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Phylactou P, Pham TNM, Narskhani N, Diya N, Seminowicz DA, Schabrun SM. Phosphene and motor transcranial magnetic stimulation thresholds are correlated: A meta-analytic investigation. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2024; 133:111020. [PMID: 38692474 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2024.111020] [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: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is commonly delivered at an intensity defined by the resting motor threshold (rMT), which is thought to represent cortical excitability, even if the TMS target area falls outside of the motor cortex. This approach rests on the assumption that cortical excitability, as measured through the motor cortex, represents a 'global' measure of excitability. Another common approach to measure cortical excitability relies on the phosphene threshold (PT), measured through the visual cortex of the brain. However, it remains unclear whether either estimate can serve as a singular measure to infer cortical excitability across different brain regions. If PT and rMT can indeed be used to infer cortical excitability across brain regions, they should be correlated. To test this, we systematically identified previous studies that measured PT and rMT to calculate an overall correlation between the two estimates. Our results, based on 16 effect sizes from eight studies, indicated that PT and rMT are correlated (ρ = 0.4), and thus one measure could potentially serve as a measure to infer cortical excitability across brain regions. Three exploratory meta-analyses revealed that the strength of the correlation is affected by different methodologies, and that PT intensities are higher than rMT. Evidence for a PT-rMT correlation remained robust across all analyses. Further research is necessary for an in-depth understanding of how cortical excitability is reflected through TMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Phylactou
- School of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada; The Gray Centre for Mobility and Activity, Parkwood Institute, London, ON, Canada.
| | - T N M Pham
- The Gray Centre for Mobility and Activity, Parkwood Institute, London, ON, Canada
| | - N Narskhani
- The Gray Centre for Mobility and Activity, Parkwood Institute, London, ON, Canada
| | - N Diya
- The Gray Centre for Mobility and Activity, Parkwood Institute, London, ON, Canada
| | - D A Seminowicz
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - S M Schabrun
- School of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada; The Gray Centre for Mobility and Activity, Parkwood Institute, London, ON, Canada
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2
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Zhou J, Wang Y, Luo X, Fitzgerald PB, Cash RFH, Fitzgibbon BM, Che X. Revisiting the effects of rTMS over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on pain: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Brain Stimul 2024; 17:928-937. [PMID: 39089648 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2024.07.011] [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: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 07/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Our previous study synthesized the analgesic effects of repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) trials up to 2019. There has been a significant increase in pain trials in the past few years, along with methodological variabilities such as sample size, stimulation intensity, and rTMS paradigms. OBJECTIVES/METHODS This study therefore updated the effects of DLPFC-rTMS on chronic pain and quantified the impact of methodological differences across studies. RESULTS A total of 36 studies were included. Among them, 26 studies were clinical trials (update = 9, 307/711 patients), and 10 (update = 1, 34/249 participants) were provoked pain studies. The updated meta-analysis does not support an effect on neuropathic pain after including the additional trials (pshort-term = 0.20, pmid-term = 0.50). However, there is medium-to-large analgesic effect in migraine trials extending up to six weeks follow-up (SMDmid-term = -0.80, SMDlong-term = -0.51), that was not previously reported. Methodological differences wthine the studies were considered. DLPFC-rTMS also induces potential improvement in the emotional aspects of pain (SMDshort-term = -0.28). CONCLUSIONS The updated systematic meta-analysis continues to support analgesic effects for chronic pain overall. However, the updated results no longer support DLPFC-rTMS for pain relief in neuropathic pain, and do supports DLPFC-rTMS in the management of migraine. There is also evidence for DLPFC-rTMS to improve emotional aspects of pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhou
- Centre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Centre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xi Luo
- School of Nursing, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Paul B Fitzgerald
- School of Medicine and Psychology, The Australian National University, Australian Capital Territory, Australia; Monarch Research Institute, Monarch Mental Health Group, Australia
| | - Robin F H Cash
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bernadette M Fitzgibbon
- School of Medicine and Psychology, The Australian National University, Australian Capital Territory, Australia; Monarch Research Institute, Monarch Mental Health Group, Australia
| | - Xianwei Che
- Centre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.
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3
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Chowdhury NS, Taseen K, Chiang A, Chang WJ, Millard SK, Seminowicz DA, Schabrun SM. A 5-day course of rTMS before pain onset ameliorates future pain and increases sensorimotor peak alpha frequency. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.11.598596. [PMID: 38915700 PMCID: PMC11195234 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.11.598596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has shown promise as an intervention for pain. An unexplored research question is whether the delivery of rTMS prior to pain onset might protect against a future episode of prolonged pain. The present study aimed to determine i) whether 5 consecutive days of rTMS delivered prior to experimentally-induced prolonged jaw pain could reduce future pain intensity and ii) whether any effects of rTMS on pain were mediated by changes in corticomotor excitability (CME) and/or sensorimotor peak alpha frequency (PAF). On each day from Day 0-4, forty healthy individuals received a single session of active (n = 21) or sham (n = 19) rTMS over the left primary motor cortex. PAF and CME were assessed on Day 0 (before rTMS) and Day 4 (after rTMS). Prolonged pain was induced via intramuscular injection of nerve growth factor (NGF) in the right masseter muscle after the final rTMS session. From Days 5-25, participants completed twice-daily electronic dairies including pain on chewing and yawning (primary outcomes), as well as pain during other activities (e.g. talking), functional limitation in jaw function and muscle soreness (secondary outcomes). Compared to sham, individuals who received active rTMS subsequently experienced lower pain on chewing and yawning. Although active rTMS increased PAF, the effects of rTMS on pain were not mediated by changes in PAF or CME. This study is the first to show that rTMS delivered prior to pain onset can protect against future pain and associated functional impairment. Thus, rTMS may hold promise as a prophylactic intervention for persistent pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nahian S Chowdhury
- Center for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Khandoker Taseen
- Center for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Alan Chiang
- Center for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Wei-Ju Chang
- School of Health Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Samantha K Millard
- Center for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - David A Seminowicz
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - Siobhan M Schabrun
- The Gray Centre for Mobility and Activity, Parkwood Institute, St. Joseph's Healthcare, London, Canada
- School of Physical Therapy, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
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Murillo C, López-Sola M, Cagnie B, Suñol M, Smeets RJEM, Coppieters I, Cnockaert E, Meeus M, Timmers I. Gray Matter Adaptations to Chronic Pain in People with Whiplash-Associated Disorders are Partially Reversed After Treatment: A Voxel-based Morphometry Study. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2024; 25:104471. [PMID: 38232862 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2024.01.336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Gray matter (GM) changes are often observed in people with chronic spinal pain, including those with chronic whiplash-associated disorders (CWAD). These GM adaptations may be reversed with treatment, at least partially. Pain neuroscience education combined with exercise (PNE+Exercise) is an effective treatment, but its neural underlying mechanisms still remain unexplored in CWAD. Here, we performed both cross-sectional and longitudinal voxel-based morphometry to 1) identify potential GM alterations in people with CWAD (n = 63) compared to age- and sex-matched pain-free controls (n = 32), and 2) determine whether these GM alterations might be reversed following PNE+Exercise (compared to conventional physiotherapy). The cross-sectional whole-brain analysis revealed that individuals with CWAD had less GM volume in the right and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and left inferior temporal gyrus which was, in turn, associated with higher pain vigilance. Fifty individuals with CWAD and 29 pain-free controls were retained in the longitudinal analysis. GM in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex increased after treatment in people with CWAD. Moreover, the longitudinal whole-brain analysis revealed that individuals with CWAD had decreases in GM volumes of the left and right central operculum and supramarginal after treatment. These changes were not specific to treatment modality and some were not observed in pain-free controls over time. Herewith, we provide the first evidence on how GM adaptations to CWAD respond to treatment. PERSPECTIVE: This article presents which gray matter adaptations are present in people with chronic pain after whiplash injuries. Then, we examine the treatment effect on these alterations as well as whether other neuroplastic effects on GM following treatment occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Murillo
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Marina López-Sola
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Spain
| | - Barbara Cagnie
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - María Suñol
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rob J E M Smeets
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Science, Maastricht University, the Netherlands
| | - Iris Coppieters
- Laboratory for Brain-Gut Axis Studies (LaBGAS), Department of chronic diseases and metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Belgium; Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium
| | - Elise Cnockaert
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Mira Meeus
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Ghent University, Belgium; MOVANT research group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Inge Timmers
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Ghent University, Belgium; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Science, Maastricht University, the Netherlands; Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, the Netherlands
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5
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De Martino E, Casali A, Casarotto S, Hassan G, Rosanova M, Graven-Nielsen T, Ciampi de Andrade D. Acute pain drives different effects on local and global cortical excitability in motor and prefrontal areas: insights into interregional and interpersonal differences in pain processing. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:9986-9996. [PMID: 37522261 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Pain-related depression of corticomotor excitability has been explored using transcranial magnetic stimulation-elicited motor-evoked potentials. Transcranial magnetic stimulation-electroencephalography now enables non-motor area cortical excitability assessments, offering novel insights into cortical excitability changes during pain states. Here, pain-related cortical excitability changes were explored in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and primary motor cortex (M1). Cortical excitability was recorded in 24 healthy participants before (Baseline), during painful heat (Acute Pain), and non-noxious warm (Warm) stimulation at the right forearm in a randomized sequence, followed by a pain-free stimulation measurement. Local cortical excitability was assessed as the peak-to-peak amplitude of early transcranial magnetic stimulation evoked potential, whereas global-mean field power measured the global excitability. Relative to the Baseline, Acute Pain decreased the peak-to-peak amplitude in M1 and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex compared with Warm (both P < 0.05). A reduced global-mean field power was only found in M1 during Acute Pain compared with Warm (P = 0.003). Participants with the largest reduction in local cortical excitability under Acute Pain showed a negative correlation between dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and M1 local cortical excitability (P = 0.006). Acute experimental pain drove differential pain-related effects on local and global cortical excitability changes in motor and non-motor areas at a group level while also revealing different interindividual patterns of cortical excitability changes, which can be explored when designing personalized treatment plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico De Martino
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Department of Health Science and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg 9220, Denmark
| | - Adenauer Casali
- Institute of Science and Technology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo 04021-001, Brazil
| | - Silvia Casarotto
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- IRCCS Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, Milan 50143, Italy
| | - Gabriel Hassan
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Rosanova
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Thomas Graven-Nielsen
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Department of Health Science and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg 9220, Denmark
| | - Daniel Ciampi de Andrade
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Department of Health Science and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg 9220, Denmark
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6
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Chowdhury NS, Skippen P, Si E, Chiang AKI, Millard SK, Furman AJ, Chen S, Schabrun SM, Seminowicz DA. The reliability of two prospective cortical biomarkers for pain: EEG peak alpha frequency and TMS corticomotor excitability. J Neurosci Methods 2023; 385:109766. [PMID: 36495945 PMCID: PMC9848447 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2022.109766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many pain biomarkers fail to move from discovery to clinical application, attributed to poor reliability and an inability to accurately classify at-risk individuals. Preliminary evidence has shown that high pain sensitivity is associated with slow peak alpha frequency (PAF), and depression of corticomotor excitability (CME), potentially due to impairments in ascending sensory and descending motor pathway signalling respectively NEW METHOD: The present study evaluated the reliability of PAF and CME responses during sustained pain. Specifically, we determined whether, over several days of pain, a) PAF remains stable and b) individuals show two stable and distinct CME responses: facilitation and depression. Participants were given an injection of nerve growth factor (NGF) into the right masseter muscle on Day 0 and Day 2, inducing sustained pain. Electroencephalography (EEG) to assess PAF and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to assess CME were recorded on Day 0, Day 2 and Day 5. RESULTS Using a weighted peak estimate, PAF reliability (n = 75) was in the excellent range even without standard pre-processing and ∼2 min recording length. Using a single peak estimate, PAF reliability was in the moderate-good range. For CME (n = 74), 80% of participants showed facilitation or depression of CME beyond an optimal cut-off point, with the stability of these changes in the good range. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS No study has assessed the reliability of PAF or feasibility of classifying individuals as facilitators/depressors, in response to sustained pain. PAF was reliable even in the presence of pain. The use of a weighted peak estimate for PAF is recommended, as excellent test-retest reliability can be obtained even when using minimal pre-processing and ∼2 min recording. We also showed that 80% of individuals exhibit either facilitation or depression of CME, with these changes being stable across sessions. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides support for the reliability of PAF and CME as prospective cortical biomarkers. As such, our paper adds important methodological advances to the rapidly growing field of pain biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nahian S Chowdhury
- Center for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Patrick Skippen
- Center for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Emily Si
- Center for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Alan K I Chiang
- Center for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Samantha K Millard
- Center for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Andrew J Furman
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, USA; Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, University of Maryland Baltimore, USA
| | - Shuo Chen
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, USA; Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, University of Maryland Baltimore, USA
| | - Siobhan M Schabrun
- Center for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; School of Physical Therapy, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
| | - David A Seminowicz
- Center for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, USA; Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, University of Maryland Baltimore, USA; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada
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7
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Alhajri N, Boudreau SA, Graven-Nielsen T. Decreased Default Mode Network Connectivity Following 24 Hours of Capsaicin-induced Pain Persists During Immediate Pain Relief and Facilitation. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2022; 24:796-811. [PMID: 36521671 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2022.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Prolonged experimental pain models can help assess cortical mechanisms underlying the transition from acute to chronic pain such as resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC), especially in early stages. This crossover study determined the effects of 24-hour-capsaicin-induced pain on the default mode network rsFC, a major network in the dynamic pain connectome. Electroencephalographic rsFC measured by Granger causality was acquired from 24 healthy volunteers (12 women) at baseline, 1hour, and 24hours following the application of a control or capsaicin patch on the right forearm. The control patch was received maximum 1 week before the capsaicin patch. Following 24hours, the patch was cooled and later heated to assess rsFC changes in response to pain relief and facilitation, respectively. Compared to baseline, decreased rsFC at alpha oscillations (8-10Hz) was found following 1hour and 24hours of capsaicin application for connections projecting from medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and right angular gyrus (rAG) but not left angular gyrus (lAG) or posterior cingulate cortex (PCC): mPFC-PCC (1hour:P < .001, 24hours:P = .002), mPFC-rAG (1hour:P < .001, 24hours:P = .001), rAG-mPFC (1hour:P < .001, 24hours:P = .001), rAG-PCC (1hour:P < .001, 24hours:P = .004). Comparable decreased rsFC following 1hour and 24hours (P≤0.008) was found at beta oscillations, however, decreased projections from PCC were also found: PCC-rAG (P≤0.005) and PCC-lAG (P≤0.006). Pain NRS scores following 24hours (3.7±0.4) was reduced by cooling (0.3±0.1, P = .004) and increased by heating (4.8±0.6, P = .016). However, neither cooling nor heating altered rsFC. This study shows that 24hours of experimental pain induces a robust decrease in DMN connectivity that persists during pain relief or facilitation suggesting a possible shift to attentional and emotional processing in persistent pain. PERSPECTIVE: This article shows decreased DMN connectivity that might reflect possible attentional and emotional changes during acute and prolonged pain. Understanding these changes could potentially help clinicians in developing therapeutic methods that can better target these attentional and emotional processes before developing into more persistent states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Najah Alhajri
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Shellie Ann Boudreau
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Thomas Graven-Nielsen
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.
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Congruence-based contextual plausibility modulates cortical activity during vibrotactile perception in virtual multisensory environments. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1360. [PMID: 36509971 PMCID: PMC9744907 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04318-4] [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: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
How congruence cues and congruence-based expectations may together shape perception in virtual reality (VR) still need to be unravelled. We linked the concept of plausibility used in VR research with congruence-based modulation by assessing brain responses while participants experienced vehicle riding experiences in VR scenarios. Perceptual plausibility was manipulated by sensory congruence, with multisensory stimulations confirming with common expectations of road scenes being plausible. We hypothesized that plausible scenarios would elicit greater cortical responses. The results showed that: (i) vibrotactile stimulations at expected intensities, given embedded audio-visual information, engaged greater cortical activities in frontal and sensorimotor regions; (ii) weaker plausible stimulations resulted in greater responses in the sensorimotor cortex than stronger but implausible stimulations; (iii) frontal activities under plausible scenarios negatively correlated with plausibility violation costs in the sensorimotor cortex. These results potentially indicate frontal regulation of sensory processing and extend previous evidence of contextual modulation to the tactile sense.
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9
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Relief of chronic pain associated with increase in midline frontal theta power. Pain Rep 2022; 7:e1040. [PMID: 36247110 PMCID: PMC9555895 DOI: 10.1097/pr9.0000000000001040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Unique electroencephalogram signatures of relief from chronic pain demonstrate theta power increase in the midline frontal cortex. Introduction: Objectives: Methods: Results: Conclusion:
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10
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Chowdhury NS, Chang WJ, Millard SK, Skippen P, Bilska K, Seminowicz DA, Schabrun SM. The Effect of Acute and Sustained Pain on Corticomotor Excitability: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Group and Individual Level Data. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2022; 23:1680-1696. [PMID: 35605763 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2022.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Pain alters motor function. This is supported by studies showing reduced corticomotor excitability in response to experimental pain lasting <90 minutes. Whether similar reductions in corticomotor excitability are present with pain of longer durations or whether alterations in corticomotor excitability are associated with pain severity is unknown. Here we evaluated the evidence for altered corticomotor excitability in response to experimental pain of differing durations in healthy individuals. Databases were systematically searched for eligible studies. Measures of corticomotor excitability and pain were extracted. Meta-analyses were performed to examine: (1) group-level effect of pain on corticomotor excitability, and (2) individual-level associations between corticomotor excitability and pain severity. 49 studies were included. Corticomotor excitability was reduced when pain lasted milliseconds-seconds (hedges g's = -1.26 to -1.55) and minutes-hours (g's = -0.55 to -0.9). When pain lasted minutes-hours, a greater reduction in corticomotor excitability was associated with lower pain severity (g = -0.24). For pain lasting days-weeks, there were no group level effects (g = -0.18 to 0.27). However, a greater reduction in corticomotor excitability was associated with higher pain severity (g = 0.229). In otherwise healthy individuals, suppression of corticomotor excitability may be a beneficial short-term strategy with long-term consequences. PERSPECTIVE: This systematic review synthesised the evidence for altered corticomotor excitability in response to experimentally induced pain. Reduced corticomotor excitability was associated with lower acute pain severity but higher sustained pain severity, suggesting suppression of corticomotor excitability may be a beneficial short-term adaptation with long-term consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nahian S Chowdhury
- Center for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Wei-Ju Chang
- Center for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Samantha K Millard
- Center for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Patrick Skippen
- Center for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Katarzyna Bilska
- Center for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - David A Seminowicz
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, Maryland; Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Siobhan M Schabrun
- Center for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
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11
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Qu N, Tian H, De Martino E, Zhang B. Neck Pain: Do We Know Enough About the Sensorimotor Control System? Front Comput Neurosci 2022; 16:946514. [PMID: 35910451 PMCID: PMC9337601 DOI: 10.3389/fncom.2022.946514] [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: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neck pain is a worldwide health problem. Clarifying the etiology and providing effective interventions are challenging for the multifactorial nature of neck pain. As an essential component of cervical spine function, the sensorimotor control system has been extensively studied in both healthy and pathological conditions. Proprioceptive signals generated from cervical structures are crucial to normal cervical functions, and abnormal proprioception caused by neck pain leads to alterations in neural plasticity, cervical muscle recruitment and cervical kinematics. The long-term sensorimotor disturbance and maladaptive neural plasticity are supposed to contribute to the recurrence and chronicity of neck pain. Therefore, multiple clinical evaluations and treatments aiming at restoring the sensorimotor control system and neural plasticity have been proposed. This paper provides a short review on neck pain from perspectives of proprioception, sensorimotor control system, neural plasticity and potential interventions. Future research may need to clarify the molecular mechanism underlying proprioception and pain. The existing assessment methods of cervical proprioceptive impairment and corresponding treatments may need to be systematically reevaluated and standardized. Additionally, new precise motor parameters reflecting sensorimotor deficit and more effective interventions targeting the sensorimotor control system or neural plasticity are encouraged to be proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Qu
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - HaoChun Tian
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Enrico De Martino
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Department of Health Science and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
- Aerospace Medicine and Rehabilitation Laboratory, Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- *Correspondence: Bin Zhang,
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12
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Steyaert A, Lenoir C, Lavand’homme P, van den Broeke EN, Mouraux A. Multichannel transcranial direct current stimulation over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex may modulate the induction of secondary hyperalgesia, a double-blinded cross-over study in healthy volunteers. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0270047. [PMID: 35709234 PMCID: PMC9202873 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Central sensitization is thought to play a critical role in the development of chronic pain, and secondary mechanical hyperalgesia is considered one of its hall-mark features. Consequently, interventions capable of modulating its development could have important therapeutic value. Non-invasive neuromodulation of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) has shown potential to reduce pain, both in healthy volunteers and in patients. Whether it can modulate the induction of central sensitization, however, is less well known. Objective To determine whether multifocal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) targeting the left DLPFC affects the development of secondary mechanical hyperalgesia. Methods In this within-subjects, cross-over, double-blinded study, eighteen healthy volunteers participated in three experimental sessions. After 20 minutes of either anodal, cathodal, or sham multichannel tDCS over the left DLPFC, secondary mechanical hyperalgesia was induced using high-frequency electrical stimulation (HFS) of the volar forearm. We assessed intensity of perception to 128 mN mechanical pinprick stimuli at baseline and up to 240 minutes after HFS. We also mapped the area of mechanical hyperalgesia. Results HFS resulted in a robust and unilateral increase in the intensity of perception to mechanical pinprick stimuli at the HFS arm, which was not different between tDCS stimulation conditions. However, the area of hyperalgesia was reduced after anodal tDCS compared to sham. Conclusion Anodal tDCS over the left DLPFC modestly modulates the size of the HFS-induced area of secondary mechanical hyperalgesia, suggesting that non-invasive neuromodulation targeting the left DLPFC may be a potential intervention to limit the development of central sensitization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnaud Steyaert
- Institute of Neuroscience (IONS), Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Brussels, Belgium
- Departement of Anaesthesiology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
- * E-mail:
| | - Cédric Lenoir
- Institute of Neuroscience (IONS), Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Patricia Lavand’homme
- Institute of Neuroscience (IONS), Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Brussels, Belgium
- Departement of Anaesthesiology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - André Mouraux
- Institute of Neuroscience (IONS), Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Brussels, Belgium
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13
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Mechanisms and manifestations in musculoskeletal pain: from experimental to clinical pain settings. Pain 2022; 163:S29-S45. [PMID: 35984370 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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14
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Miyashiro S, Yamada Y, Nagaoka M, Shima R, Muta T, Ishikawa H, Abe T, Hori M, Oka K, Koshikawa F, Ito E. Pain relief associated with decreased oxyhemoglobin level in left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0256626. [PMID: 34424921 PMCID: PMC8382195 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Pain in the elbow, shoulder, knee, lower back, and various other joints is relieved by adhesion of pyramidal thorn patches. To elucidate the pain relief mechanism induced by the patches, we established a quantitative method for estimating the pain reduction and investigated the brain regions that change in association with pain relief. We first attempted to quantify the pain relief using transcutaneous electric stimulation (TCES) and a visual analog scale (VAS), and then applied near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to the prefrontal cortex, including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). We also examined the salivary oxytocin levels, which are thought to reflect oxytocin secretion levels from the posterior pituitary in the brain. Application of pyramidal thorn patches to pain regions decreased the pain degree estimated using TCES and VAS. Oxyhemoglobin levels were likely to be decreased in the left DLPFC on the basis of NIRS measurements during patch treatment, suggesting that the left DLPFC is involved in pain relief. On the other hand, the salivary oxytocin levels varied widely. A potential reason for the varying salivary oxytocin levels is its utilization in the pain region as an analgesic agent. Our results suggest that the left DLPFC will become a target brain region for pain therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yurika Yamada
- Department of Biology, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Rei Shima
- Department of Biology, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toshizumi Muta
- Department of Psychology, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Haruyuki Ishikawa
- Department of Culture, Media and Society, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tetsuri Abe
- Department of Psychology, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masashi Hori
- Department of Educational Psychology, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kotaro Oka
- Department of Bioscience and Informatics, Keio University, Yokohama, Japan
- Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | | | - Etsuro Ito
- Department of Biology, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
- Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
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15
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Che X, Cash RFH, Luo X, Luo H, Lu X, Xu F, Zang YF, Fitzgerald PB, Fitzgibbon BM. High-frequency rTMS over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on chronic and provoked pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Brain Stimul 2021; 14:1135-1146. [PMID: 34280583 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2021.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND High-frequency rTMS over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) has demonstrated mixed effects on chronic and provoked pain. OBJECTIVES/METHODS In this study, a meta-analysis was conducted to characterise the potential analgesic effects of high-frequency rTMS over the DLPFC on both chronic and provoked pain. RESULTS A total of 626 studies were identified in a systematic search. Twenty-six eligible studies were included for the quantitative review, among which 17 modulated chronic pain and the remaining investigated the influence on provoked pain. The left side DLPFC was uniformly targeted in the chronic pain studies. While our data identified no overall effect of TMS across chronic pain conditions, there was a significant short-term analgesia in neuropathic pain conditions only (SMD = -0.87). In terms of long-lasting analgesia, there was an overall pain reduction in the midterm (SMD = -0.53, 24.6 days average) and long term (SMD = -0.63, 3 months average) post DLPFC stimulation, although these effects were not observed within specific chronic pain conditions. Surprisingly, the number of sessions was demonstrated to have no impact on rTMS analgesia. In the analysis of provoked pain, our data also indicated a significant analgesic effect following HF-rTMS over the DLPFC (SMD = -0.73). Importantly, we identified a publication bias in the studies of provoked pain but not for chronic pain conditions. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our findings support that HF-DLPFC stimulation is able to induce an analgesic effect in chronic pain and in response to provoked pain. These results highlight the potential of DLPFC-rTMS in the management of certain chronic pain conditions and future directions are discussed to enhance the potential long-term analgesic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianwei Che
- Centre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China; Institutes of Psychological Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Research in Assessment of Cognitive Impairments, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Robin F H Cash
- Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Xi Luo
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hong Luo
- Children and Adolescents Mental Health Joint Clinic, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaodong Lu
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Feng Xu
- Shenzhen Yingchi Technology Co., Ltd, China
| | - Yu-Feng Zang
- Centre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China; Institutes of Psychological Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Research in Assessment of Cognitive Impairments, Hangzhou, China
| | - Paul B Fitzgerald
- Epworth Centre for Innovation in Mental Health, Epworth Healthcare and Monash University Department of Psychiatry, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bernadette M Fitzgibbon
- Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Australia
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16
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Rustamov N, Sharma L, Chiang SN, Burk C, Haroutounian S, Leuthardt EC. Spatial and Frequency-specific Electrophysiological Signatures of Tonic Pain Recovery in Humans. Neuroscience 2021; 465:23-37. [PMID: 33894311 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to comprehensively investigate patterns of brain activities associated with pain recovery following experimental tonic pain in humans. Specific electrophysiological features of pain recovery may either be monitored or be modulated through neurofeedback (NF) as a novel chronic pain treatment. The cold pressor test was applied with simultaneous electroencephalogram (EEG) recording. EEG data were acquired, and analyzed to define: (1) EEG power topography patterns of pain recovery; (2) source generators of pain recovery at cortical level; (3) changes in functional connectivity associated with pain recovery; (4) features of phase-amplitude coupling (PAC) as it relates to pain recovery. The novel finding of this study is that recovery from pain was characterized by significant theta power rebound at the left fronto-central area. The sources of theta power over-recovery were located in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), cingulate cortex, left insula and contralateral sensorimotor cortex. These effects were paralleled by theta band connectivity increase within hemispheres in a prefrontal-somatosensory network and interhemispherically between prefrontal and parietal areas. In addition, this study revealed significant reduction in PAC between theta/alpha and gamma oscillations during recovery period following tonic pain. These findings have largely been replicated across two identical sessions. Our study emphasizes the association between pain recovery and left lateral prefrontal theta power rebound, and significant over-recovery of functional connectivity in prefrontal-sensorimotor neural network synchronized at theta frequencies. These findings may provide basis for chronic pain treatment by modulating neural oscillations at theta frequencies in left prefrontal cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nabi Rustamov
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Innovation in Neuroscience and Technology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Lokesh Sharma
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Sarah N Chiang
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Innovation in Neuroscience and Technology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Carrie Burk
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Simon Haroutounian
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Eric C Leuthardt
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Innovation in Neuroscience and Technology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Louis, MO, USA
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17
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Aberrant plasticity in musculoskeletal pain: a failure of homeostatic control? Exp Brain Res 2021; 239:1317-1326. [PMID: 33635391 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-021-06062-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Aberrant synaptic plasticity is hypothesised to underpin chronic pain. Yet, synaptic plasticity regulated by homeostatic mechanisms have received limited attention in pain. We investigated homeostatic plasticity in the human primary motor cortex (M1) of 21 healthy individuals in response to experimentally induced muscle pain for several days. Experimental pain was induced by injecting nerve growth factor into the muscle belly of the right extensor carpi radialis brevis muscle. Pain and disability were monitored until day 21. Homeostatic plasticity was induced on day 0, 2, 4, 6, and 14 in the left M1 using anodal transcranial direct stimulation (tDCS) applied for 7 and 5 min, separated by a 3-min rest period. Motor-evoked potentials (MEP) to transcranial magnetic stimulation assessed the homeostatic response. On days 0 and 14, MEPs increased following the first block of tDCS (p < 0.004), and decreased following the second block of tDCS (p < 0.001), consistent with a normal homeostatic response. However, on days 2 (p = 0.07) and 4 (p = 0.7), the decrease in MEPs after the second block of tDCS was attenuated, representing an impaired homeostatic response. Findings demonstrate altered homeostatic plasticity in the M1 with the greatest alteration observed after 4 days of sustained pain. This study provides longitudinal insight into homeostatic plasticity in response to the development, maintenance, and resolution of pain over the course of 14 days.
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18
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Mouraux A, Bannister K, Becker S, Finn DP, Pickering G, Pogatzki-Zahn E, Graven-Nielsen T. Challenges and opportunities in translational pain research - An opinion paper of the working group on translational pain research of the European pain federation (EFIC). Eur J Pain 2021; 25:731-756. [PMID: 33625769 PMCID: PMC9290702 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.1730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
For decades, basic research on the underlying mechanisms of nociception has held promise to translate into efficacious treatments for patients with pain. Despite great improvement in the understanding of pain physiology and pathophysiology, translation to novel, effective treatments for acute and chronic pain has however been limited, and they remain an unmet medical need. In this opinion paper bringing together pain researchers from very different disciplines, the opportunities and challenges of translational pain research are discussed. The many factors that may prevent the successful translation of bench observations into useful and effective clinical applications are reviewed, including interspecies differences, limited validity of currently available preclinical disease models of pain, and limitations of currently used methods to assess nociception and pain in non-human and human models of pain. Many paths are explored to address these issues, including the backward translation of observations made in patients and human volunteers into new disease models that are more clinically relevant, improved generalization by taking into account age and sex differences, and the integration of psychobiology into translational pain research. Finally, it is argued that preclinical and clinical stages of developing new treatments for pain can be improved by better preclinical models of pathological pain conditions alongside revised methods to assess treatment-induced effects on nociception in human and non-human animals. Significance: For decades, basic research of the underlying mechanisms of nociception has held promise to translate into efficacious treatments for patients with pain. Despite great improvement in the understanding of pain physiology and pathophysiology, translation to novel, effective treatments for acute and chronic pain has however been limited, and they remain an unmet medical need.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Mouraux
- Institute of Neuroscience (IONS), UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kirsty Bannister
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Susanne Becker
- Department of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,Integrative Spinal Research, Department of Chiropractic Medicine, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - David P Finn
- Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Centre for Pain Research, School of Medicine, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - Gisèle Pickering
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Inserm CIC 1405, University Hospital, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, France.,Fundamental and Clinical Pharmacology of Pain, University Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Esther Pogatzki-Zahn
- Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care Medicine and Pain Therapy, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Thomas Graven-Nielsen
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Department of Health Science and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
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Repetitive non-invasive prefrontal stimulation reverses neuropathic pain via neural remodelling in mice. Prog Neurobiol 2021; 201:102009. [PMID: 33621593 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2021.102009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Revised: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Chronic neuropathic pain presents a major challenge to pharmacological therapy and neurostimulation-based alternatives are gaining interest. Although invasive and non-invasive motor cortex stimulation has been the focus of several studies, very little is known about the potential of targeting the prefrontal cortex. This study was designed to elucidate the analgesic potential of prefrontal stimulation in a translational context and to uncover the neural underpinnings thereof. Here, we report that non-invasive, repetitive direct anodal current transcranial stimulation (tDCS) of the prefrontal cortex exerted analgesia in mice with neuropathic pain for longer than a week. When applied at chronic stages of neuropathic pain, prefrontal tDCS reversed established allodynia and suppressed aversion and anxiety-related behaviours. Activity mapping as well as in vivo electrophysiological analyses revealed that although the cortex responds to acute tDCS with major excitation, repetitive prefrontal tDCS brings about large-scale silencing of cortical activity. Different classes of different classes of GABAergic interneurons and classes of excitatory neurons differs dramatically between single, acute vs and repetitive tDCS. Repetitive prefrontal tDCS alters basal activity as well as responsivity of a discrete set of distant cortical and sub-cortical areas to tactile stimuli, namely the rostral anterior cingulate cortex, the insular cortex, the ventrolateral periaqueductal grey and the spinal dorsal horn. This study thus makes a strong case for harnessing prefrontal cortical modulation for non-invasive transcranial stimulation paradigms to achieve long-lasting pain relief in established neuropathic pain states and provides valuable insights gained on neural mechanistic underpinnings of prefrontal tDCS in neuropathic pain.
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20
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Gregoret L, Zamorano AM, Graven‐Nielsen T. Effects of multifocal transcranial direct current stimulation targeting the motor network during prolonged experimental pain. Eur J Pain 2021; 25:1241-1253. [DOI: 10.1002/ejp.1743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Luisina Gregoret
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP) Department of Health Science and Technology Faculty of Medicine Aalborg University Aalborg Denmark
| | - Anna M. Zamorano
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP) Department of Health Science and Technology Faculty of Medicine Aalborg University Aalborg Denmark
| | - Thomas Graven‐Nielsen
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP) Department of Health Science and Technology Faculty of Medicine Aalborg University Aalborg Denmark
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21
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Xu X, Xu DS. Prospects for the application of transcranial magnetic stimulation in diabetic neuropathy. Neural Regen Res 2021; 16:955-962. [PMID: 33229735 PMCID: PMC8178790 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.297062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Encouraging results have been reported for the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation-based nerve stimulation in studies of the mechanisms of neurological regulation, nerve injury repair, and nerve localization. However, to date, there are only a few reviews on the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation for diabetic neuropathy. Patients with diabetic neuropathy vary in disease progression and show neuropathy in the early stage of the disease with mild symptoms, making it difficult to screen and identify. In the later stage of the disease, irreversible neurological damage occurs, resulting in treatment difficulties. In this review, we summarize the current state of diabetic neuropathy research and the prospects for the application of transcranial magnetic stimulation in diabetic neuropathy. We review significant studies on the beneficial effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation in diabetic neuropathy treatment, based on the outcomes of its use to treat neurodegeneration, pain, blood flow change, autonomic nervous disorders, vascular endothelial injury, and depression. Collectively, the studies suggest that transcranial magnetic stimulation can produce excitatory/inhibitory stimulation of the cerebral cortex or local areas, promote the remodeling of the nervous system, and that it has good application prospects for the localization of the injury, neuroprotection, and the promotion of nerve regeneration. Therefore, transcranial magnetic stimulation is useful for the screening and early treatment of diabetic neuropathy. Transcranial magnetic stimulation can also alleviate pain symptoms by changing the cortical threshold and inhibiting the conduction of sensory information in the thalamo-spinal pathway, and therefore it has therapeutic potential for the treatment of pain and pain-related depressive symptoms in patients with diabetic neuropathy. Additionally, based on the effect of transcranial magnetic stimulation on local blood flow and its ability to change heart rate and urine protein content, transcranial magnetic stimulation has potential in the treatment of autonomic nerve dysfunction and vascular injury in diabetic neuropathy. Furthermore, oxidative stress and the inflammatory response are involved in the process of diabetic neuropathy, and transcranial magnetic stimulation can reduce oxidative damage. The pathological mechanisms of diabetic neuropathy should be further studied in combination with transcranial magnetic stimulation technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Xu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Dong-Sheng Xu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine; School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
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22
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Borovskis J, Cavaleri R, Blackstock F, Summers SJ. Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Accelerates The Onset of Exercise-Induced Hypoalgesia: A Randomized Controlled Study. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2020; 22:263-274. [PMID: 32927091 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2020.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 08/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH) describes acute reductions in pain that occur following exercise. Current evidence suggests that the magnitude of EIH is small-to-moderate at best, warranting exploration of novel avenues to bolster these effects. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been shown to relieve pain and represents a promising intervention that may enhance EIH. This study aimed to determine whether anodal tDCS of the primary motor cortex (M1) can augment EIH in healthy individuals experiencing experimentally-induced musculoskeletal pain. Twenty-four healthy subjects attended 2 experimental sessions ("Day 0" and "Day 2"). On Day 0, subjects were injected with nerve growth factor into their right extensor carpi radialis brevis to induce persistent elbow pain. On Day 2, each subject received active or sham tDCS over M1 followed by an isometric grip exercise. Pain intensity, muscle soreness, sensitivity (pressure pain thresholds), and conditioned pain modulation were assessed prior to the nerve growth factor injection, on Day 2 before tDCS, immediately post-exercise, and 15 minutes post-exercise. Active tDCS expedited the onset of EIH, inducing immediate reductions in pain intensity that were not present until 15 minutes post-exercise in the sham group. However, active tDCS did not reduce muscle soreness or sensitivity when compared to sham tDCS. PERSPECTIVE: These findings suggest that active tDCS accelerates the onset of EIH in healthy individuals experiencing experimentally-induced pain. This may represent a promising means of enhancing adherence to exercise protocols. However, larger randomised controlled trials in persistent pain populations are required to confirm the clinical impact of these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Borovskis
- School of Health Sciences, Western Sydney University, NSW 2560, Australia; Brain Stimulation and Rehabilitation (BrainStAR) Lab, Western Sydney University, NSW 2560, Australia
| | - Rocco Cavaleri
- School of Health Sciences, Western Sydney University, NSW 2560, Australia; Brain Stimulation and Rehabilitation (BrainStAR) Lab, Western Sydney University, NSW 2560, Australia
| | | | - Simon J Summers
- School of Health Sciences, Western Sydney University, NSW 2560, Australia; Brain Stimulation and Rehabilitation (BrainStAR) Lab, Western Sydney University, NSW 2560, Australia; Discipline of Sport and Exercise Science, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, ACT 2617, Australia; Research School of Biology, Australian National University, ACT 2600, Australia.
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Ojeda A, Buscher N, Balasubramani P, Maric V, Ramanathan D, Mishra J. SimBSI: An open-source Simulink library for developing closed-loop brain signal interfaces in animals and humans. Biomed Phys Eng Express 2020; 6:035023. [PMID: 33438668 PMCID: PMC10092292 DOI: 10.1088/2057-1976/ab6e20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE A promising application of BCI technology is in the development of personalized therapies that can target neural circuits linked to mental or physical disabilities. Typical BCIs, however, offer limited value due to simplistic designs and poor understanding of the conditions being treated. Building BCIs on more solid grounds may require the characterization of the brain dynamics supporting cognition and behavior at multiple scales, from single-cell and local field potential (LFP) recordings in animals to non-invasive electroencephalography (EEG) in humans. Despite recent efforts, a unifying software framework to support closed-loop studies in both animals and humans is still lacking. The objective of this paper is to develop such a unifying neurotechnological software framework. APPROACH Here we develop the Simulink for Brain Signal Interfaces library (SimBSI). Simulink is a mature graphical programming environment within MATLAB that has gained traction for processing electrophysiological data. SimBSI adds to this ecosystem: 1) advanced human EEG source imaging, 2) cross-species multimodal data acquisition based on the Lab Streaming Layer library, and 3) a graphical experimental design platform. MAIN RESULTS We use several examples to demonstrate the capabilities of the library, ranging from simple signal processing, to online EEG source imaging, cognitive task design, and closed-loop neuromodulation. We further demonstrate the simplicity of developing a sophisticated experimental environment for rodents within this environment. SIGNIFICANCE With the SimBSI library we hope to aid BCI practitioners of dissimilar backgrounds in the development of, much needed, single and cross-species closed-loop neuroscientific experiments. These experiments may provide the necessary mechanistic data for BCIs to become effective therapeutic tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Ojeda
- Neural Engineering and Translation Labs, Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla , California, United States of America
| | - Nathalie Buscher
- Neural Engineering and Translation Labs, Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla , California, United States of America.,Mental Health, VA San Diego Medical Center, United States of America
| | - Pragathi Balasubramani
- Neural Engineering and Translation Labs, Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla , California, United States of America
| | - Vojislav Maric
- Neural Engineering and Translation Labs, Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla , California, United States of America
| | - Dhakshin Ramanathan
- Neural Engineering and Translation Labs, Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla , California, United States of America.,Mental Health, VA San Diego Medical Center, United States of America
| | - Jyoti Mishra
- Neural Engineering and Translation Labs, Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla , California, United States of America
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24
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Nickel MM, Ta Dinh S, May ES, Tiemann L, Hohn VD, Gross J, Ploner M. Neural oscillations and connectivity characterizing the state of tonic experimental pain in humans. Hum Brain Mapp 2019; 41:17-29. [PMID: 31498948 PMCID: PMC7267966 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Revised: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Pain is a complex phenomenon that is served by neural oscillations and connectivity involving different brain areas and frequencies. Here, we aimed to systematically and comprehensively assess the pattern of neural oscillations and connectivity characterizing the state of tonic experimental pain in humans. To this end, we applied 10-min heat pain stimuli consecutively to the right and left hand of 39 healthy participants and recorded electroencephalography. We systematically analyzed global and local measures of oscillatory brain activity, connectivity, and graph theory-based network measures during tonic pain and compared them to a nonpainful control condition. Local measures showed suppressions of oscillatory activity at alpha frequencies together with stronger connectivity at alpha and beta frequencies in sensorimotor areas during tonic pain. Furthermore, sensorimotor areas contralateral to stimulation showed significantly increased connectivity to a common area in the medial prefrontal cortex at alpha frequencies. Together, these observations indicate that the state of tonic experimental pain is associated with a sensorimotor-prefrontal network connected at alpha frequencies. These findings represent a step further toward understanding the brain mechanisms underlying long-lasting pain states in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moritz M Nickel
- Department of Neurology and TUM-Neuroimaging Center, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Son Ta Dinh
- Department of Neurology and TUM-Neuroimaging Center, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Elisabeth S May
- Department of Neurology and TUM-Neuroimaging Center, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Laura Tiemann
- Department of Neurology and TUM-Neuroimaging Center, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Vanessa D Hohn
- Department of Neurology and TUM-Neuroimaging Center, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Joachim Gross
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.,Institute for Biomagnetism and Biosignalanalysis, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Markus Ploner
- Department of Neurology and TUM-Neuroimaging Center, TUM School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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25
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Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation of the primary motor cortex expedites recovery in the transition from acute to sustained experimental pain: a randomised, controlled study. Pain 2019; 160:2624-2633. [DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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26
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Costa YM, Exposto FG, Kothari M, Castrillon EE, Conti PCR, Bonjardim LR, Svensson P. Masseter corticomotor excitability is decreased after intramuscular administration of nerve growth factor. Eur J Pain 2019; 23:1619-1630. [DOI: 10.1002/ejp.1438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Revised: 05/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yuri M. Costa
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Piracicaba Dental School University of Campinas Piracicaba Brazil
| | - Fernando G. Exposto
- Section of Orofacial Pain and Jaw Function, Department of Dentistry and Oral Health Aarhus University Aarhus Denmark
- Scandinavian Center for Orofacial Neurosciences (SCON) Aarhus Denmark
| | - Mohit Kothari
- Scandinavian Center for Orofacial Neurosciences (SCON) Aarhus Denmark
- Hammel Neurorehabilitation and University Research Clinic, Regional Hospital Hammel Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine Aarhus University Aarhus Denmark
| | - Eduardo E. Castrillon
- Section of Orofacial Pain and Jaw Function, Department of Dentistry and Oral Health Aarhus University Aarhus Denmark
- Scandinavian Center for Orofacial Neurosciences (SCON) Aarhus Denmark
| | - Paulo César R. Conti
- Department of Prosthodontics, Bauru School of Dentistry University of São Paulo Bauru Brazil
| | - Leonardo R. Bonjardim
- Section of Head and Face Physiology, Department of Biological Sciences, Bauru School of Dentistry University of São Paulo Bauru Brazil
| | - Peter Svensson
- Section of Orofacial Pain and Jaw Function, Department of Dentistry and Oral Health Aarhus University Aarhus Denmark
- Scandinavian Center for Orofacial Neurosciences (SCON) Aarhus Denmark
- Department of Dental Medicine Karolinska Institutet Huddinge Sweden
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