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Robayo LE, Govind V, Salan T, Cherup NP, Sheriff S, Maudsley AA, Widerström-Noga E. Neurometabolite alterations in traumatic brain injury and associations with chronic pain. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1125128. [PMID: 36908781 PMCID: PMC9997848 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1125128] [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: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can lead to a variety of comorbidities, including chronic pain. Although brain tissue metabolite alterations have been extensively examined in several chronic pain populations, it has received less attention in people with TBI. Thus, the primary aim of this study was to compare brain tissue metabolite levels in people with TBI and chronic pain (n = 16), TBI without chronic pain (n = 17), and pain-free healthy controls (n = 31). The metabolite data were obtained from participants using whole-brain proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (1H-MRSI) at 3 Tesla. The metabolite data included N-acetylaspartate, myo-inositol, total choline, glutamate plus glutamine, and total creatine. Associations between N-acetylaspartate levels and pain severity, neuropathic pain symptom severity, and psychological variables, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and post-concussive symptoms, were also explored. Our results demonstrate N-acetylaspartate, myo-inositol, total choline, and total creatine alterations in pain-related brain regions such as the frontal region, cingulum, postcentral gyrus, and thalamus in individuals with TBI with and without chronic pain. Additionally, NAA levels in the left and right frontal lobe regions were positively correlated with post-concussive symptoms; and NAA levels within the left frontal region were also positively correlated with neuropathic pain symptom severity, depression, and PTSD symptoms in the TBI with chronic pain group. These results suggest that neuronal integrity or density in the prefrontal cortex, a critical region for nociception and pain modulation, is associated with the severity of neuropathic pain symptoms and psychological comorbidities following TBI. Our data suggest that a combination of neuronal loss or dysfunction and maladaptive neuroplasticity may contribute to the development of persistent pain following TBI, although no causal relationship can be determined based on these data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda E Robayo
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States.,Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Varan Govind
- Department of Radiology, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Teddy Salan
- Department of Radiology, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Nicholas P Cherup
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Sulaiman Sheriff
- Department of Radiology, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Andrew A Maudsley
- Department of Radiology, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Eva Widerström-Noga
- The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States.,Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States.,Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States
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Cruz-Almeida Y, Forbes M, Cohen RC, Woods AJ, Fillingim RB, Riley JL, Porges ES. Brain gamma-aminobutyric acid, but not glutamine and glutamate levels are lower in older adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain: considerations by sex and brain location. Pain Rep 2021; 6:e952. [PMID: 34514275 PMCID: PMC8423393 DOI: 10.1097/pr9.0000000000000952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES GABAergic and glutamatergic neurotransmitter systems are central to the pathophysiology of chronic pain and are equally affected by aging processes. We measured levels of frontal gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and the combined resonance of glutamate and glutamine (Glx) in vivo using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) to elucidate age-specific and pain-specific associations with clinical and experimental pain in older adults. METHODS Younger (18-24, n = 24) and older (60-94, n = 41) individuals part of a larger study (Neuromodulatory Examination of Pain and Mobility Across the Lifespan [NEPAL]) underwent questionnaires, quantitative sensory testing, and 1H-MRS Mescher-Garwood point-resolved spectroscopy to measure GABA and Glx levels in prefrontal and sensorimotor brain regions. RESULTS Older participants had significantly lower sensorimotor, but not prefrontal, GABA and Glx levels, compared with younger controls (P's < 0.05). Younger controls had significantly higher prefrontal and sensorimotor GABA, but not Glx, levels compared with older controls and older adults with chronic pain (P's < 0.05). Older males with chronic pain had significantly lower prefrontal GABA compared with older and younger male controls (P's < 0.05). Prefrontal GABA, but not Glx, was significantly associated with self-reported and experimental pain measures (P's < 0.05). Our results are the first to focus exclusively on age and pain differences in GABA and Glx including younger and older controls to elucidate aging and pain contributions to brain GABAergic and glutamatergic processes. CONCLUSION Evaluation of both the neuroinhibitory and neuroexcitatory mechanisms provide promising potential for improving both our understanding of the mechanisms of chronic pain in aging and opportunities for effective, individualized treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yenisel Cruz-Almeida
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Institute on Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Foundation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Community Dentistry & Behavioral Sciences, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Megan Forbes
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Foundation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Ronald C. Cohen
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Foundation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Adam J. Woods
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Foundation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Roger B. Fillingim
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Institute on Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Joseph L. Riley
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Institute on Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Eric S. Porges
- Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, McKnight Brain Foundation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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