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Boeken OJ, Cieslik EC, Langner R, Markett S. Characterizing functional modules in the human thalamus: coactivation-based parcellation and systems-level functional decoding. Brain Struct Funct 2023; 228:1811-1834. [PMID: 36547707 PMCID: PMC10516793 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-022-02603-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The human thalamus relays sensory signals to the cortex and facilitates brain-wide communication. The thalamus is also more directly involved in sensorimotor and various cognitive functions but a full characterization of its functional repertoire, particularly in regard to its internal anatomical structure, is still outstanding. As a putative hub in the human connectome, the thalamus might reveal its functional profile only in conjunction with interconnected brain areas. We therefore developed a novel systems-level Bayesian reverse inference decoding that complements the traditional neuroinformatics approach towards a network account of thalamic function. The systems-level decoding considers the functional repertoire (i.e., the terms associated with a brain region) of all regions showing co-activations with a predefined seed region in a brain-wide fashion. Here, we used task-constrained meta-analytic connectivity-based parcellation (MACM-CBP) to identify thalamic subregions as seed regions and applied the systems-level decoding to these subregions in conjunction with functionally connected cortical regions. Our results confirm thalamic structure-function relationships known from animal and clinical studies and revealed further associations with language, memory, and locomotion that have not been detailed in the cognitive neuroscience literature before. The systems-level decoding further uncovered large systems engaged in autobiographical memory and nociception. We propose this novel decoding approach as a useful tool to detect previously unknown structure-function relationships at the brain network level, and to build viable starting points for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ole J Boeken
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Molecular Psychology, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Rudower Chaussee 18, 12489, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Edna C Cieslik
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7: Brain and Behaviour), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Robert Langner
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7: Brain and Behaviour), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Sebastian Markett
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Molecular Psychology, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Rudower Chaussee 18, 12489, Berlin, Germany
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2
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Branco P, Bosak N, Bielefeld J, Cong O, Granovsky Y, Kahn I, Yarnitsky D, Apkarian AV. Structural brain connectivity predicts early acute pain after mild traumatic brain injury. Pain 2023; 164:1312-1320. [PMID: 36355048 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is a leading cause of disability worldwide, with acute pain manifesting as one of its most debilitating symptoms. Understanding acute postinjury pain is important because it is a strong predictor of long-term outcomes. In this study, we imaged the brains of 157 patients with mTBI, following a motorized vehicle collision. We extracted white matter structural connectivity networks and used a machine learning approach to predict acute pain. Stronger white matter tracts within the sensorimotor, thalamiccortical, and default-mode systems predicted 20% of the variance in pain severity within 72 hours of the injury. This result generalized in 2 independent groups: 39 mTBI patients and 13 mTBI patients without whiplash symptoms. White matter measures collected at 6 months after the collision still predicted mTBI pain at that timepoint (n = 36). These white matter connections were associated with 2 nociceptive psychophysical outcomes tested at a remote body site-namely, conditioned pain modulation and magnitude of suprathreshold pain-and with pain sensitivity questionnaire scores. Our findings demonstrate a stable white matter network, the properties of which determine an important amount of pain experienced after acute injury, pinpointing a circuitry engaged in the transformation and amplification of nociceptive inputs to pain perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Branco
- Department of Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
- Center for Translational Pain Research, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Noam Bosak
- Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
- Department of Neurology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel
| | - Jannis Bielefeld
- Department of Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
- Center for Translational Pain Research, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Olivia Cong
- Department of Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
- Center for Translational Pain Research, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Yelena Granovsky
- Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
- Department of Neurology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel
| | - Itamar Kahn
- Department of Neuroscience and Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - David Yarnitsky
- Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
- Department of Neurology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel
| | - A Vania Apkarian
- Department of Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
- Center for Translational Pain Research, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
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3
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Gu L, Shu H, Wang Y. Functional brain alterations in migraine patients: an activation likelihood estimation study. Neurol Res 2023:1-8. [PMID: 37019685 DOI: 10.1080/01616412.2023.2199377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies reported inconsistent results for comparison in brain activation between migraine patients and healthy controls (HC). Thus, activation likelihood estimation (ALE) method, a powerful voxel-based technique, was used to explore the concordant functional brain changes in migraine patients. METHODS Studies published before October 2022 were searched in the following databases (PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar). RESULTS Migraine without aura (MWoA) patients showed reduced amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) in right lingual gyrus, the left posterior cingulate and the right precuneus (PCUN), compared to HC. Migraine patients showed increased ALFF in the right claustrum, the left caudate, the left insula and the right parahippocampal gyrus, compared to HC. MWoA patients showed reduced regional homogeneity (ReHo) in the right culmen, compared to HC. In addition, migraine patients showed increased ReHo in the bilateral thalamus, compared to HC. MWoA patients showed reduced whole-brain functional connectivity (FC) in the left middle occipital gyrus and the right superior parietal lobule, compared to HC. In addition, migraine patients showed increased whole-brain FC in the left middle temporal gyrus (MTG), the right inferior frontal gyrus, the right superior temporal gyrus (STG) and the left inferior temporal gyrus, compared to HC. CONCLUSIONS ALE analysis identified consistent functional changes in widespread regions, especially in cingulate gyrus, basal ganglia region and frontal cortex in migraine. These regions involve in pain processing, cognitive dysfunction and emotional problems. These results may provide important clues for clarifying the pathophysiology of migraine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihua Gu
- Department of Neurology, Tianjin Huanhu Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Hao Shu
- Department of Neurology, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yanjuan Wang
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated ZhongDa Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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4
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Wei X, Wang L, Yu F, Lee C, Liu N, Ren M, Tu J, Zhou H, Shi G, Wang X, Liu CZ. Identifying the neural marker of chronic sciatica using multimodal neuroimaging and machine learning analyses. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:1036487. [PMID: 36532276 PMCID: PMC9748090 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1036487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Sciatica is a pain disorder often caused by the herniated disk compressing the lumbosacral nerve roots. Neuroimaging studies have identified functional abnormalities in patients with chronic sciatica (CS). However, few studies have investigated the neural marker of CS using brain structure and the classification value of multidimensional neuroimaging features in CS patients is unclear. METHODS Here, structural and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was acquired for 34 CS patients and 36 matched healthy controls (HCs). We analyzed cortical surface area, cortical thickness, amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), regional homogeneity (REHO), between-regions functional connectivity (FC), and assessed the correlation between neuroimaging measures and clinical scores. Finally, the multimodal neuroimaging features were used to differentiate the CS patients and HC individuals by support vector machine (SVM) algorithm. RESULTS Compared to HC, CS patients had a larger cortical surface area in the right banks of the superior temporal sulcus and rostral anterior cingulate; higher ALFF value in the left inferior frontal gyrus; enhanced FCs between somatomotor and ventral attention network. Three FCs values were associated with clinical pain scores. Furthermore, the three multimodal neuroimaging features with significant differences between groups and the SVM algorithm could classify CS patients and HC with an accuracy of 90.00%. DISCUSSION Together, our findings revealed extensive reorganization of local functional properties, surface area, and network metrics in CS patients. The success of patient identification highlights the potential of using artificial intelligence and multimodal neuroimaging markers in chronic pain research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoya Wei
- International Acupuncture and Moxibustion Innovation Institute, School of Acupuncture- Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Liqiong Wang
- International Acupuncture and Moxibustion Innovation Institute, School of Acupuncture- Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Fangting Yu
- International Acupuncture and Moxibustion Innovation Institute, School of Acupuncture- Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Chihkai Lee
- International Acupuncture and Moxibustion Innovation Institute, School of Acupuncture- Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Ni Liu
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Mengmeng Ren
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jianfeng Tu
- International Acupuncture and Moxibustion Innovation Institute, School of Acupuncture- Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Hang Zhou
- International Acupuncture and Moxibustion Innovation Institute, School of Acupuncture- Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Guangxia Shi
- International Acupuncture and Moxibustion Innovation Institute, School of Acupuncture- Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xu Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Cun-Zhi Liu
- International Acupuncture and Moxibustion Innovation Institute, School of Acupuncture- Moxibustion and Tuina, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
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5
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Chronic Refractory Cough. Chest 2022; 162:736-737. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chest.2022.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
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6
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Cunningham NR, Nahman-Averbuch H, Lee GR, King CD, Coghill RC. Amygdalar functional connectivity during resting and evoked pain in youth with functional abdominal pain disorders. Pain 2022; 163:2031-2043. [PMID: 35472070 PMCID: PMC9329503 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Pediatric functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPD) are highly prevalent, difficult to diagnose, and challenging to treat. The brain systems supporting FAPD remain poorly understood. This investigation examined the neuromechanisms of FAPD during a well-tolerated visceral pain induction task, the water load symptom provocation task (WL-SPT). Youth between the ages of 11 and 17 years participated. Functional connectivity (FC) was examined through the blood oxygenation level-dependent effect using the left and right amygdala (AMY) as seed regions. Relationships of the time courses within these seeds with voxels across the whole brain were evaluated. Arterial spin labeling was used to assess regional brain activation by examining cerebral blood flow. Increased FC between the left AMY with regions associated with nociceptive processing (eg, thalamus) and right AMY FC changes with areas associated with cognitive functioning (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) and the default mode network (DMN; parietal lobe) were observed in youth with FAPD after the WL-SPT. These changes were related to changes in pain unpleasantness. Amygdala FC changes post-WL-SPT were also related to changes in pain intensity. Amygdala FC with the DMN in youth with FAPD also differed from healthy controls. Global cerebral blood flow changes were also noted between FAPD and healthy controls, but no significant differences in grey matter were detected either between groups or during the WL-SPT in youth with FAPD. Findings confirm youth with FAPD undergo changes in brain systems that could support the development of biomarkers to enhance understanding of the mechanisms of pain and treatment response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natoshia R Cunningham
- Department of Family Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
| | - Hadas Nahman-Averbuch
- Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Pediatric Pain Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University Pain Center and Division of Clinical and Translational Research, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Gregory R Lee
- Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Christopher D King
- Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Pediatric Pain Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Robert C Coghill
- Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Pediatric Pain Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
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7
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Tong H, Maloney TC, Payne MF, King CD, Ting TV, Kashikar-Zuck S, Coghill RC, López-Solà M. Processing of pain by the developing brain: evidence of differences between adolescent and adult females. Pain 2022; 163:1777-1789. [PMID: 35297790 PMCID: PMC9391252 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Adolescence is a sensitive period for both brain development and the emergence of chronic pain particularly in females. However, the brain mechanisms supporting pain perception during adolescence remain unclear. This study compares perceptual and brain responses to pain in female adolescents and adults to characterize pain processing in the developing brain. Thirty adolescent (ages 13-17 years) and 30 adult (ages 35-55 years) females underwent a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan involving acute pain. Participants received 12 ten-second noxious pressure stimuli that were applied to the left thumbnail at 2.5 and 4 kg/cm 2 , and rated pain intensity and unpleasantness on a visual analogue scale. We found a significant group-by-stimulus intensity interaction on pain ratings. Compared with adults, adolescents reported greater pain intensity and unpleasantness in response to 2.5 kg/cm 2 but not 4 kg/cm 2 . Adolescents showed greater medial-lateral prefrontal cortex and supramarginal gyrus activation in response to 2.5 kg/cm 2 and greater medial prefrontal cortex and rostral anterior cingulate responses to 4 kg/cm 2 . Adolescents showed greater pain-evoked responses in the neurologic pain signature and greater activation in the default mode and ventral attention networks. Also, the amygdala and associated regions played a stronger role in predicting pain intensity in adolescents, and activity in default mode and ventral attention regions more strongly mediated the relationship between stimulus intensity and pain ratings. This study provides first evidence of greater low-pain sensitivity and pain-evoked brain responses in female adolescents (vs adult women) in regions important for nociceptive, affective, and cognitive processing, which may be associated with differences in peripheral nociception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Tong
- Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Pediatric Pain Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Thomas C. Maloney
- Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Imaging Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Michael F. Payne
- Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Pediatric Pain Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Christopher D. King
- Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Pediatric Pain Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Tracy V. Ting
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Division of Rheumatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Susmita Kashikar-Zuck
- Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Pediatric Pain Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Robert C. Coghill
- Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Pediatric Pain Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Marina López-Solà
- Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Pediatric Pain Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Serra Hunter Program, Unit of Psychological Medicine, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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8
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Gong M, Shen Y, Liang W, Zhang Z, He C, Lou M, Xu Z. Impairments in the Default Mode and Executive Networks in Methamphetamine Users During Short-Term Abstinence. Int J Gen Med 2022; 15:6073-6084. [PMID: 35821766 PMCID: PMC9271316 DOI: 10.2147/ijgm.s369571] [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: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Methamphetamine use may cause severe neurotoxicity and cognitive impairment, leading to addiction, overdose, and high rates of relapse. However, few studies have systematically focused on functional impairments detected by neuroimaging in methamphetamine abstainers (MAs) during short-term abstinence. This study aimed to investigate effective connectivity, resting-state networks, and internetwork functional connectivity in MA brains to improve clinical treatment. Methods Twenty MAs and 27 age- and education-matched healthy controls underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations and Granger causality were analyzed to investigate disrupted brain regions and effective connectivity, respectively. Independent component analysis and functional network connectivity were used to identify resting-state networks and internetwork functional connectivity, respectively. Results Compared with healthy controls, MAs demonstrated abnormal amplitudes of low-frequency fluctuations in the bilateral precuneus, left posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), left middle frontal gyrus (MFG), left superior parietal lobule, left supplementary motor area (SMA), and left inferior parietal lobule (IPL). Moreover, MAs showed decreased effective connectivity from the left PCC to the left precuneus, increased effective connectivity from the left precuneus to the left MFG and from the right precuneus to the left SMA, and altered functional connectivity within the default mode network (DMN), frontoparietal network, sensorimotor network, ventral attention network, cerebellar network, and visual network. Importantly, hyperconnectivity between the DMN and ventral attention network and hypoconnectivity between the DMN and cerebellar network as well as the DMN and frontoparietal network were demonstrated in MAs. Conclusion Our study implies that in short-term methamphetamine abstinence, disruptions to the DMN and executive network may a play key role, providing new insights for early rehabilitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingqiang Gong
- Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, The Fourth Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China.,Department of Radiology, Longgang Central Hospital, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
| | - Yunxia Shen
- Department of Radiology, Longgang Central Hospital, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenbin Liang
- Department of Radiology, Longgang Central Hospital, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The Third People's Hospital of Longgang District, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunxue He
- Department of Radiology, Shenzhen Clinical Medicine College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingwu Lou
- Department of Radiology, Longgang Central Hospital, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
| | - ZiYu Xu
- Department of Radiology, Longgang Central Hospital, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
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9
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Nahman-Averbuch H, Schneider VJ, Lee GR, Peugh JL, Hershey AD, Powers SW, de Zambotti M, Coghill RC, King CD. New insight into the neural mechanisms of migraine in adolescents: Relationships with sleep. Headache 2022; 62:668-680. [PMID: 35467018 DOI: 10.1111/head.14299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This case-control study examines if measures of subjective and objective (actigraphic) sleep difficulties mediate alterations in amygdalar connectivity in adolescents with migraine compared to healthy adolescents. BACKGROUND Adolescents with migraine have different functional connectivity of the amygdala compared to individuals without migraine. Sleep is often disturbed in adolescents with migraine, and could contribute to the alterations in functional connectivity. METHODS Twenty adolescents with migraine and 20 healthy controls were recruited from Cincinnati Children's Hospital. Participants completed surveys about their headaches and overall sleep quality, sleep hygiene, and perceived sleep difficulties (Insomnia Severity Scale [ISI]); completed wrist-worn actigraphy; and underwent a magnetic resonance imaging scan. RESULTS Adolescents with migraine differed from healthy controls only in perceived difficulty in sleep initiation and maintenance (ISI: 8.5 ± 4.7 and 4.5 ± 3.7 [mean ± standard deviation], -4.00 [95% confidence: -6.7 to -1.3], p = 0.005) and had greater functional connectivity between the amygdala and the posterior cingulate cortex, precuneus, dorsolateral prefrontal, sensorimotor, and the occipital cortexes. The differences in functional connectivity of the amygdala were not mediated by the subjective/objective sleep measures (ISI/wake minutes after sleep onset). CONCLUSIONS Adolescents with migraine have greater connectivity between the amygdala and areas involved in sensory, affective, and cognitive aspects of pain. These alterations may not be due to higher levels of sleep difficulties in adolescents with migraine, suggesting that both amygdala and sleep alterations may play an independent role in migraine pathophysiology. This advances the understanding of the mechanisms underlying pediatric migraine and can potentially advance migraine management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadas Nahman-Averbuch
- Division of Clinical and Translational Research and Washington University Pain Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.,Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Pediatric Pain Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Victor J Schneider
- Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Center for Pain Research and Behavioral Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Gregory R Lee
- Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - James L Peugh
- Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Andrew D Hershey
- Pediatric Pain Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Scott W Powers
- Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Pediatric Pain Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | | | - Robert C Coghill
- Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Pediatric Pain Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Christopher D King
- Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Pediatric Pain Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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10
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Structural and Functional Correlates of Higher Cortical Brain Regions in Chronic Refractory Cough. Chest 2022; 162:851-860. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chest.2022.04.141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
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11
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Individually unique dynamics of cortical connectivity reflect the ongoing intensity of chronic pain. Pain 2022; 163:1987-1998. [PMID: 35082250 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Chronic pain diseases are characterised by an ongoing and fluctuating endogenous pain, yet it remains to be elucidated how this is reflected by the dynamics of ongoing functional cortical connections.Here, we investigated the cortical encoding of 20 chronic back pain patients and 20 chronic migraineurs in four repeated fMRI sessions. A brain parcellation approach subdivided the whole brain into 408 regions. Linear mixed effects models were fitted for each pair of brain regions to explore the relationship between the dynamic cortical connectivity and the observed trajectory of the patients' ratings of fluctuating endogenous pain.Overall, we found that periods of high and increasing pain were predominantly related to low cortical connectivity. The change of pain intensity in chronic back pain was subserved by connections in left parietal opercular regions, right insular regions, as well as large parts of the parietal, cingular and motor cortices. The change of pain intensity direction in chronic migraine was reflected by decreasing connectivity between the anterior insular cortex and orbitofrontal areas, as well as between the PCC and frontal and ACC regions.Interestingly, the group results were not mirrored by the individual patterns of pain-related connectivity, which is suggested to deny the idea of a common neuronal core problem for chronic pain diseases. The diversity of the individual cortical signatures of chronic pain encoding results adds to the understanding of chronic pain as a complex and multifaceted disease. The present findings support recent developments for more personalised medicine.
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12
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Wei HL, Li J, Guo X, Zhou GP, Wang JJ, Chen YC, Yu YS, Yin X, Li J, Zhang H. Functional connectivity of the visual cortex differentiates anxiety comorbidity from episodic migraineurs without aura. J Headache Pain 2021; 22:40. [PMID: 34020591 PMCID: PMC8138918 DOI: 10.1186/s10194-021-01259-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Migraine is a common neurological disease that is often accompanied by psychiatric comorbidities. However, the relationship between abnormal brain function and psychiatric comorbidities in migraine patients remains largely unclear. Therefore, the present study sought to explore the correlations between the resting-state functional deficits and psychiatric comorbidities in migraine without aura (MwoA) patients. Methods Resting-state functional magnetic resonance images were obtained. In addition, the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) values were obtained. Thereafter regional abnormalities in MwoA patients with and without anxiety (MwoA-A and MwoA-OA) were chosen as seeds to conduct functional connectivity (FC) analysis. Results Compared to the healthy controls (HCs), the MwoA-A and MwoA-OA patients had abnormal ALFF and ReHo values in the right lingual gyrus (LG). They also had abnormal FC of the right LG with the ipsilateral superior frontal gyrus (SFG) and middle cingulate cortex (MCC). Additionally, the MwoA-A patients showed higher ReHo values in the left posterior intraparietal sulcus (pIPS) and abnormal FC of the right LG with ipsilateral pIPS and primary visual cortex, compared to the MwoA-OA patients. Moreover, the MwoA-OA patients showed an increase in the FC with the right posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus (PCC/PCUN), left middle frontal gyrus (MFG) and left inferior temporal gyrus (ITG) relative to the HCs. Furthermore, the ALFF values of the right LG positively were correlated with anxiety scores in MwoA-A patients. The abnormal LG-related FCs with the PCC/PCUN, MFG and ITG were negatively associated with the frequency of headaches in MwoA-OA patients. Conclusions This study identified abnormal visual FC along with other core networks differentiating anxiety comorbidity from MwoA. This may therefore enhance the understanding of the neuropsychological basis of psychiatric comorbidities and provide novel insights that may help in the discovery of new marks or even treatment targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng-Le Wei
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Jiangning Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, No.169, Hushan Road, 211100, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jian Li
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Jiangning Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, No.169, Hushan Road, 211100, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xi Guo
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Jiangning Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, No.169, Hushan Road, 211100, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Gang-Ping Zhou
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Jiangning Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, No.169, Hushan Road, 211100, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jin-Jin Wang
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Jiangning Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, No.169, Hushan Road, 211100, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yu-Chen Chen
- Department of Radiology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, No.68, Changle Road, 210006, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yu-Sheng Yu
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Jiangning Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, No.169, Hushan Road, 211100, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xindao Yin
- Department of Radiology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, No.68, Changle Road, 210006, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Junrong Li
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Jiangning Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, No.169, Hushan Road, 211100, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Hong Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Jiangning Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, No.169, Hushan Road, 211100, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
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13
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Liu L, Tian T, Li X, Wang Y, Xu T, Ni X, Li X, He Z, Gao S, Sun M, Liang F, Zhao L. Revealing the Neural Mechanism Underlying the Effects of Acupuncture on Migraine: A Systematic Review. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:674852. [PMID: 34093119 PMCID: PMC8172773 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.674852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Migraine is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by attacks of moderate or severe headache and various neurological symptoms. Migraine is typically treated by pharmacological or non-pharmacological therapies to relieve pain or prevent migraine attacks. Pharmacological therapies show limited efficacy in relieving headache and are often accompanied by adverse effects, while the benefits of acupuncture, a non-pharmacological therapy, have been well-documented in both the treatment and prevention of acute migraine attacks. However, the underlying mechanism of the effect of acupuncture on relieving migraine remains unclear. Recent advances in neuroimaging technology have offered new opportunities to explore the underlying neural mechanism of acupuncture in treating migraine. To pave the way for future research, this review provides an overview neuroimaging studies on the use of acupuncture for migraine in the last 10 years. Methods: Using search terms about acupuncture, neuroimaging and migraine, we searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure from January 2009 to June 2020 for neuroimaging studies that examined the effect of acupuncture in migraine. All published randomized and non-randomized controlled neuroimaging studies were included. We summarized the proposed neural mechanism underlying acupuncture analgesia in acute migraine, and the proposed neural mechanism underlying the sustained effect of acupuncture in migraine prophylaxis. Results: A total of 619 articles were retrieved. After removing reviews, meta-analyses, animal studies and etc., 15 articles were eligible and included in this review. The methods used were positron emission computed tomography (PET-CT; n = 2 studies), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (n = 1), and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI; n = 12). The analyses used included the regional homogeneity (ReHo) method (n = 3), amplitude of low frequency (ALFF) method (n = 2), independent component analysis (ICA; n = 3), seed-based analysis (SBA; n = 1), both ICA and SBA (n = 1), Pearson's correlation to calculate functional connectivity (FC) between brain regions (n = 1), and a machine learning method (n = 1). Five studies focused on the instant effect of acupuncture, and the research objects were those with acute migraine (n = 2) and migraine in the interictal phase (n = 3). Ten studies focused on the lasting effect of acupuncture, and all the studies selected migraine patients in the interictal phase. This review included five task-based studies and 10 resting-state studies. None of the studies conducted a correlation analysis between functional brain changes and instant clinical efficacy. For studies that performed a correlation analysis between functional brain changes and sustained clinical efficacy, the prophylactic effect of acupuncture on migraine might be through regulation of the visual network, default mode network (DMN), sensory motor network, frontoparietal network (FPN), limbic system, and/or descending pain modulatory system (DPMS). Conclusion: The neural mechanism underlying the immediate effect of acupuncture analgesia remains unclear, and the neural mechanism of sustained acupuncture treatment for migraine might be related to the regulation of pain-related brain networks. The experimental design of neuroimaging studies that examined the effect of acupuncture in migraine also have some shortcomings, and it is necessary to standardize and optimize the experimental design. Multi-center neuroimaging studies are needed to provide a better insight into the neural mechanism underlying the effect of acupuncture on migraine. Multi-modality neuroimaging studies that integrate multiple data analysis methods are required for cross-validation of the neuroimaging results. In addition, applying machine learning methods in neuroimaging studies can help to predict acupuncture efficacy and screen for migraineurs for whom acupuncture treatment would be suitable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Liu
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Tian Tian
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiang Li
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Yanan Wang
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Tao Xu
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Xixiu Ni
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiao Li
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhenxi He
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Shan Gao
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Mingsheng Sun
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Fanrong Liang
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.,Acupuncture & Chronobiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Ling Zhao
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.,Acupuncture & Chronobiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
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14
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Zou R, Li L, Zhang L, Huang G, Liang Z, Zhang Z. Predicting Individual Pain Thresholds From Morphological Connectivity Using Structural MRI: A Multivariate Analysis Study. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:615944. [PMID: 33642978 PMCID: PMC7902866 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.615944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Pain sensitivity is highly variable among individuals, and it is clinically important to predict an individual’s pain sensitivity for individualized diagnosis and management of pain. Literature has shown that pain sensitivity is associated with regional structural features of the brain, but it remains unclear whether pain sensitivity is also related to structural brain connectivity. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between pain thresholds and morphological connectivity (MC) inferred from structural MRI based on data of 221 healthy participants. We found that MC was highly predictive of an individual’s pain thresholds and, importantly, it had a better prediction performance than regional structural features. We also identified a number of most predictive MC features and confirmed the crucial role of the prefrontal cortex in the determination of pain sensitivity. These results suggest the potential of using structural MRI-based MC to predict an individual’s pain sensitivity in clinical settings, and hence this study has important implications for diagnosis and treatment of pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rushi Zou
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Marshall Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Linling Li
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Marshall Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Li Zhang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Marshall Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, 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 University, Shenzhen, China.,Marshall Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhen Liang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Marshall Laboratory of Biomedical 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 University, Shenzhen, China.,Marshall Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Peng Cheng Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
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15
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Lim M, Jassar H, Kim DJ, Nascimento TD, DaSilva AF. Differential alteration of fMRI signal variability in the ascending trigeminal somatosensory and pain modulatory pathways in migraine. J Headache Pain 2021; 22:4. [PMID: 33413090 PMCID: PMC7791681 DOI: 10.1186/s10194-020-01210-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The moment-to-moment variability of resting-state brain activity has been suggested to play an active role in chronic pain. Here, we investigated the regional blood-oxygen-level-dependent signal variability (BOLDSV) and inter-regional dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) in the interictal phase of migraine and its relationship with the attack severity. METHODS We acquired resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging from 20 migraine patients and 26 healthy controls (HC). We calculated the standard deviation (SD) of the BOLD time-series at each voxel as a measure of the BOLD signal variability (BOLDSV) and performed a whole-brain voxel-wise group comparison. The brain regions showing significant group differences in BOLDSV were used to define the regions of interest (ROIs). The SD and mean of the dynamic conditional correlation between those ROIs were calculated to measure the variability and strength of the dFC. Furthermore, patients' experimental pain thresholds and headache pain area/intensity levels during the migraine ictal-phase were assessed for clinical correlations. RESULTS We found that migraineurs, compared to HCs, displayed greater BOLDSV in the ascending trigeminal spinal-thalamo-cortical pathways, including the spinal trigeminal nucleus, pulvinar/ventral posteromedial (VPM) nuclei of the thalamus, primary somatosensory cortex (S1), and posterior insula. Conversely, migraine patients exhibited lower BOLDSV in the top-down modulatory pathways, including the dorsolateral prefrontal (dlPFC) and inferior parietal (IPC) cortices compared to HCs. Importantly, abnormal interictal BOLDSV in the ascending trigeminal spinal-thalamo-cortical and frontoparietal pathways were associated with the patient's headache severity and thermal pain sensitivity during the migraine attack. Migraineurs also had significantly lower variability and greater strength of dFC within the thalamo-cortical pathway (VPM-S1) than HCs. In contrast, migraine patients showed greater variability and lower strength of dFC within the frontoparietal pathway (dlPFC-IPC). CONCLUSIONS Migraine is associated with alterations in temporal signal variability in the ascending trigeminal somatosensory and top-down modulatory pathways, which may explain migraine-related pain and allodynia. Contrasting patterns of time-varying connectivity within the thalamo-cortical and frontoparietal pathways could be linked to abnormal network integrity and instability for pain transmission and modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manyoel Lim
- Headache and Orofacial Pain Effort (H.O.P.E.), Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences & Prosthodontics, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, 1011 N. University Ave, Room 1014A, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078 USA
- Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Hassan Jassar
- Headache and Orofacial Pain Effort (H.O.P.E.), Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences & Prosthodontics, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, 1011 N. University Ave, Room 1014A, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078 USA
- Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Dajung J. Kim
- Headache and Orofacial Pain Effort (H.O.P.E.), Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences & Prosthodontics, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, 1011 N. University Ave, Room 1014A, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078 USA
- Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Thiago D. Nascimento
- Headache and Orofacial Pain Effort (H.O.P.E.), Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences & Prosthodontics, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, 1011 N. University Ave, Room 1014A, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078 USA
- Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
| | - Alexandre F. DaSilva
- Headache and Orofacial Pain Effort (H.O.P.E.), Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences & Prosthodontics, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, 1011 N. University Ave, Room 1014A, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078 USA
- Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 USA
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16
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Seymour B, Mancini F. Hierarchical models of pain: Inference, information-seeking, and adaptive control. Neuroimage 2020; 222:117212. [PMID: 32739554 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Computational models of pain consider how the brain processes nociceptive information and allow mapping neural circuits and networks to cognition and behaviour. To date, they have generally have assumed two largely independent processes: perceptual inference, typically modelled as an approximate Bayesian process, and action control, typically modelled as a reinforcement learning process. However, inference and control are intertwined in complex ways, challenging the clarity of this distinction. Here, we consider how they may comprise a parallel hierarchical architecture that combines inference, information-seeking, and adaptive value-based control. This sheds light on the complex neural architecture of the pain system, and takes us closer to understanding from where pain 'arises' in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Seymour
- Computational and Biological Learning Lab, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom; Center for Information and Neural Networks, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Osaka, Japan.
| | - Flavia Mancini
- Computational and Biological Learning Lab, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
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17
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Jinich-Diamant A, Garland E, Baumgartner J, Gonzalez N, Riegner G, Birenbaum J, Case L, Zeidan F. Neurophysiological Mechanisms Supporting Mindfulness Meditation–Based Pain Relief: an Updated Review. Curr Pain Headache Rep 2020; 24:56. [DOI: 10.1007/s11916-020-00890-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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18
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Torta DME, Ninghetto M, Ricci R, Legrain V. Rating the Intensity of a Laser Stimulus, but Not Attending to Changes in Its Location or Intensity Modulates the Laser-Evoked Cortical Activity. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 14:120. [PMID: 32296320 PMCID: PMC7136469 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.00120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Top-down attention towards nociceptive stimuli can be modulated by asking participants to pay attention to specific features of a stimulus, or to provide a rating about its intensity/unpleasantness. Whether and how these different top-down processes may lead to different modulations of the cortical response to nociceptive stimuli remains an open question. We recorded electroencephalographic (EEG) responses to brief nociceptive laser stimuli in 24 healthy participants while they performed a task in which they had to compare two subsequent stimuli on their Spatial location (Location task) or Intensity (Intensity Task). In two additional blocks (Location + Ratings, and Intensity + Ratings) participants had to further provide a rating of the perceived intensity of the stimulus. Such a design allowed us to investigate whether focusing on spatial or intensity features of a nociceptive stimulus and rating its intensity would exert different effects on the EEG responses. We did not find statistical evidence for an effect on the signal while participants were focusing on different features of the signal. We only observed a significant cluster difference in frontoparietal leads at approximately 300-500 ms post-stimulus between the magnitude of the signal in the Intensity and Intensity + Rating conditions, with a less negative response in the Intensity + Rating condition in frontal electrodes, and a less positive amplitude in parietal leads. We speculatively propose that activity in those electrodes and time window reflects magnitude estimation processes. Moreover, the smaller frontal amplitude in the Intensity + Rating condition can be explained by greater working memory engagement known to reduce the magnitude of the EEG signal. We conclude that different top-down attentional processes modulate responses to nociceptive laser stimuli at different electrodes and time windows depending on the underlying processes that are engaged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana M E Torta
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.,Health Psychology Research Group, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Marco Ninghetto
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.,Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Neuroplasticity Laboratory, Nencki Institute for Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Science, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Valéry Legrain
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.,Psychological Sciences Research Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
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19
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Induced oscillatory signaling in the beta frequency of top-down pain modulation. Pain Rep 2020; 5:e806. [PMID: 32072100 PMCID: PMC7004500 DOI: 10.1097/pr9.0000000000000806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. Background: Induced synchronized brain activity, particularly in the beta-frequency range, has rarely been investigated in human electrophysiological studies of attentional modulation of the perception of nociceptive stimuli. Methods: We measured time-resolved brain responses to nociceptive stimuli in healthy subjects (final data set: n = 17) using magnetoencephalography (MEG). In addition to investigating evoked responses as previous studies, we tested whether synchronized beta activity induced by nociceptive stimuli differs between 2 attentional conditions. Subjects were presented simultaneously with 2 stimulus modalities (pain-producing intraepidermal electrical stimuli and visual stimuli) in 2 different experimental conditions, ie, “attention to pain” and “attention to color.” Pain ratings between conditions were compared using a 2-sided paired-sample t test; MEG data were analyzed with Brainstorm. Results: Pain ratings were significantly higher in the “attention to pain” compared with the “attention to color” condition. Peak amplitudes of the evoked responses were significantly larger in the “attention to pain” condition bilaterally in the insula and secondary somatosensory cortex, and in the primary somatosensory cortex (SI) contralateral to stimulation. Induced responses to painful stimuli were significantly stronger in contralateral SI in the beta-frequency range in the “attention to pain” condition. Conclusions: This study replicates previous reports w.r.t. the attentional modulation of evoked responses and suggests a functional role of induced oscillatory activity in the beta frequency in top-down modulation of nociceptive stimuli.
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20
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Walter C, Oertel BG, Felden L, Nöth U, Deichmann R, Lötsch J. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol reduces the performance in sensory delayed discrimination tasks. A pharmacological-fMRI study in healthy volunteers. IBRO Rep 2019; 7:117-128. [PMID: 31828232 PMCID: PMC6889084 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibror.2019.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cannabis proofed to be effective in pain relief, but one major side effect is its influence on memory in humans. Therefore, the role of memory on central processing of nociceptive information was investigated in healthy volunteers. METHODS In a placebo-controlled cross-over study including 22 healthy subjects, the effect of 20 mg oral Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on memory involving nociceptive sensations was studied, using a delayed stimulus discrimination task (DSDT). To control for nociceptive specificity, a similar DSDT-based study was performed in a subgroup of thirteen subjects, using visual stimuli. RESULTS For each nociceptive stimulus pair, the second stimulus was associated with stronger and more extended brain activations than the first stimulus. These differences disappeared after THC administration. The THC effects were mainly located in two clusters comprising the insula and inferior frontal cortex in the right hemisphere, and the caudate nucleus and putamen bilaterally. These cerebral effects were accompanied in the DSDT by a significant reduction of correct ratings from 41.61% to 37.05% after THC administration (rm-ANOVA interaction "drug" by "measurement": F (1,21) = 4.685, p = 0.042). Rating performance was also reduced for the visual DSDT (69.87% to 54.35%; rm-ANOVA interaction of "drug" by "measurement": F (1,12) = 13.478, p = 0.003) and reflected in a reduction of stimulus-related brain deactivations in the bilateral angular gyrus. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that part of the effect of THC on pain may be related to memory effects. THC reduced the performance in DSDT of nociceptive and visual stimuli, which was accompanied by significant effects on brain activations. However, a pain specificity of these effects cannot be deduced from the data presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Walter
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Goethe – University, Theodor - Stern - Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute of Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology – Project Group Translational Medicine and Pharmacology (IME-TMP), Theodor – Stern – Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Bruno G. Oertel
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Goethe – University, Theodor - Stern - Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute of Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology – Project Group Translational Medicine and Pharmacology (IME-TMP), Theodor – Stern – Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Lisa Felden
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Goethe – University, Theodor - Stern - Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ulrike Nöth
- Brain Imaging Center, Goethe – University, Schleusenweg 2 – 16, 60528, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ralf Deichmann
- Brain Imaging Center, Goethe – University, Schleusenweg 2 – 16, 60528, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jörn Lötsch
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Goethe – University, Theodor - Stern - Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute of Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology – Project Group Translational Medicine and Pharmacology (IME-TMP), Theodor – Stern – Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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21
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Jung WM, Lee IS, Lee YS, Kim J, Park HJ, Wallraven C, Chae Y. Decoding spatial location of perceived pain to acupuncture needle using multivoxel pattern analysis. Mol Pain 2019; 15:1744806919877060. [PMID: 31469030 PMCID: PMC6753510 DOI: 10.1177/1744806919877060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study applied multivoxel pattern analysis to decode spatial
discrimination in pain perception to acupuncture needle from brain functional
magnetic resonance image. Fourteen participants were stimulated by acupuncture
needles at two adjacent body parts on their left forearm (PC6 vs. HT7). We
trained support vector machines on the spatial information from the whole-brain
functional magnetic resonance imaging data and projected the support vector
machine weight to the brain image space to represent the effect of each voxel on
the classifier output. Using region-of-interest masks in individual brains, we
trained and tested a linear support vector machine classifier on the accuracy of
spatial discrimination in trial-wise functional magnetic resonance imaging data.
A classical univariate general linear model analysis testing for differences
between the two different locations did not reveal any significant differences.
Multivoxel pattern analysis revealed that the brain regions for the prediction
of sensory discrimination in pain perceptions to two different points were in
the primary somatosensory cortex, primary motor cortex, and supramarginal gyrus,
anterior and posterior insula, anterior and posterior cingulate cortex,
ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and inferior parietal lobule. Our findings
suggest that spatial localizations of pain perceptions to acupuncture needle can
be predicted by the neural response patterns in the somatosensory areas and the
frontoparietal areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Won-Mo Jung
- Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - In-Seon Lee
- Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ye-Seul Lee
- Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Department of Anatomy and Acupoint, College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Junsuk Kim
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, Suwon, Republic of Korea.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hi-Joon Park
- Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Christian Wallraven
- Department of Brain Cognitive Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Younbyoung Chae
- Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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22
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Altered Spontaneous Activity and Functional Connectivity in the Posterior Pons of Patients With Migraine Without Aura. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2019; 21:347-354. [PMID: 31400473 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2019.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2018] [Revised: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The brainstem has been discussed as the main player in the pathogenesis of migraine. Dysfunctional brainstem nuclei and their abnormal connections to other key brain centers may contribute to headache and other symptoms of migraine. In the present study, 32 patients with migraine without aura (MWoA) and 32 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) underwent resting-state fMRI scans. We used masked independent analysis (mICA) to investigate whether patients with MWoA exhibited abnormal brainstem nuclei-cortical functional connectivity (FC). The mICA can suppress adjacent physiological noise and prevent results from being driven by the much stronger signals of the surrounding structures. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) was used to investigate whether the brainstem regions with abnormal FC to other brain areas exhibited abnormal regional neuronal activity. Patients with MWoA showed significantly weaker FC between the posterior pons and the left superior parietal lobule, the left middle temporal gyrus, and the left middle frontal gyrus. Furthermore, patients with MWoA exhibited significantly decreased ReHo values in the posterior pons compared with HCs, and the posterior pons ReHo value was significantly negatively correlated with HIT-6 scores in the MWoA group. Patients with MWoA exhibited functional abnormalities in the posterior pons and weakened connections between the posterior pons and several key cortical brain areas involved in pain processing during the resting state. PERSPECTIVE: This study provided increased evidence that the pons is involved in the pathophysiological mechanism of migraine, and weakened connections suggest that the touch and pain sensation of migraine sufferers may not be properly relayed to cortical processing areas, which may be associated with the pathogenesis of MWoA.
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23
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Tu Y, Zhang B, Cao J, Wilson G, Zhang Z, Kong J. Identifying inter-individual differences in pain threshold using brain connectome: a test-retest reproducible study. Neuroimage 2019; 202:116049. [PMID: 31349067 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Revised: 05/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Individuals are unique in terms of brain and behavior. Some are very sensitive to pain, while others have a high tolerance. However, how inter-individual intrinsic differences in the brain are related to pain is unknown. Here, we performed longitudinal test-retest analyses to investigate pain threshold variability among individuals using a resting-state fMRI brain connectome. Twenty-four healthy subjects who received four MRI sessions separated by at least 7 days were included in the data analysis. Subjects' pain thresholds were measured using two modalities of experimental pain (heat and pressure) on two different locations (heat pain: leg and arm; pressure pain: leg and thumbnail). Behavioral results showed strong inter-individual variability and strong within-individual stability in pain threshold. Resting state fMRI data analyses showed that functional connectivity profiles can accurately identify subjects across four sessions, indicating that an individual's connectivity profile may be intrinsic and unique. By using multivariate pattern analyses, we found that connectivity profiles could be used to predict an individual's pain threshold at both within-session and between-session levels, with the most predictive contribution from medial-frontal and frontal-parietal networks. These results demonstrate the potential of using a resting-state fMRI brain connectome to build a 'neural trait' for characterizing an individual's pain-related behavior, and such a 'neural trait' may eventually be used to personalize clinical assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiheng Tu
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Binlong Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Jin Cao
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Georgia Wilson
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Zhiguo Zhang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Health Science Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jian Kong
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA.
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24
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Kong J, Wolcott E, Wang Z, Jorgenson K, Harvey WF, Tao J, Rones R, Wang C. Altered resting state functional connectivity of the cognitive control network in fibromyalgia and the modulation effect of mind-body intervention. Brain Imaging Behav 2019; 13:482-492. [PMID: 29721768 PMCID: PMC6214794 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-018-9875-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
This study examines altered resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) of the cognitive control network (CCN) in fibromyalgia patients as compared to healthy controls, as well as how an effective mind-body intervention, Tai Chi, can modulate the altered rsFC of the CCN. Patients with fibromyalgia and matched healthy subjects were recruited in this study. Fibromyalgia patients were scanned 12 weeks before and after intervention. The bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) was used as a seed to explore the rsFC of the CCN. Data analysis was conducted with 21 patients and 20 healthy subjects. Compared to healthy subjects, fibromyalgia patients exhibited increased rsFC between the DLPFC and the bilateral rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) and medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) at baseline. The rsFC between the CCN and rACC/MPFC further increased after Tai Chi intervention, and this increase was accompanied by clinical improvements. This rsFC change was also significantly associated with corresponding changes in the Overall Impact domain of the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR). Further analysis showed that the rACC/MPFC rsFC with both the PAG and hippocampus significantly decreased following Tai Chi intervention. Our study suggests that fibromyalgia is associated with altered CCN rsFC and that effective mind-body treatment may elicit clinical improvements by further increasing this altered rsFC. Elucidating this mechanism of enhancing the allostasis process will deepen our understanding of the mechanisms underlying mind-body interventions in fibromyalgia patients and facilitate the development of new pain management methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Kong
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA.
| | - Emily Wolcott
- Center For Complementary And Integrative Medicine, Department of Rheumatology, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
| | - Zengjian Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Kristen Jorgenson
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - William F Harvey
- Center For Complementary And Integrative Medicine, Department of Rheumatology, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
| | - Jing Tao
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Ramel Rones
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Chenchen Wang
- Center For Complementary And Integrative Medicine, Department of Rheumatology, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02111, USA.
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25
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Vigilance-related attention systems subserve the discrimination of relative intensity differences between painful stimuli. Pain 2019; 159:359-370. [PMID: 29076920 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Humans require the ability to discriminate intensities of noxious stimuli to avoid future harm. This discrimination process seems to be biased by an individual's attention to pain and involves modulation of the relative intensity differences between stimuli (ie, Weber fraction). Here, we ask whether attention networks in the brain modulate the discrimination process and investigate the neural correlates reflecting the Weber fraction for pain intensity. In a delayed discrimination task, participants differentiated the intensity of 2 sequentially applied stimuli after a delay interval. Compared with nonpain discrimination, pain discrimination performance was modulated by participants' vigilance to pain, which was reflected by the functional connectivity between the left inferior parietal lobule and the right thalamus. Of note, this vigilance-related functional coupling specifically predicted participants' behavioral ability to differentiate pain intensities. Moreover, unique to pain discrimination tasks, the response in the right superior frontal gyrus linearly represented the Weber fraction for pain intensity, which significantly biased participants' pain discriminability. These findings suggest that pain intensity discrimination in humans relies on vigilance-related enhancement in the parieto-thalamic attention network, thereby allowing the prefrontal cortex to estimate the relative intensity differences between noxious stimuli.
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26
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Palsson TS, Boudreau SA, Krebs HJ, Graven-Nielsen T. Experimental Referred Pain Extends Toward Previously Injured Location: An Explorative Study. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2018; 19:1189-1200. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2018.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Revised: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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27
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Kim J, Kang I, Chung YA, Kim TS, Namgung E, Lee S, Oh JK, Jeong HS, Cho H, Kim MJ, Kim TD, Choi SH, Lim SM, Lyoo IK, Yoon S. Altered attentional control over the salience network in complex regional pain syndrome. Sci Rep 2018; 8:7466. [PMID: 29748588 PMCID: PMC5945627 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-25757-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2017] [Accepted: 04/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The degree and salience of pain have been known to be constantly monitored and modulated by the brain. In the case of maladaptive neural responses as reported in centralized pain conditions such as complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), the perception of pain is amplified and remains elevated even without sustained peripheral pain inputs. Given that the attentional state of the brain greatly influences the perception and interpretation of pain, we investigated the role of the attention network and its dynamic interactions with other pain-related networks of the brain in CRPS. We examined alterations in the intra- and inter-network functional connectivities in 21 individuals with CRPS and 49 controls. CRPS-related reduction in intra-network functional connectivity was found in the attention network. Individuals with CRPS had greater inter-network connectivities between the attention and salience networks as compared with healthy controls. Furthermore, individuals within the CRPS group with high levels of pain catastrophizing showed greater inter-network connectivities between the attention and salience networks. Taken together, the current findings suggest that these altered connectivities may be potentially associated with the maladaptive pain coping as found in CRPS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jungyoon Kim
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womnans University, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ilhyang Kang
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womnans University, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yong-An Chung
- Department of Radiology, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Tae-Suk Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Eun Namgung
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womnans University, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Suji Lee
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womnans University, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jin Kyoung Oh
- Department of Radiology, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hyeonseok S Jeong
- Department of Radiology, Incheon St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hanbyul Cho
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womnans University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Myeong Ju Kim
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womnans University, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Tammy D Kim
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womnans University, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Soo Hyun Choi
- School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, USA
| | - Soo Mee Lim
- Department of Radiology, Ewha Womans University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - In Kyoon Lyoo
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womnans University, Seoul, South Korea. .,Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea. .,College of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea.
| | - Sujung Yoon
- Ewha Brain Institute, Ewha Womnans University, Seoul, South Korea. .,Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea.
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28
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Zhang J, Su J, Wang M, Zhao Y, Zhang QT, Yao Q, Lu H, Zhang H, Li GF, Wu YL, Liu YS, Liu FD, Zhuang MT, Shi YH, Hou TY, Zhao R, Qiao Y, Li J, Liu JR, Du X. The Posterior Insula Shows Disrupted Brain Functional Connectivity in Female Migraineurs Without Aura Based on Brainnetome Atlas. Sci Rep 2017; 7:16868. [PMID: 29203874 PMCID: PMC5715029 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-17069-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-term headache attacks may cause human brain network reorganization in patients with migraine. In the current study, we calculated the topologic properties of functional networks based on the Brainnetome atlas using graph theory analysis in 29 female migraineurs without aura (MWoA) and in 29 female age-matched healthy controls. Compared with controls, female MWoA exhibited that the network properties altered, and the nodal centralities decreased/increased in some brain areas. In particular, the right posterior insula and the left medial superior occipital gyrus of patients exhibited significantly decreased nodal centrality compared with healthy controls. Furthermore, female MWoA exhibited a disrupted functional network, and notably, the two sub-regions of the right posterior insula exhibited decreased functional connectivity with many other brain regions. The topological metrics of functional networks in female MWoA included alterations in the nodal centrality of brain regions and disrupted connections between pair regions primarily involved in the discrimination of sensory features of pain, pain modulation or processing and sensory integration processing. In addition, the posterior insula decreased the nodal centrality, and exhibited disrupted connectivity with many other brain areas in female migraineurs, which suggests that the posterior insula plays an important role in female migraine pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jilei Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Department of Physics, School of Physics and Materials Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China
| | - Jingjing Su
- Department of Neurology and Jiuyuan Municipal Stroke Center, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Mengxing Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Department of Physics, School of Physics and Materials Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China
| | - Ying Zhao
- Department of Neurology and Jiuyuan Municipal Stroke Center, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Qi-Ting Zhang
- Department of Neurology and Jiuyuan Municipal Stroke Center, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Qian Yao
- Department of Neurology and Jiuyuan Municipal Stroke Center, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Haifeng Lu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Department of Physics, School of Physics and Materials Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Department of Physics, School of Physics and Materials Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China
| | - Ge-Fei Li
- Department of Neurology and Jiuyuan Municipal Stroke Center, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Yi-Lan Wu
- Department of Neurology and Jiuyuan Municipal Stroke Center, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Yi-Sheng Liu
- Department of Neurology and Jiuyuan Municipal Stroke Center, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Feng-Di Liu
- Department of Neurology and Jiuyuan Municipal Stroke Center, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China.,Clinical Research Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Mei-Ting Zhuang
- Department of Neurology and Jiuyuan Municipal Stroke Center, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Yan-Hui Shi
- Department of Neurology and Jiuyuan Municipal Stroke Center, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China.,Clinical Research Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Tian-Yu Hou
- Department of Neurology and Jiuyuan Municipal Stroke Center, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Rong Zhao
- Department of Neurology and Jiuyuan Municipal Stroke Center, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China.,Clinical Research Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Yuan Qiao
- Department of Neurology and Jiuyuan Municipal Stroke Center, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China.,Clinical Research Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Jianqi Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Department of Physics, School of Physics and Materials Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China
| | - Jian-Ren Liu
- Department of Neurology and Jiuyuan Municipal Stroke Center, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China. .,Clinical Research Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China.
| | - Xiaoxia Du
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Department of Physics, School of Physics and Materials Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China.
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29
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Determining the Neural Substrate for Encoding a Memory of Human Pain and the Influence of Anxiety. J Neurosci 2017; 37:11806-11817. [PMID: 29097595 PMCID: PMC5719969 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0750-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2017] [Revised: 08/31/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
To convert a painful stimulus into a briefly maintainable construct when the painful stimulus is no longer accessible is essential to guide human behavior and avoid dangerous situations. Because of the aversive nature of pain, this encoding process might be influenced by emotional aspects and could thus vary across individuals, but we have yet to understand both the basic underlying neural mechanisms as well as potential interindividual differences. Using fMRI in combination with a delayed-discrimination task in healthy volunteers of both sexes, we discovered that brain regions involved in this working memory encoding process were dissociable according to whether the to-be-remembered stimulus was painful or not, with the medial thalamus and the rostral anterior cingulate cortex encoding painful and the primary somatosensory cortex encoding nonpainful stimuli. Encoding of painful stimuli furthermore significantly enhanced functional connectivity between the thalamus and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). With regards to emotional aspects influencing encoding processes, we observed that more anxious participants showed significant performance advantages when encoding painful stimuli. Importantly, only during the encoding of pain, the interindividual differences in anxiety were associated with the strength of coupling between medial thalamus and mPFC, which was furthermore related to activity in the amygdala. These results indicate not only that there is a distinct signature for the encoding of a painful experience in humans, but also that this encoding process involves a strong affective component. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT To convert the sensation of pain into a briefly maintainable construct is essential to guide human behavior and avoid dangerous situations. Although this working memory encoding process is implicitly contained in the majority of studies, the underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear. Using fMRI in a delayed-discrimination task, we found that the encoding of pain engaged the activation of the medial thalamus and the functional connectivity between the thalamus and medial prefrontal cortex. These fMRI data were directly and indirectly related to participants' self-reported trait and state anxiety. Our findings indicate that the mechanisms responsible for the encoding of noxious stimuli differ from those for the encoding of innocuous stimuli, and that these mechanisms are shaped by an individual's anxiety levels.
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30
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Abstract
The dynamics of noxious sensation shapes pain perception, yet the memory of the temporal dimension of pain remains almost completely unexplored. Here, brain activity during the memory of pain duration was contrasted with that associated with the memory of pain intensity using functional magnetic resonance imaging and a delayed reproduction task. Participants encoded, maintained during a short delay, and reproduced (1) the "duration" of pain (ie, onset-to-offset), (2) the "dynamics" of pain (ie, evolution of pain over time), or (3) the intensity of pain (ie, control with no explicit temporal processing required). Results show that the inferior frontal gyrus/insula and adjacent striatal structures as well as the supramarginal and middle temporal gyri are activated in the duration task compared to the control intensity task. Specific examination of the memory delay of the duration task further revealed activation in the supramarginal gyrus extending to the parietal operculum (possibly SII) and primary somatosensory cortex (SI). In contrast, the memory delay of the dynamic task involved the bilateral supplementary motor area and the frontoparietal attentional network. Although SI, SII, and insula may contribute to the memory trace of pain sensation, other areas less commonly reported in pain studies are associated with time processing and may therefore contribute to the processing of temporal aspects of pain. Results further suggest a differential role of core timing regions of the brain depending on specific task instructions and attentional allocations to the single dimension of time, as compared to the joint processing of both time and intensity.
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31
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Zeidan F, Vago DR. Mindfulness meditation-based pain relief: a mechanistic account. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2017; 1373:114-27. [PMID: 27398643 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2016] [Revised: 05/25/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Pain is a multidimensional experience that involves interacting sensory, cognitive, and affective factors, rendering the treatment of chronic pain challenging and financially burdensome. Further, the widespread use of opioids to treat chronic pain has led to an opioid epidemic characterized by exponential growth in opioid misuse and addiction. The staggering statistics related to opioid use highlight the importance of developing, testing, and validating fast-acting nonpharmacological approaches to treat pain. Mindfulness meditation is a technique that has been found to significantly reduce pain in experimental and clinical settings. The present review delineates findings from recent studies demonstrating that mindfulness meditation significantly attenuates pain through multiple, unique mechanisms-an important consideration for the millions of chronic pain patients seeking narcotic-free, self-facilitated pain therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fadel Zeidan
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - David R Vago
- Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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32
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Greater fear of visceral pain contributes to differences between visceral and somatic pain in healthy women. Pain 2017; 158:1599-1608. [DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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33
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Torta D, Legrain V, Mouraux A, Valentini E. Attention to pain! A neurocognitive perspective on attentional modulation of pain in neuroimaging studies. Cortex 2017; 89:120-134. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2017.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2016] [Revised: 12/05/2016] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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34
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Perceptual learning to discriminate the intensity and spatial location of nociceptive stimuli. Sci Rep 2016; 6:39104. [PMID: 27996022 PMCID: PMC5171856 DOI: 10.1038/srep39104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2016] [Accepted: 11/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Accurate discrimination of the intensity and spatial location of nociceptive stimuli is essential to guide appropriate behaviour. The ability to discriminate the attributes of sensory stimuli is continuously refined by practice, even throughout adulthood - a phenomenon called perceptual learning. In the visual domain, perceptual learning to discriminate one of the features that define a visual stimulus (e.g., its orientation) can transfer to a different feature of the same stimulus (e.g., its contrast). Here, we performed two experiments on 48 volunteers to characterize perceptual learning in nociception, which has been rarely studied. We investigated whether learning to discriminate either the intensity or the location of nociceptive stimuli (1) occurs during practice and is subsequently maintained, (2) requires feedback on performance, and (3) transfers to the other, unpractised stimulus feature. First, we found clear evidence that perceptual learning in discriminating both the intensity and the location of nociceptive stimuli occurs, and is maintained for at least 3 hours after practice. Second, learning occurs only when feedback is provided during practice. Finally, learning is largely confined to the feature for which feedback was provided. We discuss these effects in a predictive coding framework, and consider implications for future studies.
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35
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Aasted CM, Yücel MA, Steele SC, Peng K, Boas DA, Becerra L, Borsook D. Frontal Lobe Hemodynamic Responses to Painful Stimulation: A Potential Brain Marker of Nociception. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0165226. [PMID: 27806119 PMCID: PMC5091745 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0165226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Accepted: 10/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to use functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to examine patterns of both activation and deactivation that occur in the frontal lobe in response to noxious stimuli. The frontal lobe was selected because it has been shown to be activated by noxious stimuli in functional magnetic resonance imaging studies. The brain region is located behind the forehead which is devoid of hair, providing a relative ease of placement for fNIRS probes on this area of the head. Based on functional magnetic resonance imaging studies showing blood-oxygenation-level dependent changes in the frontal lobes, we evaluated functional near-infrared spectroscopy measures in response to two levels of electrical pain in awake, healthy human subjects (n = 10; male = 10). Each subject underwent two recording sessions separated by a 30-minute resting period. Data collected from 7 subjects were analyzed, containing a total of 38/36 low/high intensity pain stimuli for the first recording session and 27/31 pain stimuli for the second session. Our results show that there is a robust and significant deactivation in sections of the frontal cortices. Further development and definition of the specificity and sensitivity of the approach may provide an objective measure of nociceptive activity in the brain that can be easily applied in the surgical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M Aasted
- Center for Pain and the Brain, Harvard Medical School; Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.,Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School; Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.,Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School; Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Meryem A Yücel
- Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School; Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Sarah C Steele
- Center for Pain and the Brain, Harvard Medical School; Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.,Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School; Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.,Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School; Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Ke Peng
- Center for Pain and the Brain, Harvard Medical School; Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.,Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School; Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.,Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School; Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - David A Boas
- Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School; Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Lino Becerra
- Center for Pain and the Brain, Harvard Medical School; Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.,Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School; Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.,Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School; Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - David Borsook
- Center for Pain and the Brain, Harvard Medical School; Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.,Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School; Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.,Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School; Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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36
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Abstract
The subjective experience of pain is influenced by interactions between experiences, future predictions, and incoming afferent information. Expectations of high pain can exacerbate pain, whereas expectations of low pain during a consistently noxious stimulus can produce significant reductions in pain. However, the brain mechanisms associated with processing mismatches between expected and experienced pain are poorly understood, but are important for imparting salience to a sensory event to override erroneous top-down expectancy-mediated information. This investigation examined pain-related brain activation when expectations of pain were abruptly violated. After conditioning participants to cues predicting low or high pain, 10 incorrectly cued stimuli were administered across 56 stimulus trials to determine whether expectations would be less influential on pain when there is a high discordance between prestimulus cues and corresponding thermal stimulation. Incorrectly cued stimuli produced pain ratings and pain-related brain activation consistent with placebo analgesia, nocebo hyperalgesia, and violated expectations. Violated expectations of pain were associated with activation in distinct regions of the inferior parietal lobe, including the supramarginal and angular gyrus, and intraparietal sulcus, the superior parietal lobe, cerebellum, and occipital lobe. Thus, violated expectations of pain engage mechanisms supporting salience-driven sensory discrimination, working memory, and associative learning processes. By overriding the influence of expectations on pain, these brain mechanisms are likely engaged in clinical situations in which patients' unrealistic expectations of pain relief diminish the efficacy of pain treatments. Accordingly, these findings underscore the importance of maintaining realistic expectations to augment the effectiveness of pain management.
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37
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Reinstatement of pain-related brain activation during the recognition of neutral images previously paired with nociceptive stimuli. Pain 2016; 156:1501-1510. [PMID: 25906345 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Remembering an event partially reactivates cortical and subcortical brain regions that were engaged during its experience and encoding. Such reinstatement of neuronal activation has been observed in different sensory systems, including the visual, auditory, olfactory, and somatosensory domain. However, so far, this phenomenon of incidental memory has not been explored in the context of pain. In this functional magnetic resonance imaging study, we investigated the neural reinstatement of pain-related and tone-related activations during the recognition of neutral images that had been encoded during (1) painful stimulation, (2) auditory stimulation of comparable unpleasantness, or (3) no additional stimulation. Stimulus-specific reinstatement was tested in 24 healthy male and female participants who performed a visual categorization task (encoding) that was immediately followed by a surprise recognition task. Neural responses were acquired in both sessions. Our data show a partial reinstatement of brain regions frequently associated with pain processing, including the left posterior insula, bilateral putamen, and right operculum, during the presentation of images previously paired with painful heat. This effect was specific to painful stimuli. Moreover, the bilateral ventral striatum showed stronger responses for remembered pain-associated images as compared with tone-associated images, suggesting a higher behavioral relevance of remembering neutral pictures previously paired with pain. Our results support the biological relevance of pain in that only painful but not equally unpleasant auditory stimuli were able to "tag" neutral images during their simultaneous presentation and reactivate pain-related brain regions. Such mechanisms might contribute to the development or maintenance of chronic pain and deserve further investigation in clinical populations.
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38
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Bresch A, Rullmann M, Luthardt J, Arelin K, Becker GA, Patt M, Lobsien D, Baldofski S, Drabe M, Zeisig V, Regenthal R, Blüher M, Hilbert A, Sabri O, Hesse S. In-vivo serotonin transporter availability and somatization in healthy subjects. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2016.01.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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39
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The Anatomy of Suffering: Understanding the Relationship between Nociceptive and Empathic Pain. Trends Cogn Sci 2016; 20:249-259. [PMID: 26944221 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2016.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2015] [Revised: 01/15/2016] [Accepted: 02/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Pain features centrally in numerous illnesses and generates enormous public health costs. Despite its ubiquity, the psychological and neurophysiological nature of pain remains controversial. Here, we survey one controversy in particular: the relation between nociceptive pain, which is somatic in origin, and empathic pain, which arises from observing others in pain. First, we review evidence for neural overlap between nociceptive and empathic pain and what this overlap implies about underlying mental representations. Then, we propose a framework for understanding the nature of the psychological and neurophysiological correspondence across these types of 'pain'. This framework suggests new directions for research that can better identify shared and dissociable representations underlying different types of distress, and can inform theories about the nature of pain.
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40
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Mindfulness Meditation-Based Pain Relief Employs Different Neural Mechanisms Than Placebo and Sham Mindfulness Meditation-Induced Analgesia. J Neurosci 2016; 35:15307-25. [PMID: 26586819 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2542-15.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 196] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Mindfulness meditation reduces pain in experimental and clinical settings. However, it remains unknown whether mindfulness meditation engages pain-relieving mechanisms other than those associated with the placebo effect (e.g., conditioning, psychosocial context, beliefs). To determine whether the analgesic mechanisms of mindfulness meditation are different from placebo, we randomly assigned 75 healthy, human volunteers to 4 d of the following: (1) mindfulness meditation, (2) placebo conditioning, (3) sham mindfulness meditation, or (4) book-listening control intervention. We assessed intervention efficacy using psychophysical evaluation of experimental pain and functional neuroimaging. Importantly, all cognitive manipulations (i.e., mindfulness meditation, placebo conditioning, sham mindfulness meditation) significantly attenuated pain intensity and unpleasantness ratings when compared to rest and the control condition (p < 0.05). Mindfulness meditation reduced pain intensity (p = 0.032) and pain unpleasantness (p < 0.001) ratings more than placebo analgesia. Mindfulness meditation also reduced pain intensity (p = 0.030) and pain unpleasantness (p = 0.043) ratings more than sham mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness-meditation-related pain relief was associated with greater activation in brain regions associated with the cognitive modulation of pain, including the orbitofrontal, subgenual anterior cingulate, and anterior insular cortex. In contrast, placebo analgesia was associated with activation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and deactivation of sensory processing regions (secondary somatosensory cortex). Sham mindfulness meditation-induced analgesia was not correlated with significant neural activity, but rather by greater reductions in respiration rate. This study is the first to demonstrate that mindfulness-related pain relief is mechanistically distinct from placebo analgesia. The elucidation of this distinction confirms the existence of multiple, cognitively driven, supraspinal mechanisms for pain modulation. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Recent findings have demonstrated that mindfulness meditation significantly reduces pain. Given that the "gold standard" for evaluating the efficacy of behavioral interventions is based on appropriate placebo comparisons, it is imperative that we establish whether there is an effect supporting meditation-related pain relief above and beyond the effects of placebo. Here, we provide novel evidence demonstrating that mindfulness meditation produces greater pain relief and employs distinct neural mechanisms than placebo cream and sham mindfulness meditation. Specifically, mindfulness meditation-induced pain relief activated higher-order brain regions, including the orbitofrontal and cingulate cortices. In contrast, placebo analgesia was associated with decreased pain-related brain activation. These findings demonstrate that mindfulness meditation reduces pain through unique mechanisms and may foster greater acceptance of meditation as an adjunct pain therapy.
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41
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Stanton TR, Gilpin HR, Reid E, Mancini F, Spence C, Moseley GL. Modulation of pain via expectation of its location. Eur J Pain 2015; 20:753-66. [PMID: 26491945 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The spatial precision of expectancy effects on pain is unclear. We hypothesized that expecting nociceptive stimuli at particular skin sites would have an analgesic effect on nociceptive stimuli presented between them (middle zone). METHODS Laser stimuli (evoking pin-prick pain) were delivered to three discrete skin zones on the forearm, under two conditions. During 'Localization', participants' expectation of stimuli was spatially divided between two locations (expected stimuli in only the outer two skin zones): pain intensity and stimulus location were judged. During 'No-localization' (control condition), participants had no expectation concerning stimulus location; only pain intensity was rated. Additional experiments assessed the importance of the actual location on the forearm by: shifting all skin zones proximally towards the elbow (control for joint proximity, Experiment 2); adding a fourth zone distally (control for interaction between joint proximity and enhanced distal inhibition, Experiment 3). RESULTS All experiments demonstrated spatially specific pain modulation, but only Experiment 2 (near elbow) supported our hypothesis: middle zone pain intensity was significantly lower (p = 0.02) during Localization than No-localization. Experiment 1 (near wrist) found reduced pain intensity during Localization only for the distal zone (p = 0.04). Experiment 3 confirmed this effect: reduced pain during Localization occurred only for the most distal zone (p = 0.046). CONCLUSION Expecting a painful stimulus in non-adjacent skin sites has spatially specific effects on pain modulation, but this reflects an interaction between the expected location of stimulation and the actual location. This suggests a more complex connection between somatotopic maps and nociceptive modulation than previously thought; several distinct mechanisms likely contribute.
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Affiliation(s)
- T R Stanton
- The Sansom Institute for Health Research, The University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia
| | - H R Gilpin
- The Sansom Institute for Health Research, The University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
- School of Psychology, The University of Nottingham, UK
| | - E Reid
- The Sansom Institute for Health Research, The University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
| | - F Mancini
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, UK
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, UK
| | - C Spence
- Crossmodal Research Laboratory, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, UK
| | - G L Moseley
- The Sansom Institute for Health Research, The University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia
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42
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Kim J, Loggia ML, Cahalan CM, Harris RE, Beissner F, Garcia RG, Kim H, Wasan AD, Edwards RR, Napadow V. The somatosensory link in fibromyalgia: functional connectivity of the primary somatosensory cortex is altered by sustained pain and is associated with clinical/autonomic dysfunction. Arthritis Rheumatol 2015; 67:1395-1405. [PMID: 25622796 DOI: 10.1002/art.39043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2014] [Accepted: 01/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic functional pain syndrome characterized by widespread pain, significant pain catastrophizing, sympathovagal dysfunction, and amplified temporal summation for evoked pain. While several studies have demonstrated altered resting brain connectivity in FM, studies have not specifically probed the somatosensory system and its role in both somatic and nonsomatic FM symptoms. Our objective was to evaluate resting primary somatosensory cortex (S1) connectivity and to explore how sustained, evoked deep tissue pain modulates this connectivity. METHODS We acquired functional magnetic resonance imaging and electrocardiography data on FM patients and healthy controls during rest (the rest phase) and during sustained mechanical pressure-induced pain over the lower leg (the pain phase). Functional connectivity associated with different S1 subregions was calculated, while S1(leg) connectivity (representation of the leg in the primary somatosensory cortex) was contrasted between the rest phase and the pain phase and was correlated with clinically relevant measures in FM. RESULTS During the rest phase, FM patients showed decreased connectivity between multiple ipsilateral and cross-hemispheric S1 subregions, which was correlated with clinical pain severity. Compared to the rest phase, the pain phase produced increased S1(leg) connectivity to the bilateral anterior insula in FM patients, but not in healthy controls. Moreover, in FM patients, sustained pain-altered S1(leg) connectivity to the anterior insula was correlated with clinical/behavioral pain measures and autonomic responses. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrates that both somatic and nonsomatic dysfunction in FM, including clinical pain, pain catastrophizing, autonomic dysfunction, and amplified temporal summation, are closely linked with the degree to which evoked deep tissue pain alters S1 connectivity to salience/affective pain-processing regions. Additionally, diminished connectivity between S1 subregions during the rest phase in FM may result from ongoing widespread clinical pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jieun Kim
- MGH/MIT/HMS Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown, MA.,Division of Medical Research, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Marco L Loggia
- MGH/MIT/HMS Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown, MA.,Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School (HMS), Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | - Christine M Cahalan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School (HMS), Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | - Richard E Harris
- Department of Anesthesiology, Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center, University of Michigan Health Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Florian Beissner
- MGH/MIT/HMS Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown, MA.,Somatosensory and Autonomic Therapy Research, Institute for Neuroradiology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ronald G Garcia
- MGH/MIT/HMS Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown, MA.,Masira Research Institute, School of Medicine, Universidad de Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia
| | - Hyungjun Kim
- MGH/MIT/HMS Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown, MA.,Division of Medical Research, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Ajay D Wasan
- Departments of Anesthesiology and Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA, USA
| | - Robert R Edwards
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School (HMS), Chestnut Hill, MA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, HMS, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Vitaly Napadow
- MGH/MIT/HMS Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown, MA.,Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School (HMS), Chestnut Hill, MA, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Electronics and Information, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Korea
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43
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Li K, Zhang Y, Ning Y, Zhang H, Liu H, Fu C, Ren Y, Zou Y. The effects of acupuncture treatment on the right frontoparietal network in migraine without aura patients. J Headache Pain 2015; 16:518. [PMID: 25916336 PMCID: PMC4411327 DOI: 10.1186/s10194-015-0518-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2015] [Accepted: 04/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Functional and structural abnormalities in resting-state brain networks in migraine patients have been confirmed by previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies. However, few studies focusing on the neural responses of therapeutic treatment on migraine have been conducted. In this study, we tried to examined the treatment-related effects of standard acupuncture treatment on the right frontoparietal network (RFPN) in migraine patients. METHODS A total of 12 migraine without aura (MWoA) patients were recruited to undergo resting-state fMRI scanning and were rescanned after 4 weeks standard acupuncture treatment. Another 12 matched healthy control (HC) subjects underwent once scanning for comparison. We analyzed the functional connectivity of the RFPN between MWoA patients and HC subjects before treatment and that of the MWoA patients before and after treatment. Diffusion tensor images (DTI) data analyzing was also performed to detect fiber-related treatment responses. RESULTS We observed significantly decreased FC in the RFPN and that the decreased FC could be reversed by acupuncture treatment. The changes of FC in MWoA patients was negatively correlated with the decrease of visual analogue scale (VAS) scores after treatment. This study indicated that acupuncture treatment for MWoA patients was associated with normalizing effects on the intrinsic decreased FC of the RFPN. CONCLUSIONS Our study provided new insights into the treatment-related neural responses in MWoA patients and suggested potential functional pathways for the evaluation of treatment in MWoA patients. Future studies are still in need to confirm the current results and to elucidate the complex neural mechanisms of acupuncture treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuangshi Li
- Department of Neurology and Stroke Center, Dongzhimen Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100700, China,
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44
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Emerson NM, Zeidan F, Lobanov OV, Hadsel MS, Martucci KT, Quevedo AS, Starr CJ, Nahman-Averbuch H, Weissman-Fogel I, Granovsky Y, Yarnitsky D, Coghill RC. Pain sensitivity is inversely related to regional grey matter density in the brain. Pain 2013; 155:566-573. [PMID: 24333778 DOI: 10.1016/j.pain.2013.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2013] [Revised: 11/19/2013] [Accepted: 12/04/2013] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Pain is a highly personal experience that varies substantially among individuals. In search of an anatomical correlate of pain sensitivity, we used voxel-based morphometry to investigate the relationship between grey matter density across the whole brain and interindividual differences in pain sensitivity in 116 healthy volunteers (62 women, 54 men). Structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and psychophysical data from 10 previous functional MRI studies were used. Age, sex, unpleasantness ratings, scanner sequence, and sensory testing location were added to the model as covariates. Regression analysis of grey matter density across the whole brain and thermal pain intensity ratings at 49°C revealed a significant inverse relationship between pain sensitivity and grey matter density in bilateral regions of the posterior cingulate cortex, precuneus, intraparietal sulcus, and inferior parietal lobule. Unilateral regions of the left primary somatosensory cortex also exhibited this inverse relationship. No regions showed a positive relationship to pain sensitivity. These structural variations occurred in areas associated with the default mode network, attentional direction and shifting, as well as somatosensory processing. These findings underscore the potential importance of processes related to default mode thought and attention in shaping individual differences in pain sensitivity and indicate that pain sensitivity can potentially be predicted on the basis of brain structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nichole M Emerson
- Department of Neuroscience, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA Laboratory of Clinical Neurophysiology, Technion Faculty of Medicine, Haifa, Israel Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel Department of Neurology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel
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45
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Lin CS, Niddam DM, Hsu ML. Meta-analysis on brain representation of experimental dental pain. J Dent Res 2013; 93:126-33. [PMID: 24221915 DOI: 10.1177/0022034513512654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been widely used for investigating the brain representation associated with dental pain evoked by pulpal electrical stimulation. However, because of the heterogeneity of experimental designs and the small sample size of individual studies, the common brain representation regarding dental pain has remained elusive. We used imaging meta-analysis to investigate six dental pain-related fMRI studies (n = 87) and tested 3 hypotheses: (1) Dental pain is associated with the 'core' pain-related network; (2) pain-related brain activation is somatotopically organized in the somatosensory cortex; and (3) dental pain is associated with the cognitive-affective network related to pain. Qualitative and quantitative meta-analyses revealed: (1) common activation of the core pain-related network, including the somatosensory cortex, the insula, and the cingulate cortex; (2) inconsistency in somatotopically organized activation of the primary somatosensory cortex; and (3) common activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, suggesting a role of re-appraisal and coping in the experience of dental pain. In conclusion, fMRI combined with pulpal stimulation can effectively evoke activity in the pain-related network. The dental pain-related brain representation disclosed the mechanisms of how sensory and cognitive-affective factors shape dental pain, which will help in the development of more effective customized methods for central pain control.
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Affiliation(s)
- C-S Lin
- Department of Dentistry, School of Dentistry, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
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46
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Lobanov OV, Zeidan F, McHaffie JG, Kraft RA, Coghill RC. From cue to meaning: brain mechanisms supporting the construction of expectations of pain. Pain 2013; 155:129-136. [PMID: 24055334 DOI: 10.1016/j.pain.2013.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2013] [Revised: 09/12/2013] [Accepted: 09/12/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The brain mechanisms by which sensory cues become transformed into expectations of impending events are a critical component of cognitive tuning of sensory processing. However, distinctions among the afferent processing of cue-related activity itself versus those mechanisms supporting the contextual meaning imparted to the cue remain limited. Do sensory cues with equal meaning engage similar patterns of brain activations even if they are delivered in separate modalities? To address this question, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging of an expectation paradigm in which cues were delivered with visual or innocuous thermal stimuli. Cues were designed to be highly meaningful because they predicted the delivery of high and low painful stimuli. As expected, the cues themselves activated unimodal sensory cortices. This cue modality-specific activation was transformed into a pattern of activity reflecting cue meaning. Cues signaling high pain produced greater activity in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex. Such activity is consistent with the graded encoding of the magnitude of expected pain. In contrast, cues signaling low pain produced greater activity in the right intraparietal sulcus. This activation may reflect processes directing spatial attention to the stimulated body region in order to more accurately evaluate the relatively weak, low pain stimulus. Taken together, these findings indicate that cues arising from different sensory modalities ultimately engage common brain mechanisms that reflect the meaning of the cue. This meaning-related activity is presumably critical for preparing sensory systems to optimally process afferent information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleg V Lobanov
- Neuroscience Program, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
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