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Qian H, Shao M, Wei Z, Zhang Y, Liu S, Chen L, Meng J. Intact painful sensation but enhanced non-painful sensation in individuals with autistic traits. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1432149. [PMID: 39045552 PMCID: PMC11263351 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1432149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Somatosensory abnormalities are commonly recognized as diagnostic criteria in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and may also exist in individuals with autistic traits. The present research included two studies to explore the painful and non-painful sensation and their cognitive-neurological mechanisms of individuals with autistic traits. Study 1 included 358 participants to assess the relationship between autistic traits and pain/non-pain sensitivities using questionnaires: the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), the Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire, and the Highly Sensitive Person Scale, respectively. Study 1 found that autistic traits were positively correlated with non-pain sensitivity, but not associated with pain sensitivity. Study 2 recruited 1,167 participants whose autistic traits were assessed using the AQ. Subsequently, thirty-three participants who scored within the top 10% and bottom 10% on the AQ were selected into High-AQ and Low-AQ groups, respectively, to explore the cognitive-neural responses of individuals with autistic traits to both painful and non-painful stimuli with event-related potential (ERP) technology. Results of Study 2 showed that the High-AQ group showed higher intensity ratings, more negative emotional reactions, and larger N1 amplitudes than the Low-AQ group to the non-painful stimuli, but no difference of response to the painful stimuli was found between High-AQ and Low-AQ groups. These findings suggest that individuals with autistic traits may experience enhanced non-painful sensation but intact painful sensation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiling Qian
- Research Center for Brain and Cognitive Science, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Applied Psychology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Min Shao
- Research Center for Brain and Cognitive Science, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Applied Psychology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Zilong Wei
- Research Center for Brain and Cognitive Science, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Applied Psychology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yudie Zhang
- Research Center for Brain and Cognitive Science, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Applied Psychology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Shuqin Liu
- Research Center for Brain and Cognitive Science, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Applied Psychology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lu Chen
- Research Center for Brain and Cognitive Science, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Applied Psychology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jing Meng
- Research Center for Brain and Cognitive Science, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Applied Psychology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, China
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2
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Cheong Y, Lee S, Okazawa H, Kosaka H, Jung M. Effects of functional polymorphisms of opioid receptor mu 1 and catechol-O-methyltransferase on the neural processing of pain. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2024; 78:300-308. [PMID: 38403942 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.13648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
AIM Pain is reconstructed by brain activities and its subjectivity comes from an interplay of multiple factors. The current study aims to understand the contribution of genetic factors to the neural processing of pain. Focusing on the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of opioid receptor mu 1 (OPRM1) A118G (rs1799971) and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) val158met (rs4680), we investigated how the two pain genes affect pain processing. METHOD We integrated a genetic approach with functional neuroimaging. We extracted genomic DNA information from saliva samples to genotype the SNP of OPRM1 and COMT. We used a percept-related model, in which two different levels of perceived pain intensities ("low pain: mildly painful" vs "high pain: severely painful") were employed as experimental stimuli. RESULTS Low pain involves a broader network relative to high pain. The distinct effects of pain genes were observed depending on the perceived pain intensity. The effects of low pain were found in supramarginal gyrus, angular gyrus, and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) for OPRM1 and in middle temporal gyrus for COMT. For high pain, OPRM1 affected the insula and cerebellum, while COMT affected the middle occipital gyrus and ACC. CONCLUSION OPRM1 primarily affects sensory and cognitive components of pain processing, while COMT mainly influences emotional aspects of pain processing. The interaction of the two pain genes was associated with neural patterns coding for high pain and neural activation in the ACC in response to pain. The proteins encoded by the OPRM1 and COMT may contribute to the firing of pain-related neurons in the human ACC, a critical center for subjective pain experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjeon Cheong
- Cognitive Science Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Seonkyoung Lee
- Cognitive Science Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Hidehiko Okazawa
- Research Centre for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Fukui, Japan
- Division of Developmental Higher Brain Functions, Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Hirotaka Kosaka
- Research Centre for Child Mental Development, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Fukui, Japan
- Division of Developmental Higher Brain Functions, Department of Child Development, United Graduate School of Child Development, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Minyoung Jung
- Cognitive Science Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, Republic of Korea
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Zhu H, Tao Y, Wang S, Zhu X, Lin K, Zheng N, Chen LM, Xu F, Wu R. fMRI, LFP, and anatomical evidence for hierarchical nociceptive routing pathway between somatosensory and insular cortices. Neuroimage 2024; 289:120549. [PMID: 38382864 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120549] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The directional organization of multiple nociceptive regions, particularly within obscure operculoinsular areas, underlying multidimensional pain processing remains elusive. This study aims to establish the fundamental organization between somatosensory and insular cortices in routing nociceptive information. By employing an integrated multimodal approach of high-field fMRI, intracranial electrophysiology, and transsynaptic viral tracing in rats, we observed a hierarchically organized connection of S1/S2 → posterior insula → anterior insula in routing nociceptive information. The directional nociceptive pathway determined by early fMRI responses was consistent with that examined by early evoked LFP, intrinsic effective connectivity, and anatomical projection, suggesting fMRI could provide a valuable facility to discern directional neural circuits in animals and humans non-invasively. Moreover, our knowledge of the nociceptive hierarchical organization of somatosensory and insular cortices and the interface role of the posterior insula may have implications for the development of targeted pain therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yan Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Siqi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Xutao Zhu
- Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Kunzhang Lin
- Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Ning Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Li Min Chen
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science and Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
| | - Fuqiang Xu
- Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China.
| | - Ruiqi Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Technology, Shanghai 200031, China.
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Henderson J, Mari T, Hewitt D, Newton‐Fenner A, Giesbrecht T, Marshall A, Stancak A, Fallon N. The neural correlates of texture perception: A systematic review and activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging studies. Brain Behav 2023; 13:e3264. [PMID: 37749852 PMCID: PMC10636420 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.3264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Humans use discriminative touch to perceive texture through dynamic interactions with surfaces, activating low-threshold mechanoreceptors in the skin. It was largely assumed that texture was processed in primary somatosensory regions in the brain; however, imaging studies indicate heterogeneous patterns of brain activity associated with texture processing. METHODS To address this, we conducted a coordinate-based activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis of 13 functional magnetic resonance imaging studies (comprising 15 experiments contributing 228 participants and 275 foci) selected by a systematic review. RESULTS Concordant activations for texture perception occurred in the left primary somatosensory and motor regions, with bilateral activations in the secondary somatosensory, posterior insula, and premotor and supplementary motor cortices. We also evaluated differences between studies that compared touch processing to non-haptic control (e.g., rest or visual control) or those that used haptic control (e.g., shape or orientation perception) to specifically investigate texture encoding. Studies employing a haptic control revealed concordance for texture processing only in the left secondary somatosensory cortex. Contrast analyses demonstrated greater concordance of activations in the left primary somatosensory regions and inferior parietal cortex for studies with a non-haptic control, compared to experiments accounting for other haptic aspects. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that texture processing may recruit higher order integrative structures, and the secondary somatosensory cortex may play a key role in encoding textural properties. The present study provides unique insight into the neural correlates of texture-related processing by assessing the influence of non-textural haptic elements and identifies opportunities for a future research design to understand the neural processing of texture.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tyler Mari
- School of PsychologyUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
| | | | - Alice Newton‐Fenner
- School of PsychologyUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
- Institute of Risk and UncertaintyUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
| | | | - Alan Marshall
- Department of Electrical Engineering and ElectronicsUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
| | - Andrej Stancak
- School of PsychologyUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
- Institute of Risk and UncertaintyUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
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Basten-Günther J, Jutz L, Peters ML, Priebe JA, Lautenbacher S. The effect of induced optimism on early pain processing: indication by contact heat evoked potentials (CHEPs) and the sympathetic skin response (SSR). Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2023; 18:nsad042. [PMID: 37656006 PMCID: PMC10508319 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsad042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Situationally induced optimism has been shown to influence several components of experimental pain. The aim of the present study was to enlarge these findings for the first time to the earliest components of the pain response by measuring contact heat evoked potentials (CHEPs) and the sympathetic skin response (SSR). Forty-seven healthy participants underwent two blocks of phasic thermal stimulation. CHEPs, the SSR and self-report pain ratings were recorded. Between the blocks of stimulation, the 'Best Possible Self' imagery and writing task was performed to induce situational optimism. The optimism manipulation was successful in increasing state optimism. It did, however, neither affect pain-evoked potentials nor the SSR nor self-report pain ratings. These results suggest that optimism does not alter early responses to pain. The higher-level cognitive processes involved in optimistic thinking might only act on later stages of pain processing. Therefore, more research is needed targeting different time frames of stimulus processing and response measures for early and late pain processing in parallel.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura Jutz
- Department of Physiological Psychology, University of Bamberg, Bamberg 97047, Germany
| | - Madelon L Peters
- Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, Maastricht 6200 MD, The Netherlands
| | - Janosch A Priebe
- Department of Physiological Psychology, University of Bamberg, Bamberg 97047, Germany
- Center of Interdisciplinary Pain Medicine, Department of Neurology, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich 81675, Germany
| | - Stefan Lautenbacher
- Department of Physiological Psychology, University of Bamberg, Bamberg 97047, Germany
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Shekhar V, Choudhary N, Rathore P, Singh SP, Bhatnagar S. Non-Invasive Objective Markers to Measure Pain: A Direction to Develop a Pain Device - A Narrative Review. Indian J Palliat Care 2023; 29:217-222. [PMID: 37325263 PMCID: PMC10261936 DOI: 10.25259/ijpc_257_2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective To review the literature regarding non-invasive objective measurements of pain. Measuring pain is of uttermost importance, but it can be an inconvenient task, especially in terms of the interpretation of patient's information. Reiterating, there is no "standard" that provides the physician with a method to objectively quantify this problem of patient's pain. For assessing the pain, physician relies solely on unidimensional assessment tools or questionnaire-based pain assessment. Although pain is a subjective experience of the patient, but there is a need to measure pain sometimes in the individuals who cannot communicate their quality and severity of pain. Material and Methods The articles from PubMed and Google Scholar without any year and age limit were searched in the current narrative review. A total of 16 markers were searched and their relation to pain was studied. Results Studies have shown that these markers change in relation to pain and it can be considered a valuable tool for pain measurement but there are multiple factors like psychological and emotional factors which affect these markers. Conclusion There is lack of evidence to show which marker can be used for measuring pain accurately. This narrative review is an attempt to look into the various pain-related markers that can be used and it calls for further studies including clinical trials with different diseases and taking into accounts different factors affecting pain to give an accurate measurement of pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varun Shekhar
- Department of Onco-Anaesthesia and Palliative Medicine, Dr. B.R.A. IRCH, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Nandan Choudhary
- Department of Onco-Anaesthesia and Palliative Medicine, Dr. B.R.A. IRCH, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Puneet Rathore
- Department of Onco-Anaesthesia and Palliative Medicine, Dr. B.R.A. IRCH, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Suraj Pal Singh
- Department of Onco-Anaesthesia and Palliative Medicine, Dr. B.R.A. IRCH, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Sushma Bhatnagar
- Department of Onco-Anaesthesia and Palliative Medicine, Dr. B.R.A. IRCH, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
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Zhuo S, Zhang Y, Lin C, Peng W. Testosterone administration enhances the expectation and perception of painful and non-painful somatosensory stimuli. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 152:106081. [PMID: 36947967 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
The influence of testosterone on pain perception remains inconsistent in the literature. This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study investigated the effect of testosterone administration on perception and expectation of electrocutaneous stimulus. Thirty healthy male participants received a single dose of testosterone in one session and a placebo in the other session. For each session, they completed a pain-rating task in which a predictability cue was inserted before a painful or non-painful electocutaneous stimulus delivery, while neural activity was simultaneously recorded by a 64-channel electroencephalographic (EEG) system. Expected and perceived pain ratings, as well as event-related potentials (ERPs) to electocutaneous stimuli and prestimulus EEG oscillatory activities while expecting upcoming electocutaneous stimuli were comprehensively compared between testosterone and placebo sessions. Compared with the placebo session, participants in the testosterone session reported greater pain rating and exhibited greater amplitude of N1 component on ERPs when perceiving both painful and non-painful electrocutaneous stimuli. Mediation analysis revealed that testosterone enhanced the pain-intensity ratings via the N1 response to the electrocutaneous stimulus. Upon viewing the predictability cues after testosterone administration, expected pain intensity increased and spontaneous low-frequency α-oscillation power in the frontal region decreased. These results provide evidence that testosterone enhanced perception and expectation of somatosensory events, and that this was a general effect rather than pain-specific. A plausible explanation for these findings is that testosterone acts to increase vigilance and sustained attention levels, as evidenced by the decreased α-oscillation power. Thus, our findings support a causal role for testosterone in heightening the biological salience of incoming somatosensory information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiwei Zhuo
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yinhua Zhang
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chennan Lin
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Weiwei Peng
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
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Barjola P, Peláez I, Ferrera D, González-Gutiérrez JL, Velasco L, Peñacoba-Puente C, López-López A, Fernandes-Magalhaes R, Mercado F. Electrophysiological indices of pain expectation abnormalities in fibromyalgia patients. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:943976. [PMID: 36248693 PMCID: PMC9562711 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.943976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain syndrome characterized by dysfunctional processing of nociceptive stimulation. Neuroimaging studies have pointed out that pain-related network functioning seems to be altered in these patients. It is thought that this clinical symptomatology may be maintained or even strengthened because of an enhanced expectancy for painful stimuli or its forthcoming appearance. However, neural electrophysiological correlates associated with such attentional mechanisms have been scarcely explored. In the current study, expectancy processes of upcoming laser stimulation (painful and non-painful) and its further processing were explored by event-related potentials (ERPs). Nineteen fibromyalgia patients and twenty healthy control volunteers took part in the experiment. Behavioral measures (reaction times and subjective pain perception) were also collected. We manipulated the pain/no pain expectancy through an S1–S2 paradigm (cue-target). S1 (image: triangle or square) predicted the S2 appearance (laser stimulation: warmth or pinprick sensation). Laser stimuli were delivered using a CO2 laser device. Temporal and spatial principal component analyses were employed to define and quantify the ERP component reliability. Statistical analyses revealed the existence of an abnormal pattern of pain expectancy in patients with fibromyalgia. Specifically, our results showed attenuated amplitudes at posterior lCNV component in anticipation of painful stimulation that was not found in healthy participants. In contrast, although larger P2 amplitudes to painful compared to innocuous events were shown, patients did not show any amplitude change in this laser-evoked response as a function of pain predictive cues (as occurred in the healthy control group). Additionally, analyses of the subjective perception of pain and reaction time indicated that laser stimuli preceded by pain cues were rated as more painful than those signaling non-pain expectancy and were associated with faster responses. Differences between groups were not found. The present findings suggest the presence of dysfunction in pain expectation mechanisms in fibromyalgia that eventually may make it difficult for patients to correctly interpret signs that prevent pain symptoms. Furthermore, the abnormal pattern in pain expectancy displayed by fibromyalgia patients could result in ineffective pain coping strategies. Understanding the neural correlates of pain processing and its modulatory factors is crucial to identify treatments for chronic pain syndromes.
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Wu R, Wang F, Yang PF, Gore JC, Chen LM. Graph theory analysis identified two hubs that connect sensorimotor and cognitive and cortical and subcortical nociceptive networks in the non-human primate. Neuroimage 2022; 257:119244. [PMID: 35533827 PMCID: PMC9306334 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Pain perception involves multiple brain regions and networks. Understanding how these brain networks work together is fundamental for appreciating network-wise changes reported in patients with chronic pain disorders. Parcellating pain related networks and understanding their causal relationships is the first step to understand how painful information is processed, integrated, and modulated, and it requires direct manipulation of specific brain regions. Nonhuman primates (NHP) offer an ideal model system to achieve these goals because cortical and subcortical regions in the NHP brain are established based on a variety of different types of data collected in a way that is not feasible or, at least, extremely difficult in humans (i.e., histology data, tract-tracing, intracerebral recordings). In addition, different methodological techniques can also help characterize and further understand these brain cortical and subcortical regions over the course of development. Here we used a heat nociceptive stimulation that is proven to elicit activity of nociceptive neurons in the cortex to refine and parcellate the whole brain nociceptive functional networks, to identify key network hubs, and to characterize network-wise temporal dynamic signatures using high-resolution fMRI. We first functionally localized 24 cortical and subcortical regions that responded to heat nociceptive stimuli (somatosensory area 1/2, area 3a/3b, S2, posterior insula (pIns), anterior insula, area 7b, posterior parietal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), prefrontal cortex, caudate, and mediodorsal (MD) and ventral posterior lateral (VPL) thalamic nuclei) and used them as seeds in resting state fMRI (rsfMRI) data analysis. We applied both hierarchical clustering and graph-theory analyses of the pairwise rsfMRI correlation metrics and identified five cortical and one subcortical sub-networks: strong resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) between ACC and prefrontal regions, parietal cortex and area 7b, S2 and posterior insula, areas 3a/3b and 1/2 within the S1 cortex, and thalamic MD and caudate nuclei. The rsFC strengths between cortical areas within each subnetwork were significantly stronger than those between subcortical regions. Regions within each sub-network also exhibited highly correlated temporal dynamics at rest, but the overall dynamic patterns varied drastically across sub-networks. Graph-theory analysis identified the MD nucleus as a hub that connects subcortical and cortical nociceptive sub-networks. The S2-pIns connection joins the sensory and affective/cognitive sub-networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiqi Wu
- Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States,Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1161 21st Ave. S. AA 1105 MCN, Nashville, TN 37232-2310, United States,State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Feng Wang
- Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States,Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1161 21st Ave. S. AA 1105 MCN, Nashville, TN 37232-2310, United States
| | - Pai-Feng Yang
- Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States,Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1161 21st Ave. S. AA 1105 MCN, Nashville, TN 37232-2310, United States
| | - John C Gore
- Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States,Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1161 21st Ave. S. AA 1105 MCN, Nashville, TN 37232-2310, United States,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| | - Li Min Chen
- Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States; Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1161 21st Ave. S. AA 1105 MCN, Nashville, TN 37232-2310, United States; Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, United States.
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10
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Wicht CA, Mouthon M, Chabwine JN, Gaab J, Spierer L. Experience with opioids does not modify the brain network involved in expectations of placebo analgesia. Eur J Neurosci 2022; 55:1840-1858. [PMID: 35266226 PMCID: PMC9311217 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Placebo analgesia (PA) is defined as a psychobiological phenomenon triggered by the information surrounding an analgesic drug instead of its inherent pharmacological properties. PA is hypothesized to be formed through either verbal suggestions or conditioning. The present study aims at disentangling the neural correlates of expectations effects with or without conditioning through prior experience using the model of PA. We addressed this question by recruiting two groups of individuals holding comparable verbally‐induced expectations regarding morphine analgesia but either (i) with or (ii) without prior experience with opioids. We then contrasted the two groups' neurocognitive response to acute heat‐pain induction following the injection of sham morphine using electroencephalography (EEG). Topographic ERP analyses of the N2 and P2 pain evoked potential components allowed to test the hypothesis that PA involves distinct neural networks when induced by expectations with or without prior experience. First, we confirmed that the two groups showed corresponding expectations of morphine analgesia (Hedges' gs < .4 positive control criteria, gs = .37 observed difference), and that our intervention induced a medium‐sized PA (Hedges' gav ≥ .5 positive control, gav = .6 observed PA). We then tested our hypothesis on the recruitment of different PA‐associated brain networks in individuals with versus without prior experience with opioids and found no evidence for a topographic N2 and P2 ERP components difference between the two groups. Our results thus suggest that in the presence of verbally‐induced expectations, modifications in the PA‐associated brain activity by conditioning are either absent or very small.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corentin A Wicht
- Neurology Unit, Medicine Section, Faculty of Science and Medicine, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Michael Mouthon
- Neurology Unit, Medicine Section, Faculty of Science and Medicine, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Joelle Nsimire Chabwine
- Neurology Unit, Medicine Section, Faculty of Science and Medicine, Fribourg, Switzerland.,Division of Neurorehabilitation, Fribourg Hospital, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Jens Gaab
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Lucas Spierer
- Neurology Unit, Medicine Section, Faculty of Science and Medicine, Fribourg, Switzerland
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11
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Cardinale V, Demirakca T, Gradinger T, Sack M, Ruf M, Kleindienst N, Schmitz M, Schmahl C, Baumgärtner U, Ende G. Cerebral processing of sharp mechanical pain measured with arterial spin labeling. Brain Behav 2022; 12:e2442. [PMID: 34878219 PMCID: PMC8785639 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Arterial spin labeling (ASL) is a functional neuroimaging technique that has been frequently used to investigate acute pain states. A major advantage of ASL as opposed to blood-oxygen-level-dependent functional neuroimaging is its applicability for low-frequency designs. As such, ASL represents an interesting option for studies in which repeating an experimental event would reduce its ecological validity. Whereas most ASL pain studies so far have used thermal stimuli, to our knowledge, no ASL study so far has investigated pain responses to sharp mechanical pain. METHODS As a proof of concept, we investigated whether ASL has the sensitivity to detect brain activation within core areas of the nociceptive network in healthy controls following a single stimulation block based on 96 s of mechanical painful stimulation using a blunt blade. RESULTS We found significant increases in perfusion across many regions of the nociceptive network such as primary and secondary somatosensory cortices, premotor cortex, posterior insula, inferior parietal cortex, parietal operculum, temporal gyrus, temporo-occipital lobe, putamen, and the cerebellum. Contrary to our hypothesis, we did not find any significant increase within ACC, thalamus, or PFC. Moreover, we were able to detect a significant positive correlation between pain intensity ratings and pain-induced perfusion increase in the posterior insula. CONCLUSION We demonstrate that ASL is suited to investigate acute pain in a single event paradigm, although to detect activation within some regions of the nociceptive network, the sensitivity of our paradigm seemed to be limited. Regarding the posterior insula, our paradigm was sensitive enough to detect a correlation between pain intensity ratings and pain-induced perfusion increase. Previous experimental pain studies have proposed that intensity coding in this region may be restricted to thermal stimulation. Our result demonstrates that the posterior insula encodes intensity information for mechanical stimuli as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vita Cardinale
- Department of Neuroimaging, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Traute Demirakca
- Department of Neuroimaging and Core Facility ZIPP, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Tobias Gradinger
- Department of Neuroimaging, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Markus Sack
- Department of Neuroimaging, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Matthias Ruf
- Department of Neuroimaging and Core Facility ZIPP, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Nikolaus Kleindienst
- Institute of Psychiatric and Psychosomatic Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Marius Schmitz
- Department of General Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian Schmahl
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Ulf Baumgärtner
- Department of Neurophysiology, Mannheim Center for Translational Neuroscience (MTCN), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,Institute of Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (ICAN), Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Gabriele Ende
- Department of Neuroimaging and Core Facility ZIPP, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
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12
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Lithfous S, Trocmet L, Pebayle T, Després O, Dufour A. Investigating cold Aδ fibers in the 0-40 °C temperature range: A quantitative sensory testing and evoked potentials study. Clin Neurophysiol 2021; 134:81-87. [PMID: 34991016 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2021.11.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the activity of cold Aδ-type fibers to thermal stimuli above human skin temperature (i.e., >32 °C). METHODS Twenty young adults aged 20-24 years participated in this study. The cold-detection threshold was measured from a basal temperature of 40 °C using an adaptive staircase method with high-speed cooling ramps (170 °C/s). A total of 150 stimulations at 36 °C, 32 °C, 28 °C, 24 °C, 20 °C, 16 °C, 12 °C, 8 °C, 4 °C and 0 °C (15 each) were performed. After each stimulation, subjects estimated the intensity of cold sensation using a visual analog scale, and evoked potentials were recorded. RESULTS The average cold-detection threshold was 35 °C (SD = 1.8). Regardless of the stimulation temperature, subjects reported a cooling sensation. Interestingly, reported increments in sensation were prominent for stimulation temperatures between 32 °C and 20 °C, but below this latter temperature sensations varied only very slightly. Evoked potential recordings revealed that decreasing temperature stimuli from a baseline of 40 °C induced a previously unreported N2P2 component with a mean N2 peak latency of 275 ms (SD = 13.1). The peak-to-peak amplitude of the N2P2 complex increased as the intensity of the cooling stimulation increased, exhibiting a profile comparable to subject-perceived intensity, namely, a major increase up to 20 °C, followed by a plateau to 0 °C. CONCLUSIONS The cool sensations reported by subjects were likely conveyed by Aδ fibers rather than by slow-conducting C fibers. Moreover, our rapid stimulation technique starting from a high temperature (40 °C) was capable of a) generating cold sensations at stimulation temperatures between 36 °C and 32 °C, and b) revealing the optimal activation range of Aδ fibers (20 °C-28 °C). Any decrease in temperature below this range did not result in a significant increase in sensation and thus probably did not evoke a significant increase in Aδ fiber activity. SIGNIFICANCE The regular assessment of cold sensation in peripheral neuropathies (i.e., with temperatures below 32 °C), could be completed by investigating cold-detection thresholds at temperatures ranging from 40 °C to 32 °C. Indeed, the absolute threshold of cold perception appears to start at 35 °C. Changes in the activation threshold of cold fibers were more easily detectable at this level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ségolène Lithfous
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, UMR 7364 LNCA, 12 rue Goethe, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Louise Trocmet
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, UMR 7364 LNCA, 12 rue Goethe, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Thierry Pebayle
- Centre d'Investigations Neurocognitives et Neurophysiologiques, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, UMS 3489 CI2N, 21 rue Becquerel, 67087 Strasbourg, France
| | - Olivier Després
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, UMR 7364 LNCA, 12 rue Goethe, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - André Dufour
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, UMR 7364 LNCA, 12 rue Goethe, 67000 Strasbourg, France; Centre d'Investigations Neurocognitives et Neurophysiologiques, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, UMS 3489 CI2N, 21 rue Becquerel, 67087 Strasbourg, France.
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13
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Shiroshita Y, Kirimoto H, Watanabe T, Yunoki K, Sobue I. Event-related potentials evoked by skin puncture reflect activation of Aβ fibers: comparison with intraepidermal and transcutaneous electrical stimulations. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12250. [PMID: 34707936 PMCID: PMC8504465 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Recently, event-related potentials (ERPs) evoked by skin puncture, commonly used for blood sampling, have received attention as a pain assessment tool in neonates. However, their latency appears to be far shorter than the latency of ERPs evoked by intraepidermal electrical stimulation (IES), which selectively activates nociceptive Aδ and C fibers. To clarify this important issue, we examined whether ERPs evoked by skin puncture appropriately reflect central nociceptive processing, as is the case with IES. Methods In Experiment 1, we recorded evoked potentials to the click sound produced by a lance device (click-only), lance stimulation with the click sound (click+lance), or lance stimulation with white noise (WN+lance) in eight healthy adults to investigate the effect of the click sound on the ERP evoked by skin puncture. In Experiment 2, we tested 18 heathy adults and recorded evoked potentials to shallow lance stimulation (SL) with a blade that did not reach the dermis (0.1 mm insertion depth); normal lance stimulation (CL) (1 mm depth); transcutaneous electrical stimulation (ES), which mainly activates Aβ fibers; and IES, which selectively activates Aδ fibers when low stimulation current intensities are applied. White noise was continuously presented during the experiments. The stimulations were applied to the hand dorsum. In the SL, the lance device did not touch the skin and the blade was inserted to a depth of 0.1 mm into the epidermis, where the free nerve endings of Aδ fibers are located, which minimized the tactile sensation caused by the device touching the skin and the activation of Aβ fibers by the blade reaching the dermis. In the CL, as in clinical use, the lance device touched the skin and the blade reached a depth of 1 mm from the skin surface, i.e., the depth of the dermis at which the Aβ fibers are located. Results The ERP N2 latencies for click-only (122 ± 2.9 ms) and click+lance (121 ± 6.5 ms) were significantly shorter than that for WN+lance (154 ± 7.1 ms). The ERP P2 latency for click-only (191 ± 11.3 ms) was significantly shorter than those for click+lance (249 ± 18.6 ms) and WN+lance (253 ± 11.2 ms). This suggests that the click sound shortens the N2 latency of the ERP evoked by skin puncture. The ERP N2 latencies for SL, CL, ES, and IES were 146 ± 8.3, 149 ± 9.9, 148 ± 13.1, and 197 ± 21.2 ms, respectively. The ERP P2 latencies were 250 ± 18.2, 251 ± 14.1, 237 ± 26.3, and 294 ± 30.0 ms, respectively. The ERP latency for SL was significantly shorter than that for IES and was similar to that for ES. This suggests that the penetration force generated by the blade of the lance device activates the Aβ fibers, consequently shortening the ERP latency. Conclusions Lance ERP may reflect the activation of Aβ fibers rather than Aδ fibers. A pain index that correctly and reliably reflects nociceptive processing must be developed to improve pain assessment and management in neonates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yui Shiroshita
- Department of Nursing Science, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Hikari Kirimoto
- Department of Sensorimotor Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Tatsunori Watanabe
- Department of Sensorimotor Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Keisuke Yunoki
- Department of Sensorimotor Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Ikuko Sobue
- Department of Nursing Science, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
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Lenoir D, Willaert W, Coppieters I, Malfliet A, Ickmans K, Nijs J, Vonck K, Meeus M, Cagnie B. Electroencephalography During Nociceptive Stimulation in Chronic Pain Patients: A Systematic Review. PAIN MEDICINE 2021; 21:3413-3427. [PMID: 32488229 DOI: 10.1093/pm/pnaa131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND With its high temporal resolution, electroencephalography (EEG), a technique that records electrical activity of cortical neuronal cells, is a potentially suitable technique to investigate human somatosensory processing. By using EEG, the processing of (nociceptive) stimuli can be investigated, along with the functionality of the nociceptive pathway. Therefore, it can be applied in chronic pain patients to objectify whether changes have occurred in nociceptive processing. Typically, so-called event-related potential (ERP) recordings are used, where EEG signals are recorded in response to specific stimuli and characterized by latency and amplitude. OBJECTIVE To summarize whether differences in somatosensory processing occur between chronic pain patients and healthy controls, measured with ERPs, and determine whether this response is related to the subjective pain intensity. DESIGN Systematic review. SETTING AND METHODS PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase were consulted, and 18 case-control studies were finally included. SUBJECTS The chronic pain patients suffered from tension-type headache, back pain, migraine, fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, prostatitis, or complex regional pain syndrome. RESULTS Chronic neuropathic pain patients showed increased latencies of the N2 and P2 components, along with a decreased amplitude of the N2-P2 complex, which was also obtained in FM patients with small fiber dysfunction. The latter also showed a decreased amplitude of the N2-P3 and N1-P1 complex. For the other chronic pain patients, the latencies and the amplitudes of the ERP components did not seem to differ from healthy controls. One paper indicated that the N2-P3 peak-to-peak amplitude correlates with the subjective experience of the stimulus. CONCLUSIONS Differences in ERPs with healthy controls can mostly be found in chronic pain populations that suffer from neuropathic pain or where fiber dysfunction is present. In chronic pain populations with other etiological mechanisms, limited differences were found or agreed upon across studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorine Lenoir
- Pain in Motion International Research Group.,Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy (KIMA), Faculty of Physical Education & Physiotherapy, Pain in Motion International Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussel, Belgium.,Department of Physical Medicine and Physiotherapy, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.,Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ward Willaert
- Pain in Motion International Research Group.,Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy (KIMA), Faculty of Physical Education & Physiotherapy, Pain in Motion International Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussel, Belgium.,Department of Physical Medicine and Physiotherapy, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.,Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO), Brussels, Belgium.,Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Iris Coppieters
- Pain in Motion International Research Group.,Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy (KIMA), Faculty of Physical Education & Physiotherapy, Pain in Motion International Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussel, Belgium.,Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Anneleen Malfliet
- Pain in Motion International Research Group.,Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy (KIMA), Faculty of Physical Education & Physiotherapy, Pain in Motion International Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussel, Belgium
| | - Kelly Ickmans
- Pain in Motion International Research Group.,Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy (KIMA), Faculty of Physical Education & Physiotherapy, Pain in Motion International Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussel, Belgium.,Department of Physical Medicine and Physiotherapy, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.,Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jo Nijs
- Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy (KIMA), Faculty of Physical Education & Physiotherapy, Pain in Motion International Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussel, Belgium
| | - Kristl Vonck
- Department of Neurology, 4Brain, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Mira Meeus
- Pain in Motion International Research Group.,Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy - MOVANT Research Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Barbara Cagnie
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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15
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Taesler P, Rose M. The modulation of neural insular activity by a brain computer interface differentially affects pain discrimination. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9795. [PMID: 33963226 PMCID: PMC8105353 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89206-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The experience of pain is generated by activations throughout a complex pain network with the insular cortex as a central processing area. The state of ongoing oscillatory activity can influence subsequent processing throughout this network. In particular the ongoing theta-band power can be relevant for later pain processing, however a direct functional relation to post-stimulus processing or behaviour is missing. Here, we used a non-invasive brain-computer interface to either increase or decrease ongoing theta-band power originating in the insular cortex. Our results show a differential modulation of oscillatory power and even more important a transfer to independently measured pain processing and sensation. Pain evoked neural power and subjective pain discrimination were differentially affected by the induced modulations of the oscillatory state. The results demonstrate a functional relevance of insular based theta-band oscillatory states for the processing and subjective discrimination of nociceptive stimuli and offer the perspective for clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Taesler
- Department of Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, W34, 20251, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michael Rose
- Department of Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, W34, 20251, Hamburg, Germany.
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16
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Zhang X, Li L, Huang G, Zhang L, Liang Z, Shi L, Zhang Z. A Multisensory fMRI Investigation of Nociceptive-Preferential Cortical Regions and Responses. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:635733. [PMID: 33935632 PMCID: PMC8079658 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.635733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The existence of nociceptive-specific brain regions has been a controversial issue for decades. Multisensory fMRI studies, which examine fMRI activities in response to various types of sensory stimulation, could help identify nociceptive-specific brain regions, but previous studies are limited by sample size and they did not differentiate nociceptive-specific regions and nociceptive-preferential regions, which have significantly larger responses to nociceptive input. In this study, we conducted a multisensory fMRI experiment on 80 healthy participants, with the aim to determine whether there are certain brain regions that specifically or preferentially respond to nociceptive stimulation. By comparing the evoked fMRI responses across four sensory modalities, we found a series of brain regions specifically or preferentially involved in nociceptive sensory input. Particularly, we found different parts of some cortical regions, such as insula and cingulate gyrus, play different functional roles in the processing of nociceptive stimulation. Hence, this multisensory study improves our understanding of the functional integrations and segregations of the nociceptive-related regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxia Zhang
- Health Science Center, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Shenzhen, China.,Marshall Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Linling Li
- Health Science Center, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Shenzhen, China.,Marshall Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Gan Huang
- Health Science Center, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Shenzhen, China.,Marshall Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Health Science Center, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Shenzhen, China.,Marshall Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhen Liang
- Health Science Center, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Shenzhen, China.,Marshall Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Li Shi
- Health Science Center, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Shenzhen, China.,Marshall Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhiguo Zhang
- Health Science Center, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Shenzhen, China.,Marshall Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Peng Cheng Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
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17
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de Tommaso M, Delussi M, Gentile E, Ricci K, Quitadamo SG, Libro G. Effect of single dose Erenumab on cortical responses evoked by cutaneous a-delta fibers: A pilot study in migraine patients. Cephalalgia 2021; 41:1004-1014. [PMID: 33593077 DOI: 10.1177/0333102421996345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Erenumab is a monoclonal antibody against calcitonin gene-related peptide receptors, which showed efficacy in migraine attack prevention. The aims of the present pilot study were to i) evaluate the effect of single dose of Erenumab 70 mg on laser evoked potentials from trigeminal and brachial stimulation in a cohort of migraine patients; ii) correlate the neurophysiological changes with clinical outcome after 3 months' treatment. METHODS Laser evoked potentials were recorded by 61 electroencephalogram channels before (T0), 1 h (T1) and 7 days after (T2) Erenumab 70 mg injection, stimulating the left and right forehead and the right hand. Laser evoked potential control 1 h after the injection served as placebo session. RESULTS Seventeen migraine patients were evaluated. The N1 and N2 component obtained from the right and left trigeminal stimulation diminished in amplitude at T2, compared to T0 and T1 conditions. N2 habituation reduction slightly recovered at T2. Laser evoked potential changes did not correlate with clinical improvement after 3 months of Erenumab treatment. CONCLUSIONS A single dose of Erenumab has a mild inhibitory effect on cortical responses evoked from trigeminal cutaneous a-delta fibers. Though this phenomenon was not predictive of the clinical outcome, it confirms a wide representation of calcitonin gene-related peptide receptors on trigeminal afferents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina de Tommaso
- Applied Neurophysiology and Pain Unit, Bari Aldo Moro University, Bari, Italy
| | - Marianna Delussi
- Applied Neurophysiology and Pain Unit, Bari Aldo Moro University, Bari, Italy
| | - Eleonora Gentile
- Applied Neurophysiology and Pain Unit, Bari Aldo Moro University, Bari, Italy
| | - Katia Ricci
- Applied Neurophysiology and Pain Unit, Bari Aldo Moro University, Bari, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppe Libro
- Applied Neurophysiology and Pain Unit, Bari Aldo Moro University, Bari, Italy
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18
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Shiroshita Y, Kirimoto H, Ozawa M, Watanabe T, Uematsu H, Yunoki K, Sobue I. Can Event-Related Potentials Evoked by Heel Lance Assess Pain Processing in Neonates? A Systematic Review. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 8:58. [PMID: 33498331 PMCID: PMC7909417 DOI: 10.3390/children8020058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Revised: 01/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
To clarify the possibility of event-related potential (ERP) evoked by heel lance in neonates as an index of pain assessment, knowledge acquired by and problems of the methods used in studies on ERP evoked by heel lance in neonates were systematically reviewed, including knowledge about Aδ and C fibers responding to noxious stimuli and Aβ fibers responding to non-noxious stimuli. Of the 863 reports searched, 19 were selected for the final analysis. The following points were identified as problems for ERP evoked by heel lance in neonates to serve as a pain assessment index: (1) It is possible that the ERP evoked by heel lance reflected the activation of Aβ fibers responding to non-noxious stimuli and not the activation of Aδ or C fibers responding to noxious stimulation; (2) Sample size calculation was presented in few studies, and the number of stimulation trials to obtain an averaged ERP was small. Accordingly, to establish ERP evoked by heel lance as a pain assessment in neonates, it is necessary to perform a study to clarify ERP evoked by Aδ- and C-fiber stimulations accompanied by heel lance in neonates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yui Shiroshita
- Division of Nursing Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan; (M.O.); (I.S.)
| | - Hikari Kirimoto
- Department of Sensorimotor Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan; (H.K.); (T.W.); (K.Y.)
| | - Mio Ozawa
- Division of Nursing Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan; (M.O.); (I.S.)
| | - Tatsunori Watanabe
- Department of Sensorimotor Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan; (H.K.); (T.W.); (K.Y.)
| | - Hiroko Uematsu
- School of Nursing, University of Human Environments, Aichi 474-0035, Japan;
| | - Keisuke Yunoki
- Department of Sensorimotor Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan; (H.K.); (T.W.); (K.Y.)
| | - Ikuko Sobue
- Division of Nursing Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8553, Japan; (M.O.); (I.S.)
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19
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Somervail R, Zhang F, Novembre G, Bufacchi RJ, Guo Y, Crepaldi M, Hu L, Iannetti GD. Waves of Change: Brain Sensitivity to Differential, not Absolute, Stimulus Intensity is Conserved Across Humans and Rats. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:949-960. [PMID: 33026425 PMCID: PMC7786352 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 08/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Living in rapidly changing environments has shaped the mammalian brain toward high sensitivity to abrupt and intense sensory events-often signaling threats or affordances requiring swift reactions. Unsurprisingly, such events elicit a widespread electrocortical response (the vertex potential, VP), likely related to the preparation of appropriate behavioral reactions. Although the VP magnitude is largely determined by stimulus intensity, the relative contribution of the differential and absolute components of intensity remains unknown. Here, we dissociated the effects of these two components. We systematically varied the size of abrupt intensity increases embedded within continuous stimulation at different absolute intensities, while recording brain activity in humans (with scalp electroencephalography) and rats (with epidural electrocorticography). We obtained three main results. 1) VP magnitude largely depends on differential, and not absolute, stimulus intensity. This result held true, 2) for both auditory and somatosensory stimuli, indicating that sensitivity to differential intensity is supramodal, and 3) in both humans and rats, suggesting that sensitivity to abrupt intensity differentials is phylogenetically well-conserved. Altogether, the current results show that these large electrocortical responses are most sensitive to the detection of sensory changes that more likely signal the sudden appearance of novel objects or events in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Somervail
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Neuroscience and Behaviour Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - F Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, 100101 Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - G Novembre
- Neuroscience and Behaviour Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - R J Bufacchi
- Neuroscience and Behaviour Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Y Guo
- Neuroscience and Behaviour Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - M Crepaldi
- Electronic Design Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16152 Genova, Italy
| | - L Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, 100101 Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - G D Iannetti
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Neuroscience and Behaviour Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 00161 Rome, Italy
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20
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Völker JM, Arguissain FG, Manresa JB, Andersen OK. Characterization of Source-Localized EEG Activity During Sustained Deep-Tissue Pain. Brain Topogr 2021; 34:192-206. [PMID: 33403561 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-020-00815-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Musculoskeletal pain is a clinical condition that is characterized by ongoing pain and discomfort in the deep tissues such as muscle, bones, ligaments, nerves, and tendons. In the last decades, it was subject to extensive research due to its high prevalence. Still, a quantitative description of the electrical brain activity during musculoskeletal pain is lacking. This study aimed to characterize intracranial current source density (CSD) estimations during sustained deep-tissue experimental pain. Twenty-three healthy volunteers received three types of tonic stimuli for three minutes each: computer-controlled cuff pressure (1) below pain threshold (sustained deep-tissue no-pain, SDTnP), (2) above pain threshold (sustained deep-tissue pain, SDTP) and (3) vibrotactile stimulation (VT). The CSD in response to these stimuli was calculated in seven regions of interest (ROIs) likely involved in pain processing: contralateral anterior cingulate cortex, contralateral primary somatosensory cortex, bilateral anterior insula, contralateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, posterior parietal cortex and contralateral premotor cortex. Results showed that participants exhibited an overall increase in spectral power during SDTP in all seven ROIs compared to both SDTnP and VT, likely reflecting the differences in the salience of these stimuli. Moreover, we observed a difference is CSD due to the type of stimulus, likely reflecting somatosensory discrimination of stimulus intensity. These results describe the different contributions of neural oscillations within these brain regions in the processing of sustained deep-tissue pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Manuel Völker
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Integrative Neuroscience Group, Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.
| | - Federico Gabriel Arguissain
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Integrative Neuroscience Group, Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - José Biurrun Manresa
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Integrative Neuroscience Group, Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.,Institute for Research and Development in Bioengineering and Bioinformatics (IBB), CONICET-UNER, Oro Verde, Argentina
| | - Ole Kæseler Andersen
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Integrative Neuroscience Group, Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
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21
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Jutzeler CR, Linde LD, Rosner J, Hubli M, Curt A, Kramer JLK. Single-trial averaging improves the physiological interpretation of contact heat evoked potentials. Neuroimage 2020; 225:117473. [PMID: 33099013 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 09/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Laser and contact heat evoked potentials (LEPs and CHEPs, respectively) provide an objective measure of pathways and processes involved in nociception. The majority of studies analyzing LEP or CHEP outcomes have done so based on conventional, across-trial averaging. With this approach, evoked potential components are potentially confounded by latency jitter and ignore relevant information contained within single trials. The current study addressed the advantage of analyzing nociceptive evoked potentials based on responses to noxious stimulations within each individual trial. Single-trial and conventional averaging were applied to data previously collected in 90 healthy subjects from 3 stimulation locations on the upper limb. The primary analysis focused on relationships between single and across-trial averaged CHEP outcomes (i.e., N2P2 amplitude and N2 and P2 latencies) and subject characteristics (i.e., age, sex, height, and rating of perceived intensity), which were examined by way of linear mixed model analysis. Single-trial averaging lead to larger N2P2 amplitudes and longer N2 and P2 latencies. Age and ratings of perceived intensity were the only subject level characteristics associated with CHEPs outcomes that significantly interacted with the method of analysis (conventional vs single-trial averaging). The strength of relationships for age and ratings of perceived intensity, measured by linear fit, were increased for single-trial compared to conventional across-trial averaged CHEP outcomes. By accounting for latency jitter, single-trial averaging improved the associations between CHEPs and physiological outcomes and should be incorporated as a standard analytical technique in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine R Jutzeler
- Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland; SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Switzerland; Spinal Cord Injury Center, University Hospital Balgrist, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Lukas D Linde
- ICORD, University of British Columbia, 818W 10th Ave, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 818W 10th Ave, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 818W 10th Ave, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jan Rosner
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, University Hospital Balgrist, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Neurology, University Hospital Bern, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Michèle Hubli
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, University Hospital Balgrist, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Armin Curt
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, University Hospital Balgrist, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - John L K Kramer
- ICORD, University of British Columbia, 818W 10th Ave, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 818W 10th Ave, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 818W 10th Ave, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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22
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Scheuren PS, Rosner J, Curt A, Hubli M. Pain-autonomic interaction: A surrogate marker of central sensitization. Eur J Pain 2020; 24:2015-2026. [PMID: 32794307 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.1645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Central sensitization represents a key pathophysiological mechanism underlying the development of neuropathic pain, often manifested clinically as mechanical allodynia and hyperalgesia. Adopting a mechanism-based treatment approach relies highly on the ability to assess the presence of central sensitization. The aim of the study was to investigate potential pain-autonomic readouts to operationalize experimentally induced central sensitization in the area of secondary hyperalgesia. METHODS Pinprick evoked potentials (PEPs) and sympathetic skin responses (SSRs) were recorded in 20 healthy individuals. Three blocks of PEP and SSR recordings were performed before and after heat-induced secondary hyperalgesia. All measurements were also performed before and after a control condition. Multivariate analyses were performed using linear mixed-effect regression models to examine the effect of experimentally induced central sensitization on PEP and SSR parameters (i.e. amplitudes, latencies and habituation) and on pinprick pain ratings. RESULTS The noxious heat stimulation induced robust mechanical hyperalgesia with a significant increase in PEP and SSR amplitudes (p < 0.001) in the area of secondary hyperalgesia. Furthermore, PEP and SSR habituation were reduced (p < 0.001) after experimentally induced central sensitization. CONCLUSIONS The findings demonstrate that combined recordings of PEPs and SSRs are sensitive to objectify experimentally induced central sensitization and may have a great potential to reveal its presence in clinical pain conditions. Corroborating current pain phenotyping with pain-autonomic markers has the potential to unravel central sensitization along the nociceptive neuraxis and might provide a framework for mechanistically founded therapies. SIGNIFICANCE Our findings provide evidence that combined recordings of sympathetic skin responses (SSRs) and pinprick evoked potentials (PEPs) might be able to unmask central sensitization induced through a well-established experimental pain model in healthy individuals. As such, these novel readouts of central sensitization might attain new insights towards complementing clinical pain phenotyping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina S Scheuren
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jan Rosner
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Neurology, University Hospital Bern, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Armin Curt
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michèle Hubli
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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23
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Neige C, Brun C, Gagné M, Bouyer LJ, Mercier C. Do nociceptive stimulation intensity and temporal predictability influence pain-induced corticospinal excitability modulation? Neuroimage 2020; 216:116883. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
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24
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Su Q, Song Y, Zhao R, Liang M. A review on the ongoing quest for a pain signature in the human brain. BRAIN SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020. [DOI: 10.26599/bsa.2019.9050024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Developing an objective biomarker for pain assessment is crucial for understanding neural coding mechanisms of pain in the human brain as well as for effective treatment of pain disorders. Neuroimaging techniques have been proven to be powerful tools in the ongoing quest for a pain signature in the human brain. Although there is still a long way to go before achieving a truly successful pain signature based on neuroimaging techniques, important progresses have been made through great efforts in the last two decades by the Pain Society. Here, we focus on neural responses to transient painful stimuli in healthy people, and review the relevant studies on the identification of a neuroimaging signature for pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Su
- Department of Molecular Imaging and Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin’s Clinical Research Center for China, Tianjin 300060, China
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Yingchao Song
- School of Medical Imaging and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Rui Zhao
- Department of Orthopedics Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Meng Liang
- School of Medical Imaging and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
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25
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Peng W, Huang X, Liu Y, Cui F. Predictability modulates the anticipation and perception of pain in both self and others. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2020; 14:747-757. [PMID: 31236566 PMCID: PMC6778834 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsz047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Predictability has been suggested to modulate both the anticipation and perception of self-pain. Considering the overlapping neural circuits between self-pain and other-pain perceptions, the present study investigated how the predictability of forthcoming pain modulates the anticipation and perception of self-pain and other-pain. We used a balanced, within-participant experimental design in which a visual cue indicating the recipient, intensity and predictability of an upcoming painful electrical stimulation was presented before its delivery. Subjective ratings and electroencephalography activities to the anticipation and perception of self-pain and other-pain were recorded and compared between certain and uncertain conditions. Results showed that predictability affected the perception of self-pain and other-pain in a similar manner such that the differences in behavioral ratings and event-related potentials to high-intensity and low-intensity pain were significantly reduced when the intensity was uncertain. The strengths of predictability-induced modulation of self-pain and other-pain perceptions were positively correlated with each other. Furthermore, predictability also modulated the anticipation of both self-pain and other-pain such that pre-stimulus high-frequency α-oscillation power at sensorimotor electrodes contralateral to the stimulation side was maximally suppressed when anticipating certain high-intensity pain. These findings demonstrate that predictability-induced modulation on pain anticipation and perception was similarly applied to both self-pain and other-pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Peng
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Xiaoxuan Huang
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Yang Liu
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Fang Cui
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China.,Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Neuroscience, Shenzhen, 518060, China.,Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
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26
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Billeri L, Filoni S, Russo EF, Portaro S, Militi D, Calabrò RS, Naro A. Toward Improving Diagnostic Strategies in Chronic Disorders of Consciousness: An Overview on the (Re-)Emergent Role of Neurophysiology. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10010042. [PMID: 31936844 PMCID: PMC7016627 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10010042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The differential diagnosis of patients with Disorder of Consciousness (DoC), in particular in the chronic phase, is significantly difficult. Actually, about 40% of patients with unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS) and the minimally conscious state (MCS) are misdiagnosed. Indeed, only advanced paraclinical approaches, including advanced EEG analyses, can allow achieving a more reliable diagnosis, that is, discovering residual traces of awareness in patients with UWS (namely, functional Locked-In Syndrome (fLIS)). These approaches aim at capturing the residual brain network models, at rest or that may be activated in response to relevant stimuli, which may be appropriate for awareness to emerge (despite their insufficiency to generate purposeful motor behaviors). For this, different brain network models have been studied in patients with DoC by using sensory stimuli (i.e., passive tasks), probing response to commands (i.e., active tasks), and during resting-state. Since it can be difficult for patients with DoC to perform even simple active tasks, this scoping review aims at summarizing the current, innovative neurophysiological examination methods in resting state/passive modality to differentiate and prognosticate patients with DoC. We conclude that the electrophysiologically-based diagnostic procedures represent an important resource for diagnosis, prognosis, and, therefore, management of patients with DoC, using advance passive and resting state paradigm analyses for the patients who lie in the “greyzones” between MCS, UWS, and fLIS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luana Billeri
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, 98124 Messina, Italy; (L.B.); (S.P.); (A.N.)
| | - Serena Filoni
- Padre Pio Foundation and Rehabilitation Centers, San Giovanni Rotondo, 71013 Foggia, Italy;
- Correspondence: (S.F.); (R.S.C.); Tel.: +39-090-6012-8166 (R.S.C.)
| | | | - Simona Portaro
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, 98124 Messina, Italy; (L.B.); (S.P.); (A.N.)
| | | | - Rocco Salvatore Calabrò
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, 98124 Messina, Italy; (L.B.); (S.P.); (A.N.)
- Correspondence: (S.F.); (R.S.C.); Tel.: +39-090-6012-8166 (R.S.C.)
| | - Antonino Naro
- IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino Pulejo, 98124 Messina, Italy; (L.B.); (S.P.); (A.N.)
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27
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Furman AJ, Thapa T, Summers SJ, Cavaleri R, Fogarty JS, Steiner GZ, Schabrun SM, Seminowicz DA. Cerebral peak alpha frequency reflects average pain severity in a human model of sustained, musculoskeletal pain. J Neurophysiol 2019; 122:1784-1793. [PMID: 31389754 PMCID: PMC6843105 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00279.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Heightened pain sensitivity, the amount of pain experienced in response to a noxious event, is a known risk factor for development of chronic pain. We have previously reported that pain-free, sensorimotor peak alpha frequency (PAF) is a reliable biomarker of pain sensitivity for thermal, prolonged pains lasting tens of minutes. To test whether PAF can provide information about pain sensitivity occurring over clinically relevant timescales (i.e., weeks), EEG was recorded before and while participants experienced a long-lasting pain model, repeated intramuscular injection of nerve growth factor (NGF), that produces progressively developing muscle pain for up to 21 days. We demonstrate that pain-free, sensorimotor PAF is negatively correlated with NGF pain sensitivity; increasingly slower PAF is associated with increasingly greater pain sensitivity. Furthermore, PAF remained stable following NGF injection, indicating that the presence of NGF pain for multiple weeks is not sufficient to induce the PAF slowing reported in chronic pain. In total, our results demonstrate that slower pain-free, sensorimotor PAF is associated with heightened sensitivity to a long-lasting musculoskeletal pain and also suggest that the apparent slowing of PAF in chronic pain may reflect predisease pain sensitivity.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Pain sensitivity, the intensity of pain experienced after injury, has been identified as an important risk factor in the development of chronic pain. Biomarkers of pain sensitivity have the potential to ease chronic pain burdens by preventing disease emergence. In the current study, we demonstrate that the speed of pain-free, sensorimotor peak alpha frequency recorded during resting-state EEG predicts pain sensitivity to a clinically-relevant, human model of prolonged pain that persists for weeks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Furman
- 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
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Tribikram Thapa
- School of Science and Health, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Simon J Summers
- School of Science and Health, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Rocco Cavaleri
- School of Science and Health, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jack S Fogarty
- NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Genevieve Z Steiner
- NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
- Translational Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Siobhan M Schabrun
- Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), 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
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28
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Trenado C, González-Ramírez A, Lizárraga-Cortés V, Pedroarena Leal N, Manjarrez E, Ruge D. The Potential of Trial-by-Trial Variabilities of Ongoing-EEG, Evoked Potentials, Event Related Potentials and fMRI as Diagnostic Markers for Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Front Neurosci 2019; 12:850. [PMID: 31379473 PMCID: PMC6657500 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Trenado
- Translational Neuromodulation Unit, Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Anaí González-Ramírez
- Translational Neuromodulation Unit, Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany.,Integrative Neurophysiology and Neurophysics, Institute of Physiology, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, Mexico
| | - Victoria Lizárraga-Cortés
- Translational Neuromodulation Unit, Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany.,Integrative Neurophysiology and Neurophysics, Institute of Physiology, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, Mexico
| | - Nicole Pedroarena Leal
- Translational Neuromodulation Unit, Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Elias Manjarrez
- Integrative Neurophysiology and Neurophysics, Institute of Physiology, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, Mexico
| | - Diane Ruge
- Translational Neuromodulation Unit, Department of Psychology and Neurosciences, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, Technical University Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany
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29
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Peng W, Peng H, Lu J, Fan B, Cui F. Others' Pain Appraisals Modulate the Anticipation and Experience of Subsequent Pain. Neuroscience 2019; 410:16-28. [PMID: 31078688 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.04.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The present study investigated how pain appraisals from other individuals modulated self-pain anticipation and perception. Appraisals of pain intensity from 10 other individuals were presented before the participants received identical electrical pain stimulation themselves. In reality, the presented other's pain appraisals, with either low or high in mean and variance, were generated by the experimenter, and were randomly paired with the subsequent electrical stimulation at either low or high intensity. Specifically, the mean and variance of others' pain appraisals were manipulated to induce participants' expectation and certainty to the upcoming pain. Subjective ratings of pain intensity and electroencephalographic (EEG) responses to the electrical stimulation, as well as anticipatory EEG activities measured prior to the onset of electrical stimulation, were compared. Results showed that the mean and variance of others' pain appraisal modulated the subjective pain ratings and the affective-motivational P2 responses elicited by the electrical stimulation, as well as anticipatory sensorimotor α-oscillation measured before the onset of pain stimulation. When the mean of others' pain appraisal was low, higher variance suppressed the sensorimotor α-oscillations and enhanced subsequent pain perception. In contrast, when the mean was high, the higher variance enhanced sensorimotor α-oscillations and suppressed subsequent pain perception. These results demonstrated that others' pain appraisals can modulate both of the anticipation and perception of first-hand pain. It also suggested that the top-down modulation of others' pain appraisals on pain perception could be partially driven by the different brain states during the anticipation stage, as captured by the prestimulus sensorimotor α-oscillations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Peng
- College of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Huini Peng
- College of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Juanzhi Lu
- College of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Bi Fan
- College of Management, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Fang Cui
- College of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
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30
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Schloss N, Shabes P, Kuniss S, Willis F, Treede RD, Schmahl C, Baumgärtner U. Differential perception of sharp pain in patients with borderline personality disorder. Eur J Pain 2019; 23:1448-1463. [PMID: 31034113 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.1411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Revised: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cutting is the most common method of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) to reduce inner tension in patients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Aim of this study was to compare pain perception induced by an incision and by application of a surrogate model for sharp mechanical pain (a non-invasive "blade") in BPD. METHODS 22 female patients and 20 healthy controls (HC) received a small incision into the volar forearm, a 7s-blade application on the same side, and non-invasive phasic stimuli (pinprick, blade, laser, tactile). Pain intensity as well as affective versus sensory components were assessed. RESULTS Incision was rated similarly by both groups (BPD: 28.6 ± 5.5 vs. HC: 33.9 ± 6.6; mean maximum pain ± SEM; p > 0.8), without significant difference for "7-s-blade" (BPD: 18.1 ± 3.8 vs. HC: 25.3 ± 3.6; mean maximum pain ± SEM; p > 0.17) or between "7-s-blade" and incision (BPD: p > 0.12; HC: p > 0.84). However, patients' intensity ratings returned significantly faster to baseline after incision (BPD: 38.9 ± 12.6 s vs. HC: 74.52 ± 11.5 s; p < 0.05), and patients evaluated "blade" and incision without any affective and with different sensory descriptors, indicating an altered evaluation of NSSI-like stimulation with qualitative in addition to quantitative differences-especially for the sharp pain component. CONCLUSIONS The reduced perception of suprathreshold nociceptive stimuli is based on a missing affective component and specific loss of the perception of "sharpness" as part of the sensory component of pain. The results further demonstrate the usefulness of the "blade" for the perception of sharpness in patients. SIGNIFICANCE Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) who engage in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) report less pain in response to phasic nociceptive stimuli. In comparing an invasive pain stimulus to phasic nociceptive stimuli in BPD patients, the "blade" as non-invasive surrogate model for sharp mechanical pain in psychiatric patients is used. In contrast to healthy volunteers, BPD patients do not report significant affective ratings and specifically display a reduced sensory component for sharpness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Schloss
- Department of Neurophysiology, Center of Biomedicine and Medical Technology Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Ruprecht Karls-University Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.,Department of Neurology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Polina Shabes
- Department of Neurophysiology, Center of Biomedicine and Medical Technology Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Ruprecht Karls-University Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Sarah Kuniss
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Ruprecht Karls-University Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Franziska Willis
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Ruprecht Karls-University Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.,Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rolf-Detlef Treede
- Department of Neurophysiology, Center of Biomedicine and Medical Technology Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Ruprecht Karls-University Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Christian Schmahl
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Ruprecht Karls-University Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Ulf Baumgärtner
- Department of Neurophysiology, Center of Biomedicine and Medical Technology Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Ruprecht Karls-University Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
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31
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Abstract
Long perceived as a primitive and poorly differentiated brain structure, the primate insular cortex recently emerged as a highly evolved, organized and richly connected cortical hub interfacing bodily states with sensorimotor, environmental, and limbic activities. This insular interface likely substantiates emotional embodiment and has the potential to have a key role in the interoceptive shaping of cognitive processes, including perceptual awareness. In this review, we present a novel working model of the insular cortex, based on an accumulation of neuroanatomical and functional evidence obtained essentially in the macaque monkey. This model proposes that interoceptive afferents that represent the ongoing physiological status of all the organs of the body are first being received in the granular dorsal fundus of the insula or “primary interoceptive cortex,” then processed through a series of dysgranular poly-modal “insular stripes,” and finally integrated in anterior agranular areas that serve as an additional sensory platform for visceral functions and as an output stage for efferent autonomic regulation. One of the agranular areas hosts the specialized von Economo and Fork neurons, which could provide a decisive evolutionary advantage for the role of the anterior insula in the autonomic and emotional binding inherent to subjective awareness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry C Evrard
- Functional and Comparative Neuroanatomy Laboratory, Werner Reichardt Center for Integrative Neuroscience, Tübingen, Germany.,Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany
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von Mohr M, Krahé C, Beck B, Fotopoulou A. The social buffering of pain by affective touch: a laser-evoked potential study in romantic couples. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2019; 13:1121-1130. [PMID: 30247679 PMCID: PMC6234321 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsy085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Pain is modulated by social context. Recent neuroimaging studies have shown that romantic partners can provide a potent form of social support during pain. However, such studies have only focused on passive support, finding a relatively late-onset modulation of pain-related neural processing. In this study, we examined for the first time dynamic touch by one’s romantic partner as an active form of social support. Specifically, 32 couples provided social, active, affective (vs active but neutral) touch according to the properties of a specific C-tactile afferent pathway to their romantic partners, who then received laser-induced pain. We measured subjective pain ratings and early N1 and later N2-P2 laser-evoked potentials (LEPs) to noxious stimulation, as well as individual differences in adult attachment style. We found that affective touch from one’s partner reduces subjective pain ratings and similarly attenuates LEPs both at earlier (N1) and later (N2-P2) stages of cortical processing. Adult attachment style did not affect LEPs, but attachment anxiety had a moderating role on pain ratings. This is the first study to show early neural modulation of pain by active, partner touch, and we discuss these findings in relation to the affective and social modulation of sensory salience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana von Mohr
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Charlotte Krahé
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Brianna Beck
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
| | - Aikaterini Fotopoulou
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
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Was That Painful or Nonpainful? The Sensation and Pain Rating Scale Performs Well in the Experimental Context. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2019; 20:472.e1-472.e12. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2018.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Revised: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Abstract
Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. We comprehensively characterized the physiological properties of pain-related brain oscillations in freely moving rats and provided a foundation for the animal-to-human translation of experimental findings. Recording oscillatory brain activity holds great promise in pain research. However, experimental results are variable and often difficult to reconcile. Some of these inconsistencies arise from the use of hypothesis-driven analysis approaches that (1) do not assess the consistency of the observed responses within and across individuals, and (2) do not fully exploit information sampled across the entire cortex. Here, we address these issues by recording the electrocorticogram directly from the brain surface of 12 freely moving rats. Using a hypothesis-free approach, we isolated brain oscillations induced by graded nociceptive stimuli and characterized their relation to pain-related behavior. We isolated 4 responses, one phase-locked event-related potential, 2 non–phase-locked event-related synchronizations, and one non–phase-locked event-related desynchronization (ERD), in different frequency bands (δ/θ-ERD, θ/α–event-related synchronization, and gamma-band event-related synchronization). All responses except the δ/θ-ERD correlated with pain-related behavior at within-subject level. Notably, the gamma-band event-related synchronization was the only response that reliably correlated with pain-related behavior between subjects. These results comprehensively characterize the physiological properties of the brain oscillations elicited by nociceptive stimuli in freely moving rodents and provide a foundational work to improve the translation of experimental animal findings to human physiology and pathophysiology.
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The Localization Research of Brain Plasticity Changes after Brachial Plexus Pain: Sensory Regions or Cognitive Regions? Neural Plast 2019; 2019:7381609. [PMID: 30728834 PMCID: PMC6341257 DOI: 10.1155/2019/7381609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Revised: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Neuropathic pain after brachial plexus injury remains an increasingly prevalent and intractable disease due to inadequacy of satisfactory treatment strategies. A detailed mapping of cortical regions concerning the brain plasticity was the first step of therapeutic intervention. However, the specific mapping research of brachial plexus pain was limited. We aimed to provide some localization information about the brain plasticity changes after brachial plexus pain in this preliminary study. Methods 24 Sprague-Dawley rats received complete brachial plexus avulsion with neuropathic pain on the right forelimb successfully. Through functional imaging of both resting-state and block-design studies, we compared the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) of premodeling and postmodeling groups and the changes of brain activation when applying sensory stimulation. Results The postmodeling group showed significant decreases on the mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT) in the bilateral hindpaws and thermal withdrawal latency (TWL) in the left hindpaw than the premodeling group (P < 0.05). The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) of the postmodeling group manifested increases in regions of the left anterodorsal hippocampus, left mesencephalic region, left dorsal midline thalamus, and so on. Decreased ALFF was observed in the bilateral entorhinal cortex compared to that of the premodeling group. The results of block-design scan showed significant differences in regions including the limbic/paralimbic system and somatosensory cortex. Conclusion We concluded that the entorhinal-hippocampus pathway, which was part of the Papez circuit, was involved in the functional integrated areas of brachial plexus pain processing. The regions in the “pain matrix” showed expected activation when applying instant nociceptive stimulus but remained silent in the resting status. This research confirmed the involvement of cognitive function, which brought novel information to the potential new therapy for brachial plexus pain.
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Brain regions preferentially responding to transient and iso-intense painful or tactile stimuli. Neuroimage 2019; 192:52-65. [PMID: 30669009 PMCID: PMC6503155 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.01.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Revised: 12/23/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
How pain emerges from cortical activities remains an unresolved question in pain neuroscience. A first step toward addressing this question consists in identifying brain activities that occur preferentially in response to painful stimuli in comparison to non-painful stimuli. A key confound that has affected this important comparison in many previous studies is the intensity of the stimuli generating painful and non-painful sensations. Here, we compared the brain activity during iso-intense painful and tactile sensations sampled by functional MRI in 51 healthy participants. Specifically, the perceived intensity was recorded for every stimulus and only the stimuli with rigorously matched perceived intensity were selected and compared between painful and tactile conditions. We found that all brain areas activated by painful stimuli were also activated by tactile stimuli, and vice versa. Neural responses in these areas were correlated with the perceived stimulus intensity, regardless of stimulus modality. More importantly, among these activated areas, we further identified a number of brain regions showing stronger responses to painful stimuli than to tactile stimuli when perceived intensity was carefully matched, including the bilateral opercular cortex, the left supplementary motor area and the right frontal middle and inferior areas. Among these areas, the right frontal middle area still responded more strongly to painful stimuli even when painful stimuli were perceived less intense than tactile stimuli, whereas in this condition other regions showed stronger responses to tactile stimuli. In contrast, the left postcentral gyrus, the visual cortex, the right parietal inferior gyrus, the left parietal superior gyrus and the right cerebellum had stronger responses to tactile stimuli than to painful stimuli when perceived intensity was matched. When tactile stimuli were perceived less intense than painful stimuli, the left postcentral gyrus and the right parietal inferior gyrus still responded more strongly to tactile stimuli while other regions now showed similar responses to painful and tactile stimuli. These results suggest that different brain areas may be engaged differentially when processing painful and tactile information, although their neural activities are not exclusively dedicated to encoding information of only one modality but are strongly determined by perceived stimulus intensity regardless of stimulus modality. Transient painful and tactile stimuli activate the same brain areas. Neural activity in these areas encode stimulus intensity. Among these areas, a few may be engaged differentially in pain and touch processing.
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Venturella I, Crivelli D, Fossati M, Fiorillo F, Balconi M. EEG and autonomic responses to nociceptive stimulation in disorders of consciousness. J Clin Neurosci 2018; 60:101-106. [PMID: 30309803 DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2018.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Since behavioral responses to external stimuli of patients presenting disorders of consciousness (DoC) are often difficult to qualify, covert physiological correlates of responsivity are deemed as potentially valuable tools to help assessment procedures. While noxious stimuli seem good candidates to explore DoC patients' responsivity, autonomic and electrophysiological correlates of pain detection in DoC patients are still debated. This research aims at investigating autonomic and cortical activation as covert measure of residual somatosensory and nociceptive processes in patients in vegetative state. Twenty-one patients received touch- and pain-related stimulations while autonomic and cortical measures were recorded, with minimal stress for them. Results showed an increased frontal and parietal activation in response to both touch and pain stimuli. Pain-related stimulation was however associated with greater delta parietal response, lower left frontal activation, and increased electrodermal and heart rate measures. Present findings suggest that both somatic stimulations could induce measurable central responses, which might mirror basic attention orientation and perceptual processes. Nonetheless, the nociceptive stimulation in particular seemed to induce a more consistent and informative pattern of covert response even if we used a mild pain-induction procedure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Venturella
- Research Unit in Affective and Social Neuroscience, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milano, Italy; Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milano, Italy
| | - Davide Crivelli
- Research Unit in Affective and Social Neuroscience, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milano, Italy; Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milano, Italy.
| | - Marina Fossati
- Residential Care Facility "Foscolo", Gruppo La Villa spa, Guanzate, Como, Italy
| | - Francesca Fiorillo
- Residential Care Facility "Foscolo", Gruppo La Villa spa, Guanzate, Como, Italy
| | - Michela Balconi
- Research Unit in Affective and Social Neuroscience, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milano, Italy; Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milano, Italy
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Lenoir C, Algoet M, Mouraux A. Deep continuous theta burst stimulation of the operculo-insular cortex selectively affects Aδ-fibre heat pain. J Physiol 2018; 596:4767-4787. [PMID: 30085357 PMCID: PMC6166055 DOI: 10.1113/jp276359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS Deep continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) of the right operculo-insular cortex delivered with a double cone coil selectively impairs the ability to perceive thermonociceptive input conveyed by Aδ-fibre thermonociceptors without concomitantly affecting the ability to perceive innocuous warm, cold or vibrotactile sensations. Unlike deep cTBS, superficial cTBS of the right operculum delivered with a figure-of-eight coil does not affect the ability to perceive thermonociceptive input conveyed by Aδ-fibre thermonociceptors. The effect of deep operculo-insular cTBS on the perception of Aδ-fibre input was present at both the contralateral and the ipsilateral hand. The magnitude of the increase in Aδ-heat detection threshold induced by the deep cTBS was significantly correlated with the intensity of the cTBS pulses. Deep cTBS delivered over the operculo-insular cortex is associated with a risk of transcranial magnetic stimulation-induced seizure. ABSTRACT Previous studies have suggested a pivotal role of the insular cortex in nociception and pain perception. Using a double-cone coil designed for deep transcranial magnetic stimulation, our objective was to assess (1) whether continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) of the operculo-insular cortex affects differentially the perception of different types of thermal and mechanical somatosensory inputs, (2) whether the induced after-effects are lateralized relative to the stimulated hemisphere, and (3) whether the after-effects are due to neuromodulation of the insula or neuromodulation of the more superficial opercular cortex. Seventeen participants took part in two experiments. In Experiment 1, thresholds and perceived intensity of Aδ- and C-fibre heat pain elicited by laser stimulation, non-painful cool sensations elicited by contact cold stimulation and mechanical vibrotactile sensations were assessed at the left hand before, immediately after and 20 min after deep cTBS delivered over the right operculo-insular cortex. In Experiment 2, Aδ-fibre heat pain and vibrotactile sensations elicited by stimulating the contralateral and ipsilateral hands were evaluated before and after deep cTBS or superficial cTBS delivered using a flat figure-of-eight coil. Only the threshold to detect Aδ-fibre heat pain was significantly increased 20 min after deep cTBS. This effect was present at both hands. No effect was observed after superficial cTBS. Neuromodulation of the operculo-insular cortex using deep cTBS induces a bilateral reduction of the ability to perceive Aδ-fibre heat pain, without concomitantly affecting the ability to perceive innocuous warm, cold or vibrotactile sensations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cédric Lenoir
- Institute of Neuroscience (IONS) Université catholique de Louvain (UCL)BrusselsBelgium
| | - Maxime Algoet
- Institute of Neuroscience (IONS) Université catholique de Louvain (UCL)BrusselsBelgium
| | - André Mouraux
- Institute of Neuroscience (IONS) Université catholique de Louvain (UCL)BrusselsBelgium
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Thiaucourt M, Shabes P, Schloss N, Sack M, Baumgärtner U, Schmahl C, Ende G. Posterior Insular GABA Levels Inversely Correlate with the Intensity of Experimental Mechanical Pain in Healthy Subjects. Neuroscience 2018; 387:116-122. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.09.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2017] [Revised: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/24/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Makarović Z, Makarović S, Bilić-Ćurčić I, Mihaljević I, Mlinarević D. NONOBSTRUCTIVE CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE - CLINICAL RELEVANCE, DIAGNOSIS, MANAGEMENT AND PROPOSAL OF NEW PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION. Acta Clin Croat 2018; 57:528-541. [PMID: 31168187 PMCID: PMC6536284 DOI: 10.20471/acc.2018.57.03.17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
SUMMARY – New data gathered from large clinical trials indicate that nonobstructive coronary artery disease (non-CAD) is a clinical entity that should not be ignored. It is estimated that 50% of female population undergoing coronarography are diagnosed with non-CAD. There is also an increase in the prevalence of non-CAD in both genders, which is probably due to gradual expanding of clinical indications for angiography in patients with angina. Furthermore, considering the increased mortality risk established recently, a prognosis of non-CAD is not benign as previously thought. However, the concept and definition of non-CAD remains elusive causing difficulties in diagnosis and treatment. One of the major shortcomings is the exclusion-based diagnosis of non-CAD. Furthermore, treatment of non-CAD still presents a great challenge and optimal therapy is yet to be determined. There are two major hypotheses explaining the pathophysiological mechanisms of non-CAD, i.e. ischemic hypothesis based on abnormal microvascular dysfunction and non-ischemic one based on altered pain perception. This review encompasses a broader spectrum of pathophysiological mechanisms of non-CAD, and proposes a new way of classification based on the major disorder involved: type I (ischemic mechanisms) and type II (non-ischemic mechanisms), depending on which mechanism predominates. Hopefully, this would provide new insights in the understanding of this disorder, thus leading to accurate and early diagnosis and successful treatment, especially considering the increased mortality risk in these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sandra Makarović
- 1Faculty of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia; 2Department of Cardiology, Osijek University Hospital Centre, Osijek, Croatia; 3Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia; 4Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Protection, Osijek University Hospital Centre, Osijek, Croatia
| | - Ines Bilić-Ćurčić
- 1Faculty of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia; 2Department of Cardiology, Osijek University Hospital Centre, Osijek, Croatia; 3Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia; 4Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Protection, Osijek University Hospital Centre, Osijek, Croatia
| | - Ivan Mihaljević
- 1Faculty of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia; 2Department of Cardiology, Osijek University Hospital Centre, Osijek, Croatia; 3Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia; 4Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Protection, Osijek University Hospital Centre, Osijek, Croatia
| | - Dražen Mlinarević
- 1Faculty of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia; 2Department of Cardiology, Osijek University Hospital Centre, Osijek, Croatia; 3Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia; 4Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Protection, Osijek University Hospital Centre, Osijek, Croatia
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Messina R, Rocca MA, Colombo B, Pagani E, Falini A, Goadsby PJ, Filippi M. Gray matter volume modifications in migraine. Neurology 2018; 91:e280-e292. [DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000005819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
ObjectiveTo explore cross-sectional and longitudinal gray matter (GM) volume changes in patients with migraine and their association with patients' clinical characteristics and disease activity.MethodsBrain T2-weighted and 3-dimensional T1-weighted scans were acquired from 73 episodic migraineurs and 46 age- and sex-matched nonmigraine controls at baseline. Twenty-four migraineurs and 25 controls agreed to be reexamined after a mean follow-up of 4 years. Using a general linear model and SPM12, a whole-brain analysis was performed to assess GM volume modifications.ResultsAt baseline, compared to controls, patients with migraine showed lower cerebellar GM volume and higher volume of regions of the frontotemporal lobes. At follow-up, migraineurs were significantly older than controls. Over the follow-up, migraineurs developed an increased volume of frontotemporoparietal regions, which was more prominent in patients with a higher baseline disease activity: long disease duration and high attack frequency. Migraineurs also developed decreased GM volume of visual areas, which was related to higher pain severity. Patients with an increased attack frequency at follow-up experienced both increased and decreased volume of nociceptive regions. In migraineurs, reduced GM volume of extrastriate visual areas during the follow-up was significantly correlated to baseline disease activity: shorter disease duration and lower attack frequency.ConclusionIn this cohort, the migraine brain changes dynamically over time, and different pathophysiologic mechanisms can occur in response to patients' disease severity. The interaction between predisposing brain traits and experience-dependent responses might vary across different nociceptive and visual areas, thus leading to distinct patterns of longitudinal GM volume changes.
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Beukema P, Cecil KL, Peterson E, Mann VR, Matsushita M, Takashima Y, Navlakha S, Barth AL. TrpM8-mediated somatosensation in mouse neocortex. J Comp Neurol 2018; 526:1444-1456. [PMID: 29484652 PMCID: PMC5899639 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Revised: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Somatosensation is a complex sense mediated by more than a dozen distinct neural subtypes in the periphery. Although pressure and touch sensation have been mapped to primary somatosensory cortex in rodents, it has been controversial whether pain and temperature inputs are also directed to this area. Here we use a well-defined somatosensory modality, cool sensation mediated by peripheral TrpM8-receptors, to investigate the neural substrate for cool perception in the mouse neocortex. Using activation of cutaneous TrpM8 receptor-expressing neurons, we identify candidate neocortical areas responsive for cool sensation. Initially, we optimized TrpM8 stimulation and determined that menthol, a selective TrpM8 agonist, was more effective than cool stimulation at inducing expression of the immediate-early gene c-fos in the spinal cord. We developed a broad-scale brain survey method for identification of activated brain areas, using automated methods to quantify c-fos immunoreactivity (fos-IR) across animals. Brain areas corresponding to the posterior insular cortex and secondary somatosensory (S2) show elevated fos-IR after menthol stimulation, in contrast to weaker activation in primary somatosensory cortex (S1). In addition, menthol exposure triggered fos-IR in piriform cortex, the amygdala, and the hypothalamus. Menthol-mediated activation was absent in TrpM8-knock-out animals. Our results indicate that cool somatosensory input broadly drives neural activity across the mouse brain, with neocortical signal most elevated in the posterior insula, as well as S2 and S1. These findings are consistent with data from humans indicating that the posterior insula is specialized for somatosensory information encoding temperature, pain, and gentle touch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Beukema
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15260
| | | | - Elena Peterson
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
| | - Victor R Mann
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California, 94720
| | - Megumi Matsushita
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213
| | - Yoshio Takashima
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095
| | - Saket Navlakha
- Integrative Biology Laboratory, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, 92037
| | - Alison L Barth
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213
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Li L, Huang G, Lin Q, Liu J, Zhang S, Zhang Z. Magnitude and Temporal Variability of Inter-stimulus EEG Modulate the Linear Relationship Between Laser-Evoked Potentials and Fast-Pain Perception. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:340. [PMID: 29904336 PMCID: PMC5991169 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The level of pain perception is correlated with the magnitude of pain-evoked brain responses, such as laser-evoked potentials (LEP), across trials. The positive LEP-pain relationship lays the foundation for pain prediction based on single-trial LEP, but cross-individual pain prediction does not have a good performance because the LEP-pain relationship exhibits substantial cross-individual difference. In this study, we aim to explain the cross-individual difference in the LEP-pain relationship using inter-stimulus EEG (isEEG) features. The isEEG features (root mean square as magnitude and mean square successive difference as temporal variability) were estimated from isEEG data (at full band and five frequency bands) recorded between painful stimuli. A linear model was fitted to investigate the relationship between pain ratings and LEP response for fast-pain trials on a trial-by-trial basis. Then the correlation between isEEG features and the parameters of LEP-pain model (slope and intercept) was evaluated. We found that the magnitude and temporal variability of isEEG could modulate the parameters of an individual's linear LEP-pain model for fast-pain trials. Based on this, we further developed a new individualized fast-pain prediction scheme, which only used training individuals with similar isEEG features as the test individual to train the fast-pain prediction model, and obtained improved accuracy in cross-individual fast-pain prediction. The findings could help elucidate the neural mechanism of cross-individual difference in pain experience and the proposed fast-pain prediction scheme could be potentially used as a practical and feasible pain prediction method in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linling Li
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Shenzhen, China
| | - Gan Huang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qianqian Lin
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jia Liu
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shengli Zhang
- Department of Communication Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhiguo Zhang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Shenzhen, China.,Experimental Center of Fundamental Teaching, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai, China
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Novembre G, Pawar VM, Bufacchi RJ, Kilintari M, Srinivasan M, Rothwell JC, Haggard P, Iannetti GD. Saliency Detection as a Reactive Process: Unexpected Sensory Events Evoke Corticomuscular Coupling. J Neurosci 2018; 38:2385-2397. [PMID: 29378865 PMCID: PMC5830523 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2474-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2017] [Revised: 11/16/2017] [Accepted: 12/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Survival in a fast-changing environment requires animals not only to detect unexpected sensory events, but also to react. In humans, these salient sensory events generate large electrocortical responses, which have been traditionally interpreted within the sensory domain. Here we describe a basic physiological mechanism coupling saliency-related cortical responses with motor output. In four experiments conducted on 70 healthy participants, we show that salient substartle sensory stimuli modulate isometric force exertion by human participants, and that this modulation is tightly coupled with electrocortical activity elicited by the same stimuli. We obtained four main results. First, the force modulation follows a complex triphasic pattern consisting of alternating decreases and increases of force, time-locked to stimulus onset. Second, this modulation occurs regardless of the sensory modality of the eliciting stimulus. Third, the magnitude of the force modulation is predicted by the amplitude of the electrocortical activity elicited by the same stimuli. Fourth, both neural and motor effects are not reflexive but depend on contextual factors. Together, these results indicate that sudden environmental stimuli have an immediate effect on motor processing, through a tight corticomuscular coupling. These observations suggest that saliency detection is not merely perceptive but reactive, preparing the animal for subsequent appropriate actions.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Salient events occurring in the environment, regardless of their modalities, elicit large electrical brain responses, dominated by a widespread "vertex" negative-positive potential. This response is the largest synchronization of neural activity that can be recorded from a healthy human being. Current interpretations assume that this vertex potential reflects sensory processes. Contrary to this general assumption, we show that the vertex potential is strongly coupled with a modulation of muscular activity that follows the same pattern. Both the vertex potential and its motor effects are not reflexive but strongly depend on contextual factors. These results reconceptualize the significance of these evoked electrocortical responses, suggesting that saliency detection is not merely perceptive but reactive, preparing the animal for subsequent appropriate actions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vijay M Pawar
- Department of Computer Science, University College London (United Kingdom)
| | | | | | - Mandayam Srinivasan
- Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
| | | | - Patrick Haggard
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London (United Kingdom)
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Uglem M, Omland PM, Stjern M, Gravdahl GB, Sand T. Habituation of laser-evoked potentials by migraine phase: a blinded longitudinal study. J Headache Pain 2017; 18:100. [PMID: 28971336 PMCID: PMC5624861 DOI: 10.1186/s10194-017-0810-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Migraineurs seem to have cyclic variations in cortical excitability in several neurophysiological modalities. Laser-evoked potentials (LEP) are of particular interest in migraine because LEP specifically targets pain pathways, and studies have reported different LEP-changes both between and during headaches. Our primary aim was to explore potential cyclic variations in LEP amplitude and habituation in more detail with a blinded longitudinal study design. Methods We compared N1 and N2P2 amplitudes and habituation between two blocks of laser stimulations to the dorsal hand, obtained from 49 migraineurs with four sessions each. We used migraine diaries to categorize sessions as interictal (> one day from previous and to next attack), preictal (< one day before the attack), ictal or postictal (< one day after the attack). Also, we compared 29 interictal recordings from the first session to 30 controls. Results N1 and N2P2 amplitudes and habituation did not differ between preictal, interictal and postictal phase sessions, except for a post hoc contrast that showed deficient ictal habituation of N1. Habituation is present and similar in migraineurs in the interictal phase and controls. Conclusions Hand-evoked LEP amplitudes and habituation were mainly invariable between migraine phases, but this matter needs further study. Because hand-evoked LEP-habituation was similar in migraineurs and controls, the present findings contradict several previous LEP studies. Pain-evoked cerebral responses are normal and show normal habituation in migraine. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s10194-017-0810-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Uglem
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. .,NTNU, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, P.B. 8905, N-7491, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Petter Moe Omland
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Marit Stjern
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | | | - Trond Sand
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, NTNU, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
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46
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van Heck CH, Driessen JMA, Amato M, van den Berg MN, Bhandari P, Bilbao-Broch L, Farres-Casals J, Hendriks M, Jodzio AC, Luque-Ballesteros L, Schöchl C, Velasco-Angeles LR, Weijer RHA, van Rijn CM, Jongsma MLA. Pain Processing in a Social Context and the Link with Psychopathic Personality Traits-An Event-Related Potential Study. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:180. [PMID: 28993727 PMCID: PMC5622147 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Empathy describes the ability to understand another person's feelings. Psychopathy is a disorder that is characterized by a lack of empathy. Therefore, empathy and psychopathy are interesting traits to investigate with respect to experiencing and observing pain. The present study aimed to investigate pain empathy and pain sensitivity by measuring event-related potentials (ERPs) extracted from the ongoing EEG in an interactive setup. Each participant fulfilled subsequently the role of "villain" and "victim". In addition, mode of control was modulated resulting in four different conditions; passive villain, active villain, active victim and passive victim. Response-, visual- and pain ERPs were compared between the four conditions. Furthermore, the role of psychopathic traits in these outcomes was investigated. Our findings suggested that people experience more conflict when hurting someone else than hurting themselves. Furthermore, our results indicated that self-controlled pain was experienced as more painful than uncontrolled pain. People that scored high on psychopathic traits seemed to process and experience pain differently. According to the results of the current study, social context, attention and personality traits seem to modulate pain processing and the empathic response to pain in self and others. The within-subject experimental design described here provides an excellent approach to further unravel the influence of social context and personality traits on social cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casper H van Heck
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behavior, Donders Center for Cognition, Radboud University NijmegenNijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Josi M A Driessen
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behavior, Donders Center for Cognition, Radboud University NijmegenNijmegen, Netherlands.,Radboud University Medical Centre, Cognitive NeuroscienceNijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Maria Amato
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behavior, Donders Center for Cognition, Radboud University NijmegenNijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Marnou N van den Berg
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behavior, Donders Center for Cognition, Radboud University NijmegenNijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Pritha Bhandari
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behavior, Donders Center for Cognition, Radboud University NijmegenNijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Laura Bilbao-Broch
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behavior, Donders Center for Cognition, Radboud University NijmegenNijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Jordi Farres-Casals
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behavior, Donders Center for Cognition, Radboud University NijmegenNijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Manon Hendriks
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behavior, Donders Center for Cognition, Radboud University NijmegenNijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Adrian C Jodzio
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behavior, Donders Center for Cognition, Radboud University NijmegenNijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Laura Luque-Ballesteros
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behavior, Donders Center for Cognition, Radboud University NijmegenNijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Christina Schöchl
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behavior, Donders Center for Cognition, Radboud University NijmegenNijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Laura R Velasco-Angeles
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behavior, Donders Center for Cognition, Radboud University NijmegenNijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Roel H A Weijer
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behavior, Donders Center for Cognition, Radboud University NijmegenNijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Clementina M van Rijn
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behavior, Donders Center for Cognition, Radboud University NijmegenNijmegen, Netherlands
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47
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Hird EJ, Jones AKP, Talmi D, El-Deredy W. A comparison between the neural correlates of laser and electric pain stimulation and their modulation by expectation. J Neurosci Methods 2017; 293:117-127. [PMID: 28935423 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2017.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Revised: 09/05/2017] [Accepted: 09/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pain is modulated by expectation. Event-related potential (ERP) studies of the influence of expectation on pain typically utilise laser heat stimulation to provide a controllable nociceptive-specific stimulus. Painful electric stimulation has a number of practical advantages, but is less nociceptive-specific. We compared the modulation of electric versus laser-evoked pain by expectation, and their corresponding pain-evoked and anticipatory ERPs. NEW METHOD We developed understanding of recognised methods of laser and electric stimulation. We tested whether pain perception and neural activity induced by electric stimulation was modulated by expectation, whether this expectation elicited anticipatory neural correlates, and how these measures compared to those associated with laser stimulation by eliciting cue-evoked expectations of high and low pain in a within-participant design. RESULTS Despite sensory and affective differences between laser and electric pain, intensity ratings and pain-evoked potentials were modulated equivalently by expectation, though ERPs only correlated with pain ratings in the laser pain condition. Anticipatory correlates differentiated pain intensity expectation to laser but not electric pain. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD Previous studies show that laser-evoked potentials are modulated by expectation. We extend this by showing electric pain-evoked potentials are equally modulated by expectation, within the same participants. We also show a difference between the pain types in anticipation. CONCLUSIONS Though laser-evoked potentials express a stronger relationship with pain perception, both laser and electric stimulation may be used to study the modulation of pain-evoked potentials by expectation. Anticipatory-evoked potentials are elicited by both pain types, but they may reflect different processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- E J Hird
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, University of Manchester, M139GB, United Kingdom.
| | - A K P Jones
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, University of Manchester, M139GB, United Kingdom.
| | - D Talmi
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, University of Manchester, M139GB, United Kingdom.
| | - W El-Deredy
- Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, University of Manchester, M139GB, United Kingdom; School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Valparaiso, Chile.
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48
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Almarzouki AF, Brown CA, Brown RJ, Leung MHK, Jones AKP. Negative expectations interfere with the analgesic effect of safety cues on pain perception by priming the cortical representation of pain in the midcingulate cortex. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0180006. [PMID: 28665973 PMCID: PMC5493341 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2016] [Accepted: 06/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well known that the efficacy of treatment effects, including those of placebos, is heavily dependent on positive expectations regarding treatment outcomes. For example, positive expectations about pain treatments are essential for pain reduction. Such positive expectations not only depend on the properties of the treatment itself, but also on the context in which the treatment is presented. However, it is not clear how the preceding threat of pain will bias positive expectancy effects. One hypothesis is that threatening contexts trigger fearful and catastrophic thinking, reducing the pain-relieving effects of positive expectancy. In this study, we investigated the disruptive influence of threatening contexts on positive expectancy effects while 41 healthy volunteers experienced laser-induced heat pain. A threatening context was induced using pain-threatening cues that preceded the induction of positive expectancies via subsequent pain-safety cues. We also utilised electroencephalography (EEG) to investigate potential neural mechanisms underlying these effects. Lastly, we used the Fear of Pain Questionnaire to address whether the disruptive effect of negative contexts on cued pain relief was related to the degree of fear of pain. As predicted, participants responded less to pain-safety cues (i.e., experienced more pain) when these were preceded by pain-threatening cues. In this threatening context, an enhancement of the N2 component of the laser-evoked potential was detected, which was more pronounced in fearful individuals. This effect was localised to the midcingulate cortex, an area thought to integrate negative affect with pain experience to enable adaptive behaviour in aversive situations. These results suggest that threatening contexts disrupt the effect of pain relief cues via an aversive priming mechanism that enhances neural responses in the early stages of sensory processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abeer F. Almarzouki
- Physiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- * E-mail:
| | - Christopher A. Brown
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Richard J. Brown
- School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | | | - Anthony K. P. Jones
- Human Pain Research Group, Division of Neuroscience and Cognitive Psychology, University of Manchester, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Salford, United Kingdom
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Wu R, Wang F, Yang PF, Chen LM. High-resolution functional MRI identified distinct global intrinsic functional networks of nociceptive posterior insula and S2 regions in squirrel monkey brain. Neuroimage 2017; 155:147-158. [PMID: 28461059 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.04.067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2016] [Revised: 04/26/2017] [Accepted: 04/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Numerous functional imaging and electrophysiological studies in humans and animals indicate that the two contiguous areas of secondary somatosensory cortex (S2) and posterior insula (pIns) are core regions in nociceptive processing and pain perception. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the S2-pIns connection serves as a hub for connecting distinct sensory and affective nociceptive processing networks in the squirrel monkey brain. At 9.4T, we first mapped the brain regions that respond to nociceptive heat stimuli with high-resolution fMRI, and then used seed-based resting-state fMRI (rsfMRI) analysis to delineate and refine the global intrinsic functional connectivity circuits of the proximal S2 and pIns regions. In each subject, nociceptive (47.5°C) heat-evoked fMRI activations were detected in many brain regions, including primary somatosensory (S1), S2, pIns, area 7b, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), primary motor cortex, prefrontal cortex, supplementary motor area, thalamus, and caudate. Using the heat-evoked fMRI activation foci in S2 and pIns as the seeds, voxel-wise whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) analysis revealed strong functional connections between contralateral S2 and pIns, as well as their corresponding regions in the ipsilateral hemisphere. Spatial similarity and overlap analysis identified each region as part of two distinct intrinsic functional networks with 7% overlap: sensory S2-S1-area 7b and affective pIns-ACC-PCC networks. Moreover, a high degree of overlap was observed between the combined rsFC maps of nociceptive S2 and pIns regions and the nociceptive heat-evoked activation map. In summary, our study provides evidence for the existence of two distinct intrinsic functional networks for S2 and pIns nociceptive regions, and these two networks are joined via the S2-pIns connection. Brain regions that are involved in processing nociceptive inputs are also highly interconnected at rest. The presence of robust and distinct S1-S2-area 7b and pIns-ACC-PCC rsFC networks under anesthesia underscores their fundamental roles in processing nociceptive information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiqi Wu
- Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, United States; Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States; Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, The Chinese Academy of Sciences/State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Feng Wang
- Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, United States; Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| | - Pai-Feng Yang
- Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, United States; Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| | - Li Min Chen
- Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, United States; Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, United States; Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, United States.
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Misra G, Ofori E, Chung JW, Coombes SA. Pain-Related Suppression of Beta Oscillations Facilitates Voluntary Movement. Cereb Cortex 2017; 27:2592-2606. [PMID: 26965905 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Increased beta oscillations over sensorimotor cortex are antikinetic. Motor- and pain-related processes separately suppress beta oscillations over sensorimotor cortex leading to the prediction that ongoing pain should facilitate movement. In the current study, we used a paradigm in which voluntary movements were executed during an ongoing pain-eliciting stimulus to test the hypothesis that a pain-related suppression of beta oscillations would facilitate the initiation of a subsequent voluntary movement. Using kinematic measures, electromyography, and high-density electroencephalography, we demonstrate that ongoing pain leads to shorter reaction times without affecting the kinematics or accuracy of movement. Reaction time was positively correlated with beta power prior to movement in contralateral premotor areas. Our findings corroborate the view that beta-band oscillations are antikinetic and provide new evidence that pain primes the motor system for action. Our observations provide the first evidence that a pain-related suppression of beta oscillations over contralateral premotor areas leads to shorter reaction times for voluntary movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Misra
- Laboratory for Rehabilitation Neuroscience, Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Edward Ofori
- Laboratory for Rehabilitation Neuroscience, Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Jae Woo Chung
- Laboratory for Rehabilitation Neuroscience, Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Stephen A Coombes
- Laboratory for Rehabilitation Neuroscience, Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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