with aura (MwA), episodic migraine (EM), chronic migraine (CM), vestibular migraine (VM), etc.), and in different periods (in the ictal and interictal periods) presented not entirely consistent GM alterations. CONCLUSION Migraine patients have GM alterations in multiple brain regions associated with sensation, affection, cognition, and descending modulation aspects of pain. These changes might be a consequence of repeated migraine attacks. Further studies are required to determine how these GM changes can be used to diagnose, monitor disease progression, or exploit potential therapeutic interventions for migraine patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyue Zhang
- The Acupuncture and Tuina School/The 3rd Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,Acupuncture and Brain Research Center, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jun Zhou
- The Acupuncture and Tuina School/The 3rd Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Mengyuan Guo
- Institute College of Integrative Medicine, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning, China
| | - Shirui Cheng
- The Acupuncture and Tuina School/The 3rd Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,Acupuncture and Brain Research Center, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yilin Chen
- The Acupuncture and Tuina School/The 3rd Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Nannan Jiang
- The Acupuncture and Tuina School/The 3rd Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xinling Li
- The Acupuncture and Tuina School/The 3rd Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,Acupuncture and Brain Research Center, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Shengjie Hu
- The Acupuncture and Tuina School/The 3rd Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,Acupuncture and Brain Research Center, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Zilei Tian
- The Acupuncture and Tuina School/The 3rd Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.,Acupuncture and Brain Research Center, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhengjie Li
- The Acupuncture and Tuina School/The 3rd Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. .,Acupuncture and Brain Research Center, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
| | - Fang Zeng
- The Acupuncture and Tuina School/The 3rd Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. .,Acupuncture and Brain Research Center, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
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Impaired Inter-Hemispheric Functional Connectivity during Resting State in Female Patients with Migraine. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12111505. [PMID: 36358431 PMCID: PMC9688662 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12111505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The application of voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity (VMHC) analysis to study the central mechanism of migraine has been limited. Furthermore, little is known about inter-hemispheric functional connectivity (FC) alterations during resting state in female patients with migraine. This study aimed to investigate potential interictal VMHC impairments in migraine without aura (MwoA) patients and the relationship between connectivity alterations and clinical parameters. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data and clinical information were acquired from 43 female MwoA patients and 43 matched healthy controls. VMHC analysis was used to compare differences between these two groups, and brain regions showing significant differences were chosen as a mask to perform a seed-based FC group comparison. Subsequent correlation analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between abnormal inter-hemispheric FC and clinical data. Compared with healthy controls, female MwoA patients revealed significantly decreased VMHC in the bilateral cerebellum; cuneus; and lingual, middle occipital, precentral and postcentral gyri. Seed-based FC analysis indicated disrupted intrinsic connectivity in the cerebellum, and default mode, visual and sensorimotor network. These VMHC and FC abnormalities were negatively correlated with clinical indexes including duration of disease, migraine days and visual analogue scale. These inter-hemispheric FC impairments and correlations between abnormal VMHC and FC and clinical scores may improve our understanding of the central mechanism of female-specific migraine.
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36
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Szabo E, Timmers I, Borsook D, Simons LE, Sieberg CB. Altered anterior insula functional connectivity in adolescent and young women with endometriosis-associated pain: Pilot resting-state fMRI study. Eur J Paediatr Neurol 2022; 41:80-90. [PMID: 36375399 PMCID: PMC9722632 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2022.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Endometriosis is the leading cause of chronic pelvic pain. Alterations in brain functional connectivity have been reported in adult women with endometriosis-associated pain (EAP), however, it is still unknown if similar patterns of changes exist in adolescents. METHODS In this pilot study, resting-state fMRI scans were obtained from 11 adolescent and young women with EAP and 14 healthy female controls. Using a seed-to-voxel approach, we investigated functional connectivity between the anterior insula, medial prefrontal cortex, and the rest of the brain. Furthermore, we explored whether potential functional connectivity differences were correlated with clinical characteristics including disease duration, pain intensity, and different psychosocial factors (pain catastrophizing, fear of pain, functional disability, anxiety, and depression). RESULTS Our findings revealed that patients with EAP demonstrated significantly decreased connectivity between the right anterior insula and two clusters: one in the right cerebellum, and one in the left middle frontal gyrus compared to controls. Additionally, functional connectivity between the right anterior insula and the right cerebellum was positively associated with pain intensity levels. In patients with EAP, brain changes were also correlated with state anxiety and fear of pain. CONCLUSIONS Our results are relevant not only for understanding the brain characteristics underlying EAP at a younger age, but also in enhancing future pain treatment efforts by supporting the involvement of the central nervous system in endometriosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edina Szabo
- Pain and Affective Neuroscience Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Biobehavioral Pain Innovations Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Inge Timmers
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - David Borsook
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Anesthesiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Laura E Simons
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Christine B Sieberg
- Pain and Affective Neuroscience Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Biobehavioral Pain Innovations Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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37
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Chen Y, Liu Y, Song Y, Zhao S, Li B, Sun J, Liu L. Therapeutic applications and potential mechanisms of acupuncture in migraine: A literature review and perspectives. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:1022455. [PMID: 36340786 PMCID: PMC9630645 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1022455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Acupuncture is commonly used as a treatment for migraines. Animal studies have suggested that acupuncture can decrease neuropeptides, immune cells, and proinflammatory and excitatory neurotransmitters, which are associated with the pathogenesis of neuroinflammation. In addition, acupuncture participates in the development of peripheral and central sensitization through modulation of the release of neuronal-sensitization-related mediators (brain-derived neurotrophic factor, glutamate), endocannabinoid system, and serotonin system activation. Clinical studies have demonstrated that acupuncture may be a beneficial migraine treatment, particularly in decreasing pain intensity, duration, emotional comorbidity, and days of acute medication intake. However, specific clinical effectiveness has not been substantiated, and the mechanisms underlying its efficacy remain obscure. With the development of biomedical and neuroimaging techniques, the neural mechanism of acupuncture in migraine has gained increasing attention. Neuroimaging studies have indicated that acupuncture may alter the abnormal functional activity and connectivity of the descending pain modulatory system, default mode network, thalamus, frontal-parietal network, occipital-temporal network, and cerebellum. Acupuncture may reduce neuroinflammation, regulate peripheral and central sensitization, and normalize abnormal brain activity, thereby preventing pain signal transmission. To summarize the effects and neural mechanisms of acupuncture in migraine, we performed a systematic review of literature about migraine and acupuncture. We summarized the characteristics of current clinical studies, including the types of participants, study designs, and clinical outcomes. The published findings from basic neuroimaging studies support the hypothesis that acupuncture alters abnormal neuroplasticity and brain activity. The benefits of acupuncture require further investigation through basic and clinical studies.
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38
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Wang M, Tutt JO, Dorricott NO, Parker KL, Russo AF, Sowers LP. Involvement of the cerebellum in migraine. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 16:984406. [PMID: 36313527 PMCID: PMC9608746 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.984406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Migraine is a disabling neurological disease characterized by moderate or severe headaches and accompanied by sensory abnormalities, e.g., photophobia, allodynia, and vertigo. It affects approximately 15% of people worldwide. Despite advancements in current migraine therapeutics, mechanisms underlying migraine remain elusive. Within the central nervous system, studies have hinted that the cerebellum may play an important sensory integrative role in migraine. More specifically, the cerebellum has been proposed to modulate pain processing, and imaging studies have revealed cerebellar alterations in migraine patients. This review aims to summarize the clinical and preclinical studies that link the cerebellum to migraine. We will first discuss cerebellar roles in pain modulation, including cerebellar neuronal connections with pain-related brain regions. Next, we will review cerebellar symptoms and cerebellar imaging data in migraine patients. Lastly, we will highlight the possible roles of the neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in migraine symptoms, including preclinical cerebellar studies in animal models of migraine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengya Wang
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Joseph O. Tutt
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | | | - Krystal L. Parker
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Andrew F. Russo
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States,Department of Neurology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States,Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss, Veterans Administration Health Center, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Levi P. Sowers
- Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss, Veterans Administration Health Center, Iowa City, IA, United States,Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States,*Correspondence: Levi P. Sowers
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39
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Lee JJ, Lee S, Lee DH, Woo CW. Functional brain reconfiguration during sustained pain. eLife 2022; 11:74463. [PMID: 36173388 PMCID: PMC9522250 DOI: 10.7554/elife.74463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pain is constructed through complex interactions among multiple brain systems, but it remains unclear how functional brain networks are reconfigured over time while experiencing pain. Here, we investigated the time-varying changes in the functional brain networks during 20 min capsaicin-induced sustained orofacial pain. In the early stage, the orofacial areas of the primary somatomotor cortex were separated from other areas of the somatosensory cortex and integrated with subcortical and frontoparietal regions, constituting an extended brain network of sustained pain. As pain decreased over time, the subcortical and frontoparietal regions were separated from this brain network and connected to multiple cerebellar regions. Machine-learning models based on these network features showed significant predictions of changes in pain experience across two independent datasets (n = 48 and 74). This study provides new insights into how multiple brain systems dynamically interact to construct and modulate pain experience, advancing our mechanistic understanding of sustained pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae-Joong Lee
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Suwon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungwoo Lee
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Suwon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Hee Lee
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Suwon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Choong-Wan Woo
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Suwon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
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40
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Cai M, Liu J, Wang X, Ma J, Ma L, Liu M, Zhao Y, Wang H, Fu D, Wang W, Xu Q, Guo L, Liu F. Spontaneous brain activity abnormalities in migraine: A meta-analysis of functional neuroimaging. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 44:571-584. [PMID: 36129066 PMCID: PMC9842892 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that migraine is accompanied by spontaneous brain activity alterations in specific regions. However, these findings are inconsistent, thus hindering our understanding of the potential neuropathology. Hence, we performed a quantitative whole-brain meta-analysis of relevant resting-state functional imaging studies to identify brain regions consistently involved in migraine. A systematic search of studies that investigated the differences in spontaneous brain activity patterns between migraineurs and healthy controls up to April 2022 was conducted. We then performed a whole-brain voxel-wise meta-analysis using the anisotropic effect size version of seed-based d mapping software. Complementary analyses including jackknife sensitivity analysis, heterogeneity test, publication bias test, subgroup analysis, and meta-regression analysis were conducted as well. In total, 24 studies that reported 31 datasets were finally eligible for our meta-analysis, including 748 patients and 690 controls. In contrast to healthy controls, migraineurs demonstrated consistent and robust decreased spontaneous brain activity in the angular gyrus, visual cortex, and cerebellum, while increased activity in the caudate, thalamus, pons, and prefrontal cortex. Results were robust and highly replicable in the following jackknife sensitivity analysis and subgroup analysis. Meta-regression analyses revealed that a higher visual analog scale score in the patient sample was associated with increased spontaneous brain activity in the left thalamus. These findings provided not only a comprehensive overview of spontaneous brain activity patterns impairments, but also useful insights into the pathophysiology of dysfunction in migraine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengjing Cai
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional ImagingTianjin Medical University General HospitalTianjinChina
| | - Jiawei Liu
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional ImagingTianjin Medical University General HospitalTianjinChina
| | - Xuexiang Wang
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional ImagingTianjin Medical University General HospitalTianjinChina,Department of RadiologyTianjin Hongqiao HospitalTianjinChina
| | - Juanwei Ma
- Department of RadiologyTianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for CancerTianjinChina
| | - Lin Ma
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional ImagingTianjin Medical University General HospitalTianjinChina
| | - Mengge Liu
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional ImagingTianjin Medical University General HospitalTianjinChina
| | - Yao Zhao
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional ImagingTianjin Medical University General HospitalTianjinChina
| | - He Wang
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional ImagingTianjin Medical University General HospitalTianjinChina
| | - Dianxun Fu
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional ImagingTianjin Medical University General HospitalTianjinChina
| | - Wenqin Wang
- School of Mathematical SciencesTiangong UniversityTianjinChina
| | - Qiang Xu
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional ImagingTianjin Medical University General HospitalTianjinChina
| | - Lining Guo
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional ImagingTianjin Medical University General HospitalTianjinChina
| | - Feng Liu
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional ImagingTianjin Medical University General HospitalTianjinChina
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Chen Y, Xing X, Dai W, Tian L, Dong Z, Yu S. Brain regions involved in fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation in cluster headache patients: a resting-state functional MRI study. BMC Neurol 2022; 22:336. [PMID: 36071405 PMCID: PMC9450424 DOI: 10.1186/s12883-022-02863-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI) to assess the possible pathogenic role of fALFF in CH. A limited number of studies have reported on fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) in cluster headache (CH). METHODS RS-fMRI scans of 23 patients with CH were obtained (11with left-sided headache and 12 with right-sided headache), along with scans of 23 age- and sex-matched normal controls. The RS-fMRI data were analyzed to explore abnormal brain activity in the left CH and right CH patients during the non-painful state in one cluster period. fALFF was compared between patients and controls, and correlation analysis between the regional mean fALFF values and clinical characteristics was performed. RESULTS A decrease in fALFF was detected in the left cerebellum, left lentiform nucleus, left frontal lobe, left anterior cingulate, and right postcentral gyrus in the left CH group compared to the controls, while a decrease of fALFF was detected in the right cerebellum, right cingulate gyrus, right superior parietal lobule, right inferior parietal lobule, right postcentral gyrus, and left precuneus in the right CH group. No patient had a region with increased fALFF. A moderate correlation was observed between some regional mean fALFF values and the clinical characteristics. CONCLUSIONS We deduced that dysfunction in multiple brain areas is involved in the non-painful state of CH during a cluster period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Chen
- Department of Neurology, Chinese PLA General Hospital; International headache center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.,Chinese PLA Medical School, Beijing, 100853, China.,Department of Neurology, Peking University Shougang Hospital, Beijing, 100144, China
| | - Xinbo Xing
- Department of Radiology, Fourth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100048, China
| | - Wei Dai
- Department of Neurology, Chinese PLA General Hospital; International headache center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.,Chinese PLA Medical School, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Lixia Tian
- School of Computer and Information Technology, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, 100044, China
| | - Zhao Dong
- Department of Neurology, Chinese PLA General Hospital; International headache center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
| | - Shengyuan Yu
- Department of Neurology, Chinese PLA General Hospital; International headache center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
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Chen XF, He P, Xu KH, Jin YH, Chen Y, Wang B, Hu X, Qi L, Wang MW, Li J. Disrupted Spontaneous Neural Activity and Its Interaction With Pain and Emotion in Temporomandibular Disorders. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:941244. [PMID: 36090263 PMCID: PMC9453298 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.941244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Purpose Temporomandibular disorders (TMD), especially pain-related TMD, are closely related to social and psychological factors. We aimed to measure changes in spontaneous brain activity and its related functional connectivity (FC), as well as FC characteristics within the mood-regulating circuits (MRC) in TMD patients by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI), and to analyze the relationship between these parameters and emotional symptoms. Materials and Methods Twenty-one adult TMD patients and thirty demographically matched healthy controls (HCs) underwent clinical scale evaluation and RS-fMRI scanning. After processing RS-fMRI data, the values of the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) between the two groups were compared. Regions with abnormal ALFF values were selected as areas of interest (ROIs) to compare the differences of whole-brain seed-based FC between groups. The FCs between regions within MRC were also analyzed and compared. In addition, the relationships between RS-fMRI characteristics and pain and mood were explored by correlation and mediation analyses. Results Compared with HCs, TMD patients showed increased ALFF in the right parahippocampal gyrus (PHG), the right supplementary motor area, and the bilateral precentral gyrus, with decreased ALFF in the right cerebelum_crus2. Patients showed enhanced right PHG-related FC in the vermis and posterior cingulate cortex, orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)-related FC in the striatal-frontal regions, while decreased dorsolateral prefrontal cortex-related FC in the amygdala. In TMD patients, ALFF values in the right PHG and FC values between the right PHG and the vermis were positively correlated with depressive symptoms. Abnormal FCs in the left striatal-orbitofrontal pathway were correlated with pain and depressive symptoms. More importantly, mediation analysis revealed that chronic pain mediates the relationship between FC of right PHG with vermis and depressive symptoms, and abnormal FC in the left striatal-orbitofrontal pathway can mediate the association between pain and depressive symptoms. Conclusion TMD patients have dysregulated spontaneous activity and FC in the default mode network, sensorimotor network and pain-related regions, as well as dysfunction of the fronto-striatal-limbic circuits. The development of negative emotions in TMD may be related to the dysfunction of components within the reward system (especially hippocampus complex, OFC, striatum) due to chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Fei Chen
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ping He
- Department of Orthodontics, Hangzhou Stomatological Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Kuang-Hui Xu
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yi-Han Jin
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yong Chen
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bin Wang
- Department of Orthodontics, Hangzhou Stomatological Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xu Hu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Le Qi
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ming-Wei Wang
- Department of Cardiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Jie Li,
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Gollion C, Lerebours F, Nemmi F, Arribarat G, Bonneville F, Larrue V, Péran P. Insular functional connectivity in migraine with aura. J Headache Pain 2022; 23:106. [PMID: 35982396 PMCID: PMC9389744 DOI: 10.1186/s10194-022-01473-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Insula plays an integrating role in sensory, affective, emotional, cognitive and autonomic functions in migraine, especially in migraine with aura (MA). Insula is functionally divided into 3 subregions, the dorsoanterior, the ventroanterior and the posterior insula respectively related to cognition, emotion, and somatosensory functions. This study aimed at investigating functional connectivity of insula subregions in MA. Methods Twenty-one interictal patients with MA were compared to 18 healthy controls (HC) and 12 interictal patients with migraine without aura (MO) and were scanned with functional MRI during the resting state. Functional coupling of the insula was comprehensively tested with 12 seeds located in the right and left, dorsal, middle, ventral, anterior and posterior insula, by using a seed-to-voxel analysis. Results Seed-to-voxel analysis revealed, in MA, a strong functional coupling of the right and left antero-dorsal insula with clusters located in the upper cerebellum. The overlap of these cerebellar clusters corresponded to the vermis VI. These functional couplings were not correlated to duration of MA, frequency of MA attacks nor time since last MA attack, and were not found in MO. Discussion The anterior insula and superior cerebellum, including vermis VI, are components of the central Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) network. As these regions are involved in the control of cardiovascular parasympathetic tone, we hypothesize that this connectivity may reflect the cardiovascular features of MA. Conclusion The anterior dorsal insula is connected with vermis VI in MA patients in the resting state. This connectivity may reflect the cardiovascular features of MA. Trial registration NCT02708797.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cédric Gollion
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Toulouse, 31059 cedex 9, Toulouse, France. .,Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, ToNIC, University of Toulouse III, Inserm, Toulouse, France.
| | - Fleur Lerebours
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Toulouse, 31059 cedex 9, Toulouse, France
| | - Federico Nemmi
- Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, ToNIC, University of Toulouse III, Inserm, Toulouse, France
| | - Germain Arribarat
- Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, ToNIC, University of Toulouse III, Inserm, Toulouse, France
| | - Fabrice Bonneville
- Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, ToNIC, University of Toulouse III, Inserm, Toulouse, France.,Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital of Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Vincent Larrue
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital of Toulouse, 31059 cedex 9, Toulouse, France
| | - Patrice Péran
- Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, ToNIC, University of Toulouse III, Inserm, Toulouse, France
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Yoon H, Bak MS, Kim SH, Lee JH, Chung G, Kim SJ, Kim SK. Development of a spontaneous pain indicator based on brain cellular calcium using deep learning. EXPERIMENTAL & MOLECULAR MEDICINE 2022; 54:1179-1187. [PMID: 35982300 PMCID: PMC9385425 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-022-00828-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Chronic pain remains an intractable condition in millions of patients worldwide. Spontaneous ongoing pain is a major clinical problem of chronic pain and is extremely challenging to diagnose and treat compared to stimulus-evoked pain. Although extensive efforts have been made in preclinical studies, there still exists a mismatch in pain type between the animal model and humans (i.e., evoked vs. spontaneous), which obstructs the translation of knowledge from preclinical animal models into objective diagnosis and effective new treatments. Here, we developed a deep learning algorithm, designated AI-bRNN (Average training, Individual test-bidirectional Recurrent Neural Network), to detect spontaneous pain information from brain cellular Ca2+ activity recorded by two-photon microscopy imaging in awake, head-fixed mice. AI-bRNN robustly determines the intensity and time points of spontaneous pain even in chronic pain models and evaluates the efficacy of analgesics in real time. Furthermore, AI-bRNN can be applied to various cell types (neurons and glia), brain areas (cerebral cortex and cerebellum) and forms of somatosensory input (itch and pain), proving its versatile performance. These results suggest that our approach offers a clinically relevant, quantitative, real-time preclinical evaluation platform for pain medicine, thereby accelerating the development of new methods for diagnosing and treating human patients with chronic pain. A microscopy technique coupled with an artificial intelligence (AI) platform could help researchers discover new types of pain-relief medicines. A team from South Korea led by Sun Kwang Kim of Kyung Hee University and Sang Jeong Kim of Seoul National University created a machine-learning algorithm that converts calcium signaling data in the brain, as estimated via imaging on genetically engineered mice, into a measurement of pain intensity. The researchers applied the technique to several mouse models of chronic pain and showed that it accurately captured the analgesic effects of known painkillers. They also extended the system to multiple brain regions, cell types and another brain-controlled sensory process, itch. The researchers propose using the AI-based tool to evaluate candidate anti-pain and anti-itch medicines ahead of human trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heera Yoon
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea.,Department of Science in Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Myeong Seong Bak
- Department of Science in Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Ha Kim
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Hwan Lee
- Department of Science in Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Geehoon Chung
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Jeong Kim
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea. .,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sun Kwang Kim
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea. .,Department of Science in Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea.
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Resting-State Functional Connectivity Analyses: Brain Functional Reorganization in a Rat Model of Postherpetic Neuralgia. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12081029. [PMID: 36009092 PMCID: PMC9405817 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12081029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a chronic neuropathic pain syndrome, similar to other chronic pains, the mechanisms of which are not fully understood. To further understand the neural mechanism of this chronic pain and its transition, we performed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans on PHN rat models. Twelve PHN rat models were established by intraperitoneal injection of resiniferatoxin, with an additional 12 rats serving as controls. Nociceptive behavioral tests were performed on these rats and fMRI scans were performed on days 7 and 14 after modeling. Functional connection (FC) analysis was used to investigate the brain FC alterations associated with chronic pain in PHN rats, with the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) as a seed. Nociceptive behavioral tests showed that PHN rats presented symptoms similar to those of PHN patients. FC analysis showed that compared to the control group, the PHN group showed different FC patterns on days 7 and 14. As can be seen, the brain FC alterations in the rat model of PHN changed dynamically, shifting from brain regions processing sensory information to regions processing emotions and motives.
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Wang M, Castonguay WC, Duong TL, Huebner MW, Flinn HC, Greenway AM, Russo AF, Sowers LP. Stimulation of CGRP-expressing neurons in the medial cerebellar nucleus induces light and touch sensitivity in mice. NEUROBIOLOGY OF PAIN (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2022; 12:100098. [PMID: 35782531 PMCID: PMC9240374 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynpai.2022.100098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is considered a major player in migraine pathophysiology. However, the location and mechanisms of CGRP actions in migraine are not clearly elucidated. One important question yet to be answered is: Does central CGRP signaling play a role in migraine? One candidate site is the cerebellum, which serves as a sensory and motor integration center and is activated in migraine patients. The cerebellum has the most CGRP binding sites in the central nervous system and a deep cerebellar nucleus, the medial nucleus (MN), expresses CGRP (MNCGRP). A previous study demonstrated that CGRP delivery into the cerebellum induced migraine-like behaviors. We hypothesized that stimulation of MNCGRP neurons might induce migraine-like behaviors. To test the hypothesis, we used an optogenetic strategy using CalcaCre/+ mice to drive Cre-dependent expression of channelrhodopsin-2 selectively in CGRP neurons in the cerebellar MN. A battery of behavioral tests was done to assess preclinical behaviors that are surrogates of migraine symptoms, including light aversion, cutaneous allodynia, and spontaneous pain when MNCGRP neurons were optically stimulated. Motor functions were also assessed. Optical stimulation of MNCGRP neurons decreased the time spent in the light, which was coupled to increased time spent resting in the dark, but not the light. These changes were only significant in female mice. Plantar tactile sensitivity was increased in the ipsilateral paws of both sexes, but contralateral paw data were less clear. There was no significant increase in anxiety-like behavior, spontaneous pain (squint), or changes in gait. These discoveries reveal that MNCGRP neurons may contribute to migraine-like sensory hypersensitivity to light and touch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengya Wang
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - William C. Castonguay
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Thomas L. Duong
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Michael W. Huebner
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Harold C. Flinn
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Agatha M. Greenway
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Andrew F. Russo
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss, Veterans Administration Health Center, Iowa City, IA 52246, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Levi P. Sowers
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Visual Loss, Veterans Administration Health Center, Iowa City, IA 52246, USA
- Corresponding author at: Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
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Bicego A, Rousseaux F, Faymonville ME, Nyssen AS, Vanhaudenhuyse A. Neurophysiology of hypnosis in chronic pain: A review of recent literature. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL HYPNOSIS 2022; 64:62-80. [PMID: 34748463 DOI: 10.1080/00029157.2020.1869517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Chronic pain is a complex phenomenon which includes biological, psychological, and socio-professional factors that undermine patients' everyday life. Currently, only few patients significantly benefit from pharmacological treatments and many have to stop them because of negative side effects. Moreover, no medication or treatment addresses all aspects of chronic pain at once (i.e., sensations, emotions, behaviors, and cognitions), positioning chronic pain as an important public health issue and thus contributing to high health-care costs. Consequently, patients and health-care providers are increasingly turning to complementary non-pharmacological techniques such as hypnosis. Clinical research has demonstrated a decrease of pain perception, pain interference, depression and anxiety, and an increase in global quality of life when patients with chronic pain have benefited from hypnosis learning. Neuroimaging studies offer a possible explanation of these results by focusing on neural processes of pain modulation in chronic pain patients' brain. Studies conducted with chronic pain patients showed a modulation of pain matrix activity during hypnosis with a specific involvement of the anterior cingulate cortex (related to emotional and cognitive processing of pain). Therefore, hypnosis seems to act upon regions underlying emotion and cognition, with an influence on pain perception and emotional regulation. In this review, we propose to carry out a review of the recent literature on hypnosis in chronic pain management. A better understanding of the beneficial effects of hypnosis on chronic pain and its neurophysiology should enable more systematic use of this technique in the management of this complex health problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aminata Bicego
- Sensation & Perception Research Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège
- Laboratory of Cognitive Ergonomics and Work Intervention, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Floriane Rousseaux
- Sensation & Perception Research Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège
- Laboratory of Cognitive Ergonomics and Work Intervention, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Marie-Elisabeth Faymonville
- Algology Department, University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Sensation & Perception Research Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège
| | - Anne-Sophie Nyssen
- Sensation & Perception Research Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège
- Laboratory of Cognitive Ergonomics and Work Intervention, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse
- Algology Department, University Hospital of Liège, Liège, Belgium
- Sensation & Perception Research Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liège
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Ha G, Tian Z, Chen J, Wang S, Luo A, Liu Y, Tang J, Lai N, Zeng F, Lan L. Coordinate-based (ALE) meta-analysis of acupuncture for musculoskeletal pain. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:906875. [PMID: 35937886 PMCID: PMC9354890 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.906875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Neuroimaging studies have been widely used to investigate brain regions' alterations in musculoskeletal pain patients. However, inconsistent results have hindered our understanding of the central modulatory effects of acupuncture for musculoskeletal pain. The main objective of our investigation has been to obtain comprehensive evidence of acupuncture for musculoskeletal pain diseases. Methods The PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP Database, China Biology Medicine disc Database, Clinical Trial Registration Platform, and Wanfang Database were searched for neuroimaging studies on musculoskeletal pain diseases published from inception up to November 2021. Then, the relevant literature was screened to extract the coordinates that meet the criteria. Finally, the coordinate-based meta-analysis was performed using the activation likelihood estimation algorithm. Results A total of 15 neuroimaging studies with 183 foci of activation were included in this study. The ALE meta-analysis revealed activated clusters in multiple cortical and sub-cortical brain structures in response to acupuncture across studies, including the thalamus, insula, caudate, claustrum, and lentiform nucleus. Conclusions The studies showed that acupuncture could modulate different brain regions, including the thalamus, insula, caudate, claustrum, and lentiform nucleus. The findings offer several insights into the potential mechanisms of acupuncture for musculoskeletal pain and provide a possible explanation for the observed clinical benefit of this therapy. Systematic review registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=227850, identifier: CRD42021227850.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guodong Ha
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, The 3rd Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Zilei Tian
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, The 3rd Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- Acupuncture and Brain Science Research Center, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiyao Chen
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, The 3rd Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Shuo Wang
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, The 3rd Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Aga Luo
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, The 3rd Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Yunyu Liu
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, The 3rd Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Juan Tang
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, The 3rd Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Ningyuan Lai
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, The 3rd Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Fang Zeng
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, The 3rd Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- Acupuncture and Brain Science Research Center, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province for Acupuncture and Chronobiology, Chengdu, China
| | - Lei Lan
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, The 3rd Teaching Hospital, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- Acupuncture and Brain Science Research Center, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
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Noseda R. Cerebro-Cerebellar Networks in Migraine Symptoms and Headache. FRONTIERS IN PAIN RESEARCH 2022; 3:940923. [PMID: 35910262 PMCID: PMC9326053 DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2022.940923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The cerebellum is associated with the biology of migraine in a variety of ways. Clinically, symptoms such as fatigue, motor weakness, vertigo, dizziness, difficulty concentrating and finding words, nausea, and visual disturbances are common in different types of migraine. The neural basis of these symptoms is complex, not completely known, and likely involve activation of both specific and shared circuits throughout the brain. Posterior circulation stroke, or neurosurgical removal of posterior fossa tumors, as well as anatomical tract tracing in animals, provided the first insights to theorize about cerebellar functions. Nowadays, with the addition of functional imaging, much progress has been done on cerebellar structure and function in health and disease, and, as a consequence, the theories refined. Accordingly, the cerebellum may be useful but not necessary for the execution of motor, sensory or cognitive tasks, but, rather, would participate as an efficiency facilitator of neurologic functions by improving speed and skill in performance of tasks produced by the cerebral area to which it is reciprocally connected. At the subcortical level, critical regions in these processes are the basal ganglia and thalamic nuclei. Altogether, a modulatory role of the cerebellum over multiple brain regions appears compelling, mainly by considering the complexity of its reciprocal connections to common neural networks involved in motor, vestibular, cognitive, affective, sensory, and autonomic processing—all functions affected at different phases and degrees across the migraine spectrum. Despite the many associations between cerebellum and migraine, it is not known whether this structure contributes to migraine initiation, symptoms generation or headache. Specific cerebellar dysfunction via genetically driven excitatory/inhibitory imbalances, oligemia and/or increased risk to white matter lesions has been proposed as a critical contributor to migraine pathogenesis. Therefore, given that neural projections and functions of many brainstem, midbrain and forebrain areas are shared between the cerebellum and migraine trigeminovascular pathways, this review will provide a synopsis on cerebellar structure and function, its role in trigeminal pain, and an updated overview of relevant clinical and preclinical literature on the potential role of cerebellar networks in migraine pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Noseda
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Rodrigo Noseda
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Ni X, Zhang J, Sun M, Wang L, Xu T, Zeng Q, Wang X, Wang Z, Liao H, Hu Y, Gao Q, Zhao L. Abnormal Dynamics of Functional Connectivity Density Associated With Chronic Neck Pain. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:880228. [PMID: 35845606 PMCID: PMC9277509 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.880228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Chronic neck pain (CNP) is highly prevalent and complicated, associated with limited movement, and accompanied by shoulder pain and other clinical manifestations such as dizziness, anxiety, and insomnia. Brain structural and functional abnormalities often occur in patients with CNP. However, knowledge of the brain’s functional organization and temporal dynamics in CNP patients is limited. Dynamic functional connectivity density (dFCD) can reflect the ability of brain areas or voxels to integrate information, and could become neuroimaging markers for objectively reflecting pain to a certain extent. Therefore, this study compared the dFCD between CNP patients and healthy controls (HCs) and investigated potential associations of the abnormal density variability in dynamic functional connectivity with pain characteristics in CNP patients. Methods: Resting functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed for 89 CNP patients and 57 HCs. After preprocessing resting-state fMRI images by the Data Processing and Analysis of Brain Imaging toolbox, the sliding window method was applied to investigate dFCD changes in CNP patients and HCs using the DynamicBC toolbox. Then we quantified dFCD variability using their standard deviation. Based on the pain-associated factors collected from the case report form of CNP patients, the mean dFCD variability values of each dFCD from region of interest were extracted to calculate Pearson’s correlation coefficient to study the potential correlation between dFCD abnormal variability and pain. Results: Compared with HCs, the dFCD values of the anterior cingulate cortex, occipital lobe, temporal lobe, and cerebellum were statistically different in patients with CNP. Subsequent correlation analysis showed that the variable dFCD in the related brain region was correlative with the course of the disease and clinical symptoms, such as pain and depression, in patients with CNP. Conclusion: Dynamic functional alterations were observed in the brain regions of CNP patients, and the dFCD of these brain regions could become neuroimaging markers for objectively reflecting pain to a certain extent. This suggests that chronic pain may cause changes in pain processing and emotional feedback and highlights the link between dynamic neural communication in brain regions and disease conditions, deepening our understanding of chronic pain diseases, and guiding clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xixiu Ni
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiabao Zhang
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Mingsheng Sun
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Linjia Wang
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Tao Xu
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Qian Zeng
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiao Wang
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Ziwen Wang
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Huaqiang Liao
- Department of Imaging, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Yimei Hu
- Department of Orthopedics, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Ling Zhao ; Qing Gao ; Yimei Hu
| | - Qing Gao
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Ling Zhao ; Qing Gao ; Yimei Hu
| | - Ling Zhao
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Ling Zhao ; Qing Gao ; Yimei Hu
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