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Wei X, Lai Y, Lan X, Tan Y, Zhang J, Liu J, Chen J, Wang C, Zhou X, Tang Y, Liu D, Zhang J. Uncovering brain functional connectivity disruption patterns of lung cancer-related pain. Brain Imaging Behav 2024:10.1007/s11682-023-00836-9. [PMID: 38316730 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-023-00836-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Pain is a pervasive symptom in lung cancer patients during the onset of the disease. This study aims to investigate the connectivity disruption patterns of the whole-brain functional network in lung cancer patients with cancer pain (CP+). We constructed individual whole-brain, region of interest (ROI)-level functional connectivity (FC) networks for 50 CP+ patients, 34 lung cancer patients without pain-related complaints (CP-), and 31 matched healthy controls (HC). Then, a ROI-based FC analysis was used to determine the disruptions of FC among the three groups. The relationships between aberrant FCs and clinical parameters were also characterized. The ROI-based FC analysis demonstrated that hypo-connectivity was present both in CP+ and CP- patients compared to HC, which were particularly clustered in the somatomotor and ventral attention, frontoparietal control, and default mode modules. Notably, compared to CP- patients, CP+ patients had hyper-connectivity in several brain regions mainly distributed in the somatomotor and visual modules, suggesting these abnormal FC patterns may be significant for cancer pain. Moreover, CP+ patients also showed increased intramodular and intermodular connectivity strength of the functional network, which could be replicated in cancer stage IV and lung adenocarcinoma. Finally, abnormal FCs within the prefrontal cortex and somatomotor cortex were positively correlated with pain intensity and pain duration, respectively. These findings suggested that lung cancer patients with cancer pain had disrupted connectivity in the intrinsic brain functional network, which may be the underlying neuroimaging mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotong Wei
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Hanyu Road No. 181, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Yong Lai
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Hanyu Road No. 181, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Xiaosong Lan
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Hanyu Road No. 181, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Yong Tan
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Hanyu Road No. 181, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Hanyu Road No. 181, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Jiang Liu
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Hanyu Road No. 181, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Jiao Chen
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Hanyu Road No. 181, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Chengfang Wang
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Hanyu Road No. 181, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Xiaoyu Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Hanyu Road No. 181, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Yu Tang
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Hanyu Road No. 181, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Daihong Liu
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Hanyu Road No. 181, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China.
| | - Jiuquan Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Hanyu Road No. 181, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China.
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Ou Y, Ni X, Gao X, Yu Y, Zhang Y, Wang Y, Liu J, Yin Z, Rong J, Sun M, Chen J, Tang Z, Xiao W, Zhao L. Structural and functional changes of anterior cingulate cortex subregions in migraine without aura: relationships with pain sensation and pain emotion. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae040. [PMID: 38342690 PMCID: PMC10859245 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae040] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Migraine without aura is a multidimensional neurological disorder characterized by sensory, emotional, and cognitive symptoms linked to structural and functional abnormalities in the anterior cingulate cortex. Anterior cingulate cortex subregions play differential roles in the clinical symptoms of migraine without aura; however, the specific patterns and mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, voxel-based morphometry and seed-based functional connectivity were used to investigate structural and functional alterations in the anterior cingulate cortex subdivisions in 50 patients with migraine without aura and 50 matched healthy controls. Compared with healthy controls, patients exhibited (1) decreased gray matter volume in the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex, (2) increased functional connectivity between the bilateral subgenual anterior cingulate cortex and right middle frontal gyrus, and between the posterior part of anterior cingulate cortex and right middle frontal gyrus, orbital part, and (3) decreased functional connectivity between the anterior cingulate cortex and left anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyri. Notably, left subgenual anterior cingulate cortex was correlated with the duration of each attack, whereas the right subgenual anterior cingulate cortex was associated with migraine-specific quality-of-life questionnaire (emotion) and self-rating anxiety scale scores. Our findings provide new evidence supporting the hypothesis of abnormal anterior cingulate cortex subcircuitry, revealing structural and functional abnormalities in its subregions and emphasizing the potential involvement of the left subgenual anterior cingulate cortex-related pain sensation subcircuit and right subgenual anterior cingulate cortex -related pain emotion subcircuit in migraine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangxu Ou
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1166, Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, China
| | - Xixiu Ni
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1166, Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, China
| | - Xiaoyu Gao
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1166, Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, China
| | - Yang Yu
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1166, Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, China
| | - Yutong Zhang
- Department of Scientific Research and Education and Training Management, the Third People’s Hospital of Chengdu, Chengdu, Sichuan 610000, China
| | - Yanan Wang
- Department of Pain Treatment, Chongqing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing 400021, China
| | - Jie Liu
- Department of Neurology, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan 610072, China
| | - Zihan Yin
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1166, Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, China
| | - Jing Rong
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1166, Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, China
| | - Mingsheng Sun
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1166, Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, China
- Sichuan Clinical Medical Research Center for Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, China
| | - Jiao Chen
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1166, Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, China
- Sichuan Clinical Medical Research Center for Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, China
| | - Zili Tang
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1166, Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, China
| | - Wang Xiao
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1166, Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, China
| | - Ling Zhao
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 1166, Liutai Avenue, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, China
- Sichuan Clinical Medical Research Center for Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Chengdu, Sichuan 611137, China
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Meeker TJ, Kim HJ, Tulloch IK, Keaser ML, Seminowicz DA, Dorsey SG. Secondary analysis: heat and self-report pain sensitivity associate with biological sex and racialized sociocultural group but may not be mediated by anxiety or pain catastrophizing. Pain Rep 2024; 9:e1133. [PMID: 38283650 PMCID: PMC10811695 DOI: 10.1097/pr9.0000000000001133] [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: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Previous studies have demonstrated associations between sex and racialized group on pain sensitivity and tolerance. We analyzed the association of sex and racialized group on heat pain sensitivity, sensibility to painful suprathreshold mechanical pain (STMP), and pain sensitivity questionnaire (PSQ). We hypothesized that anxiety and pain catastrophizing reported by racialized minority groups and women would mediate enhanced pain sensitivity. Our secondary aim was to evaluate validity of the PSQ in a diverse population. Methods Using quantitative sensory testing for painful heat, STMP (forces: 64, 128, 256, and 512 mN), and PSQ, we evaluated pain sensitivity in 134 healthy participants [34 (18 women) Asian, 25 (13 women) Black, and 75 (41 women) White]. We used general linear and linear mixed models to analyze outcomes. We assessed mediation of state and trait anxiety and pain catastrophizing on pain sensitivity. Results Racialized minority status was associated with greater heat pain sensitivity (F = 7.63; P = 0.00074) and PSQ scores (F = 15.45; P = 9.84 × 10-7) but not associated with STMP (F = 1.50; P = 0.23). Female sex was associated with greater heat pain sensitivity (F = 4.9; P = 0.029) and lower PSQ (F = 9.50; P = 0.0025) but not associated with STMP (F = 0.0018; P = 0.97). Neither anxiety nor pain catastrophizing mediated associations between sex or racialized group with heat pain threshold or PSQ. Differential experience of individual items (F = 19.87; P = 3.28 × 10-8) limited PSQ face validity in racialized minorities. Conclusion Consistent with previous research, sensitivity to painful heat was associated with racialized minority status and female sex. By contrast, there was no significant effect of racialized minority status or female sex on STMP. Some PSQ items are inapplicable to participants from racialized minority groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J. Meeker
- Department of Biology, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Hee Jun Kim
- Community of Acute and Chronic Care, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Ingrid K. Tulloch
- Department of Psychology, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Michael L. Keaser
- Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - David A. Seminowicz
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Susan G. Dorsey
- Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Pain and Translational Symptom Sciences, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Graeff P, Ruscheweyh R, Flanagin VL. Longitudinal changes in human supraspinal processing after RIII-feedback training to improve descending pain inhibition. Neuroimage 2023; 283:120432. [PMID: 37914092 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120432] [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: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The human body has the ability to influence its sensation of pain by modifying the transfer of nociceptive information at the spinal level. This modulation, known as descending pain inhibition, is known to originate supraspinally and can be activated by a variety of ways including positive mental imagery. However, its exact mechanisms remain unknown. We investigated, using a longitudinal fMRI design, the brain activity leading up and in response to painful electrical stimulation when applying positive mental imagery before and after undergoing a previously established RIII-feedback paradigm. Time course analysis of the time preceding painful stimulation shows increased haemodynamic activity during the application of the strategy in the PFC, ACC, insula, thalamus, and hypothalamus. Time course analysis of the reaction to painful stimulation shows decreased reaction post-training in brainstem and thalamus, as well as the insula and dorsolateral PFC. Our work suggests that feedback training increases activity in areas involved in pain inhibition, while simultaneously decreasing the reaction to painful stimuli in brain areas related to pain processing, which points to an activation of decreased spinal nociception. We further suggest that the insula and the thalamus may play a more important role in pain modulation than previously assumed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Graeff
- Research Training Group (RTG) 2175 perception in Context and Its Neural Basis, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 82152 Planegg, Germany; Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 82152 Planegg, Germany
| | - Ruth Ruscheweyh
- Research Training Group (RTG) 2175 perception in Context and Its Neural Basis, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 82152 Planegg, Germany; Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 82152 Planegg, Germany; Department of Neurology, University Hospital Großhadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Virginia L Flanagin
- Research Training Group (RTG) 2175 perception in Context and Its Neural Basis, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 82152 Planegg, Germany; Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 82152 Planegg, Germany; German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders (DSGZ), University Hospital Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, 81377 Munich, Germany.
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Duan Y, Li Q, Zhou Y, Chen S, Li Y, Zang Y. Activation of the TNF-α-Necroptosis Pathway in Parvalbumin-Expressing Interneurons of the Anterior Cingulate Cortex Contributes to Neuropathic Pain. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15454. [PMID: 37895135 PMCID: PMC10607712 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015454] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The hyperexcitability of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has been implicated in the development of chronic pain. As one of the key causes of ACC hyperexcitation, disinhibition of the ACC may be closely related to the dysfunction of inhibitory parvalbumin (PV)-expressing interneurons (PV-INs). However, the molecular mechanism underlying the ACC PV-INs injury remains unclear. The present study demonstrates that spared sciatic nerve injury (SNI) induces an imbalance in the excitation and inhibition (E/I) of the ACC. To test whether tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) upregulation in the ACC after SNI activates necroptosis and participates in PV-INs damage, we performed a differential analysis of transcriptome sequencing using data from neuropathic pain models and found that the expression of genes key to the TNF-α-necroptosis pathway were upregulated. TNF-α immunoreactivity (IR) signals in the ACCs of SNI rats were co-located with p-RIP3- and PV-IR, or p-MLKL- and PV-IR signals. We then systematically detected the expression and cell localization of necroptosis-related proteins, including kinase RIP1, RIP3, MLKL, and their phosphorylated states, in the ACC of SNI rats. Except for RIP1 and MLKL, the levels of these proteins were significantly elevated in the contralateral ACC and mainly expressed in PV-INs. Blocking the ACC TNF-α-necroptosis pathway by microinjecting TNF-α neutralizing antibody or using an siRNA knockdown to block expression of MLKL in the ACC alleviated SNI-induced pain hypersensitivity and inhibited the upregulation of TNF-α and p-MLKL. Targeting TNF-α-triggered necroptosis within ACC PV-INs may help to correct PV-INs injury and E/I imbalance in the ACC in neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiwen Duan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Pain Research Center, Department of Physiology, Zhongshan Medical School, Sun Yat-Sen University, 74 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangzhou 510080, China; (Y.D.); (Q.L.); (Y.Z.); (Y.L.)
| | - Qiaoyun Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Pain Research Center, Department of Physiology, Zhongshan Medical School, Sun Yat-Sen University, 74 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangzhou 510080, China; (Y.D.); (Q.L.); (Y.Z.); (Y.L.)
| | - Yaohui Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Pain Research Center, Department of Physiology, Zhongshan Medical School, Sun Yat-Sen University, 74 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangzhou 510080, China; (Y.D.); (Q.L.); (Y.Z.); (Y.L.)
| | - Shaoxia Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Department of Anesthesiology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, China;
| | - Yongyong Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Pain Research Center, Department of Physiology, Zhongshan Medical School, Sun Yat-Sen University, 74 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangzhou 510080, China; (Y.D.); (Q.L.); (Y.Z.); (Y.L.)
| | - Ying Zang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Pain Research Center, Department of Physiology, Zhongshan Medical School, Sun Yat-Sen University, 74 Zhongshan Road 2, Guangzhou 510080, China; (Y.D.); (Q.L.); (Y.Z.); (Y.L.)
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Alhajri N, Boudreau SA, Mouraux A, Graven-Nielsen T. Pain-free default mode network connectivity contributes to tonic experimental pain intensity beyond the role of negative mood and other pain-related factors. Eur J Pain 2023; 27:995-1005. [PMID: 37255228 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.2141] [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: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alterations in the default mode network (DMN) connectivity across pain stages suggest a possible DMN involvement in the transition to persistent pain. AIM This study examined whether pain-free DMN connectivity at lower alpha oscillations (8-10 Hz) accounts for a unique variation in experimental peak pain intensity beyond the contribution of factors known to influence pain intensity. METHODS Pain-free DMN connectivity was measured with electroencephalography prior to 1 h of capsaicin-evoked pain using a topical capsaicin patch on the right forearm. Pain intensity was assessed on a (0-10) numerical rating scale and the association between peak pain intensity and baseline measurements was examined using hierarchical multiple regression in 52 healthy volunteers (26 women). The baseline measurements consisted of catastrophizing (helplessness, rumination, magnification), vigilance, depression, negative and positive affect, sex, age, sleep, fatigue, thermal and mechanical pain thresholds and DMN connectivity (medial prefrontal cortex [mPFC]-posterior cingulate cortex [PCC], mPFC-right angular gyrus [rAG], mPFC-left Angular gyrus [lAG], rAG-mPFC and rAG-PCC). RESULTS Pain-free DMN connectivity increased the explained variance in peak pain intensity beyond the contribution of other factors (ΔR2 = 0.10, p = 0.003), with the final model explaining 66% of the variation (R2 = 0.66, ANOVA: p < 0.001). In this model, negative affect (β = 0.51, p < 0.001), helplessness (β = 0.49, p = 0.007), pain-free mPFC-lAG connectivity (β = 0.36, p = 0.003) and depression (β = -0.39, p = 0.009) correlated significantly with peak pain intensity. Interestingly, negative affect and depression, albeit both being negative mood indices, showed opposing relationships with peak pain intensity. CONCLUSIONS This work suggests that pain-free mPFC-lAG connectivity (at lower alpha) may contribute to individual variations in pain-related vulnerability. SIGNIFICANCE These findings could potentially lead the way for investigations in which DMN connectivity is used in identifying individuals more likely to develop chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Najah Alhajri
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Department of Health Science and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Shellie Ann Boudreau
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Department of Health Science and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - André Mouraux
- Institute of Neuroscience (IONS), Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - 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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Kutafina E, Becker S, Namer B. Measuring pain and nociception: Through the glasses of a computational scientist. Transdisciplinary overview of methods. FRONTIERS IN NETWORK PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 3:1099282. [PMID: 36926544 PMCID: PMC10013045 DOI: 10.3389/fnetp.2023.1099282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
In a healthy state, pain plays an important role in natural biofeedback loops and helps to detect and prevent potentially harmful stimuli and situations. However, pain can become chronic and as such a pathological condition, losing its informative and adaptive function. Efficient pain treatment remains a largely unmet clinical need. One promising route to improve the characterization of pain, and with that the potential for more effective pain therapies, is the integration of different data modalities through cutting edge computational methods. Using these methods, multiscale, complex, and network models of pain signaling can be created and utilized for the benefit of patients. Such models require collaborative work of experts from different research domains such as medicine, biology, physiology, psychology as well as mathematics and data science. Efficient work of collaborative teams requires developing of a common language and common level of understanding as a prerequisite. One of ways to meet this need is to provide easy to comprehend overviews of certain topics within the pain research domain. Here, we propose such an overview on the topic of pain assessment in humans for computational researchers. Quantifications related to pain are necessary for building computational models. However, as defined by the International Association of the Study of Pain (IASP), pain is a sensory and emotional experience and thus, it cannot be measured and quantified objectively. This results in a need for clear distinctions between nociception, pain and correlates of pain. Therefore, here we review methods to assess pain as a percept and nociception as a biological basis for this percept in humans, with the goal of creating a roadmap of modelling options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Kutafina
- Institute of Medical Informatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Faculty of Applied Mathematics, AGH University of Science and Technology, Krakow, Poland
| | - Susanne Becker
- Clinical Psychology, Department of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Integrative Spinal Research, Department of Chiropractic Medicine, University Hospital Balgrist, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Barbara Namer
- Junior Research Group Neuroscience, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research Within the Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Physiology, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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