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Mišić M, Lee N, Zidda F, Sohn K, Usai K, Löffler M, Uddin MN, Farooqi A, Schifitto G, Zhang Z, Nees F, Geha P, Flor H. Brain white matter pathways of resilience to chronic back pain: a multisite validation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.30.578024. [PMID: 38352359 PMCID: PMC10862888 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.30.578024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Chronic back pain (CBP) is a global health concern with significant societal and economic burden. While various predictors of back pain chronicity have been proposed, including demographic and psychosocial factors, neuroimaging studies have pointed to brain characteristics as predictors of CBP. However, large-scale, multisite validation of these predictors is currently lacking. In two independent longitudinal studies, we examined white matter diffusion imaging data and pain characteristics in patients with subacute back pain (SBP) over six- and 12-month periods. Diffusion data from individuals with CBP and healthy controls (HC) were analyzed for comparison. Whole-brain tract-based spatial statistics analyses revealed that a cluster in the right superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) tract had larger fractional anisotropy (FA) values in patients who recovered (SBPr) compared to those with persistent pain (SBPp), and predicted changes in pain severity. The SLF FA values accurately classified patients at baseline and follow-up in a third publicly available dataset (Area under the Receiver Operating Curve ~ 0.70). Notably, patients who recovered had FA values larger than those of HC suggesting a potential role of SLF integrity in resilience to CBP. Structural connectivity-based models also classified SBPp and SBPr patients from the three data sets (validation accuracy 67%). Our results validate the right SLF as a robust predictor of CBP development, with potential for clinical translation. Cognitive and behavioral processes dependent on the right SLF, such as proprioception and visuospatial attention, should be analyzed in subacute stages as they could prove important for back pain chronicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Mišić
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Noah Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, 14642 Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Francesca Zidda
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Kyungjin Sohn
- Department of Statistics and Operations Research, University of North Carolina, 27599 Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Katrin Usai
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Martin Löffler
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Md Nasir Uddin
- Department of Neurology, University of Rochester Medical Center, 14642 Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Arsalan Farooqi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, 14642 Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Giovanni Schifitto
- Department of Neurology, University of Rochester Medical Center, 14642 Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Zhengwu Zhang
- Department of Statistics and Operations Research, University of North Carolina, 27599 Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Frauke Nees
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Schleswig Holstein, Kiel University, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - Paul Geha
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, 14642 Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Herta Flor
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
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Mills EP, Bosma RL, Rogachov A, Cheng JC, Osborne NR, Kim JA, Besik A, Bhatia A, Davis KD. Pretreatment Brain White Matter Integrity Associated With Neuropathic Pain Relief and Changes in Temporal Summation of Pain Following Ketamine. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2024; 25:104536. [PMID: 38615801 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2024.104536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Neuropathic pain (NP) is a prevalent condition often associated with heightened pain responsiveness suggestive of central sensitization. Neuroimaging biomarkers of treatment outcomes may help develop personalized treatment strategies, but white matter (WM) properties have been underexplored for this purpose. Here we assessed whether WM pathways of the default mode network (DMN: medial prefrontal cortex [mPFC], posterior cingulate cortex, and precuneus) and descending pain modulation system (periaqueductal gray [PAG]) are associated with ketamine analgesia and attenuated temporal summation of pain (TSP, reflecting central sensitization) in NP. We used a fixel-based analysis of diffusion-weighted imaging data to evaluate WM microstructure (fiber density [FD]) and macrostructure (fiber bundle cross-section) within the DMN and mPFC-PAG pathways in 70 individuals who underwent magnetic resonance imaging and TSP testing; 35 with NP who underwent ketamine treatment and 35 age- and sex-matched pain-free individuals. Individuals with NP were assessed before and 1 month after treatment; those with ≥30% pain relief were considered responders (n = 18), or otherwise as nonresponders (n = 17). We found that WM structure within the DMN and mPFC-PAG pathways did not differentiate responders from nonresponders. However, pretreatment FD in the anterior limb of the internal capsule correlated with pain relief (r=.48). Moreover, pretreatment FD in the DMN (left mPFC-precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex; r=.52) and mPFC-PAG (r=.42) negatively correlated with changes in TSP. This suggests that WM microstructure in the DMN and mPFC-PAG pathway is associated with the degree to which ketamine reduces central sensitization. Thus, fixel metrics of WM structure may hold promise to predict ketamine NP treatment outcomes. PERSPECTIVE: We used advanced fixel-based analyses of MRI diffusion-weighted imaging data to identify pretreatment WM microstructure associated with ketamine outcomes, including analgesia and markers of attenuated central sensitization. Exploring associations between brain structure and treatment outcomes could contribute to a personalized approach to treatment for individuals with NP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily P Mills
- Division of Brain, Imaging, and Behaviour, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Rachael L Bosma
- Division of Brain, Imaging, and Behaviour, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anton Rogachov
- Division of Brain, Imaging, and Behaviour, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joshua C Cheng
- Division of Brain, Imaging, and Behaviour, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Natalie R Osborne
- Division of Brain, Imaging, and Behaviour, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Junseok A Kim
- Division of Brain, Imaging, and Behaviour, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ariana Besik
- Division of Brain, Imaging, and Behaviour, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anuj Bhatia
- Department of Anesthesia and Pain Management, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Anesthesia, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Karen D Davis
- Division of Brain, Imaging, and Behaviour, Krembil Brain Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Gilliam JR, Sahu PK, Vendemia JMC, Silfies SP. Association between seated trunk control and cortical sensorimotor white matter brain changes in patients with chronic low back pain. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0309344. [PMID: 39208294 PMCID: PMC11361694 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0309344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 08/11/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Trunk control involves integration of sensorimotor information in the brain. Individuals with chronic low back pain (cLBP) have impaired trunk control and show differences in brain structure and function in sensorimotor areas compared with healthy controls (HC). However, the relationship between brain structure and trunk control in this group is not well understood. This cross-sectional study aimed to compare seated trunk control and sensorimotor white matter (WM) structure in people with cLBP and HC and explore relationships between WM properties and trunk control in each group. Thirty-two people with cLBP and 35 HC were tested sitting on an unstable chair to isolate trunk control; performance was measured using the 95% confidence ellipse area (CEA95) of center-of-pressure tracing. A WM network between cortical sensorimotor regions of interest was derived using probabilistic tractography. WM microstructure and anatomical connectivity between cortical sensorimotor regions were assessed. A mixed-model ANOVA showed that people with cLBP had worse trunk control than HC (F = 12.96; p < .001; ηp2 = .091). There were no differences in WM microstructure or anatomical connectivity between groups (p = 0.564 to 0.940). In the cLBP group, WM microstructure was moderately correlated (|r| = .456 to .565; p ≤ .009) with trunk control. Additionally, the cLBP group demonstrated stronger relationships between anatomical connectivity and trunk control (|r| = .377 to .618 p < .034) compared to the HC group. Unique to the cLBP group, WM connectivity between right somatosensory and left motor areas highlights the importance of interhemispheric information exchange for trunk control. Parietal areas associated with attention and spatial reference frames were also relevant to trunk control. These findings suggest that people with cLBP adopt a more cortically driven sensorimotor integration strategy for trunk control. Future research should replicate these findings and identify interventions to effectively modulate this strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R. Gilliam
- Department of Exercise Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States of America
| | - Pradeep K. Sahu
- Department of Exercise Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States of America
| | - Jennifer M. C. Vendemia
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States of America
| | - Sheri P. Silfies
- Department of Exercise Science, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States of America
- Physical Therapy Program, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States of America
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Bautin P, Fortier MA, Sean M, Little G, Martel M, Descoteaux M, Léonard G, Tétreault P. What has brain diffusion magnetic resonance imaging taught us about chronic primary pain: a narrative review. Pain 2024:00006396-990000000-00689. [PMID: 39172945 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Chronic pain is a pervasive and debilitating condition with increasing implications for public health, affecting millions of individuals worldwide. Despite its high prevalence, the underlying neural mechanisms and pathophysiology remain only partly understood. Since its introduction 35 years ago, brain diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has emerged as a powerful tool to investigate changes in white matter microstructure and connectivity associated with chronic pain. This review synthesizes findings from 58 articles that constitute the current research landscape, covering methods and key discoveries. We discuss the evidence supporting the role of altered white matter microstructure and connectivity in chronic primary pain conditions, highlighting the importance of studying multiple chronic pain syndromes to identify common neurobiological pathways. We also explore the prospective clinical utility of diffusion MRI, such as its role in identifying diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic biomarkers. Furthermore, we address shortcomings and challenges associated with brain diffusion MRI in chronic primary pain studies, emphasizing the need for the harmonization of data acquisition and analysis methods. We conclude by highlighting emerging approaches and prospective avenues in the field that may provide new insights into the pathophysiology of chronic pain and potential new therapeutic targets. Because of the limited current body of research and unidentified targeted therapeutic strategies, we are forced to conclude that further research is required. However, we believe that brain diffusion MRI presents a promising opportunity for enhancing our understanding of chronic pain and improving clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Bautin
- Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Marc-Antoine Fortier
- Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Monica Sean
- Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Graham Little
- Sherbrooke Connectivity Imaging Lab (SCIL), Computer Science Department, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Marylie Martel
- Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Maxime Descoteaux
- Sherbrooke Connectivity Imaging Lab (SCIL), Computer Science Department, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Guillaume Léonard
- School of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Research Centre on Aging du Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l'Estrie-Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Pascal Tétreault
- Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
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Neumann N, Domin M, Lotze M. Gray matter volume of limbic brain structures during the development of chronic back pain: a longitudinal cohort study. Pain 2024:00006396-990000000-00686. [PMID: 39167465 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
ABSTRACT This study set out to investigate in a population-based longitudinal cohort, whether chronification of back pain (BP) is related to structural gray matter changes in corticolimbic brain structures. Gray matter volume (GMV) was measured in participants with chronic BP (CBP, n = 168) and controls without chronic pain (n = 323) at 2 time points with an interval of 7 years (baseline t1, follow-up t2). Over this time period, participants with CBP showed an increase of GMV in the left ventral striatum, whereas controls showed a decrease. By contrast, participants with CBP had a GMV decrease in the left parahippocampal gyrus. Within the CBP group, pain duration was negatively associated with GMV in the left caudate. Those with emerging CBP had less GMV in the right entorhinal area, right amygdala, and left medial frontal cortex. Additional variables differing between those who had BP at t1 and later developed CBP or not were pain intensity, body mass index, and depression score. In sum, these findings are in accordance with the notion that limbic brain properties are both predisposing risk factors and drivers of brain reorganization during the development of CBP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Neumann
- Institute of Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology, Functional Imaging Unit, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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Ito A, Yang S, Shinto E, Shinto A, Toyofuku A, Kurata J. Interhemispheric and Corticothalamic White-Matter Dysfunction Underlies Affective Morbidity and Impaired Pain Modulation in Chronic Pain. Anesth Analg 2024:00000539-990000000-00827. [PMID: 38837907 DOI: 10.1213/ane.0000000000006992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although patients with chronic pain show behavioral signs of impaired endogenous pain modulation, responsible cerebral networks have yet to be anatomically delineated. We used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to examine the white-matter alterations in patients with chronic pain compared with healthy subjects. We further measured thermal pain modulatory responses using the offset analgesia (OA) paradigm. We tested whether the white-matter indices be associated with psychophysical parameters reflecting morbidity and modulatory responses of pain in patients, and whether they could serve as diagnostic biomarkers of chronic pain. METHODS Twenty-six patients with chronic pain and 18 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were enrolled. After completing psychophysical questionnaires, they underwent OA measurement and whole-brain DTI in a 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging scanner. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and radial diffusivity (RD) of the white-matter were computed and compared between the groups with tract-based spatial statistics using the FMRIB Software Library (FSL) software. Correlations were sought among white-matter indices, thermal pain responses, and psychophysical parameters. The white-matter indices and OA-related parameters were tested whether they distinguish patients from controls by receiver operating characteristic analysis. RESULTS During OA, patients showed a shorter latency to the maximum (maximum visual analog scale [VAS] latency, 16.0 ± 3.7 vs 18.9 ± 3.1 second [mean ± standard deviation, SD]; P = .032) but a longer latency to the minimum pain (OA latency, 15.6 ± 3.5 vs 11.1 ± 4.2 seconds; P = .004) than controls. They showed a smaller mean FA (0.44 ± 0.12 vs 0.45 ± 0.11; P = .012) and a larger mean RD of the global white-matter (0.00057 ± 0.00002 vs 0.00056 ± 0.00002; P = .038) than controls, at specific areas including the corpus callosum, anterior thalamic radiation, and forceps major. FA of the splenium of the corpus callosum was associated with maximum VAS latency (r = 0.493) and OA latency (r = -0.552). The Pain Catastrophizing Scale scores showed strong negative correlations with FA across those specific areas (r = -0.405). Those latencies during OA and white-matter metrics distinguished patients from controls (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS Patients with chronic pain showed dysfunction of the white matter concerned with interhemispheric communication of sensorimotor information as well as descending corticothalamic modulation of pain in association with affective morbidity and altered temporal dynamics of pain perception. We suggest that an impaired interhemispheric modulation of pain, through the corpus callosum, might be a novel cerebral mechanism in chronification of pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi Ito
- From the Department of Psychosomatic Dentistry, Tokyo Medical and Dental University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sushuang Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Jikei University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Eri Shinto
- Department of Anesthesiology, Jikei University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsushi Shinto
- Department of Anesthesiology, Keio University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Akira Toyofuku
- From the Department of Psychosomatic Dentistry, Tokyo Medical and Dental University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Jiro Kurata
- From the Department of Psychosomatic Dentistry, Tokyo Medical and Dental University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Jikei University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Keio University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
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Wei X, Lai Y, Lan X, Tan Y, Zhang J, Liu J, Chen J, Wang C, Zhou X, Tang Y, Liu D, Zhang J. Uncovering brain functional connectivity disruption patterns of lung cancer-related pain. Brain Imaging Behav 2024; 18:576-587. [PMID: 38316730 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-023-00836-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Pain is a pervasive symptom in lung cancer patients during the onset of the disease. This study aims to investigate the connectivity disruption patterns of the whole-brain functional network in lung cancer patients with cancer pain (CP+). We constructed individual whole-brain, region of interest (ROI)-level functional connectivity (FC) networks for 50 CP+ patients, 34 lung cancer patients without pain-related complaints (CP-), and 31 matched healthy controls (HC). Then, a ROI-based FC analysis was used to determine the disruptions of FC among the three groups. The relationships between aberrant FCs and clinical parameters were also characterized. The ROI-based FC analysis demonstrated that hypo-connectivity was present both in CP+ and CP- patients compared to HC, which were particularly clustered in the somatomotor and ventral attention, frontoparietal control, and default mode modules. Notably, compared to CP- patients, CP+ patients had hyper-connectivity in several brain regions mainly distributed in the somatomotor and visual modules, suggesting these abnormal FC patterns may be significant for cancer pain. Moreover, CP+ patients also showed increased intramodular and intermodular connectivity strength of the functional network, which could be replicated in cancer stage IV and lung adenocarcinoma. Finally, abnormal FCs within the prefrontal cortex and somatomotor cortex were positively correlated with pain intensity and pain duration, respectively. These findings suggested that lung cancer patients with cancer pain had disrupted connectivity in the intrinsic brain functional network, which may be the underlying neuroimaging mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotong Wei
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Hanyu Road No. 181, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Yong Lai
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Hanyu Road No. 181, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Xiaosong Lan
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Hanyu Road No. 181, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Yong Tan
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Hanyu Road No. 181, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Hanyu Road No. 181, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Jiang Liu
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Hanyu Road No. 181, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Jiao Chen
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Hanyu Road No. 181, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Chengfang Wang
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Hanyu Road No. 181, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Xiaoyu Zhou
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Hanyu Road No. 181, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Yu Tang
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Hanyu Road No. 181, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China
| | - Daihong Liu
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Hanyu Road No. 181, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China.
| | - Jiuquan Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Hanyu Road No. 181, Shapingba District, Chongqing, 400030, China.
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Hecht JS, Moore KLJ, Roberts RF. Individuals With Prior Chronic Pain and Long-Term Opioid Treatment May Experience Persistence of That Pain Even After Subsequent Complete Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: Suggestions From a Prospective Case-Controlled Study. Arch Rehabil Res Clin Transl 2024; 6:100338. [PMID: 39006114 PMCID: PMC11240028 DOI: 10.1016/j.arrct.2024.100338] [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] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective To determine whether chronic pain persists after complete spinal cord injury (SCI). Design Prospective observational study regarding the outcome of pre-existent chronic pain of inpatients admitted with new clinically diagnosed complete cervical SCI. For patients who acknowledged chronic pain of ≥3 years duration before the SCI, further questions explored whether they still experienced that pain, whether they were experiencing current posttraumatic pain, and whether they had any past exposure to opioids. The included patients were identified during the initial consultation in the trauma center for treatment of the SCI. Setting Level I trauma center. Participants From a total of 49 participants with acute cervical SCI with clinically diagnosed complete motor and sensory tetraplegia admitted between 2018 and 2020, 7 were selected on the basis of a history of chronic pain. Intervention Collected complete history and performed physical examination with serial follow-ups during the acute hospital stay until death or discharge. Main Outcome Measures The primary outcome was a finding of chronic pain experienced before new clinical diagnosis of complete SCI, compared with whether or not that pain continued after the SCI injury. The secondary outcome was the relation of persistent pain with opioid use; it was formulated after data collection. Results Among 49 patients with clinically diagnosed complete cervical SCIs, 7 had experienced prior chronic pain. Four participants experienced a continuation of the prior pain after their complete tetraplegia (4/7), whereas 3 participants did not (3/7). All the participants with continued pain had been previously treated with opioids, whereas those whose pain ceased had not received chronic opioid therapy. Conclusions There may be a unique form of chronic pain that is based in the brain, irrespective of peripheral pain or spinal mechanisms. Otherwise healthy people with longstanding antecedent chronic pain whose pain persists after acute clinically complete SCI with tetraplegia may provide a new model for evaluation of brain-based pain. Opioids may be requisite for this type of pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey S. Hecht
- Division of Surgical Rehabilitation, Department of Surgery, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
| | - Kyle L. Johnson Moore
- Office of Research, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, United States
| | - Roy F. Roberts
- Division of Trauma, Department of Surgery, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
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Einhorn LM, Krishnan P, Poirier C, Ingelmo P. Chronic Postsurgical Pain in Children and Adolescents: A Call for Action. J Pain Res 2024; 17:1967-1978. [PMID: 38828088 PMCID: PMC11144433 DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s464009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) affects a significant proportion of children and adolescents after major surgery and is a detriment to both short- and long-term recovery outcomes. While clinical characteristics and psychosocial risk factors for developing CPSP in children and adults are well established in the literature, there has been little progress on the prevention and management of CPSP after pediatric surgery. Limited evidence to support current pharmacologic approaches suggests a fundamentally new paradigm must be considered by clinicians to both conceptualize and address this adverse complication. This narrative review provides a comprehensive evaluation of both the known and emerging mechanisms that support our current understanding of CPSP. Additionally, we discuss the importance of optimizing perioperative analgesic strategies to mitigate CPSP based on individual patient risks. We highlight the importance of postoperative pain trajectories to identify those most at risk for developing CPSP, the early referral to multi-disciplinary pain clinics for comprehensive evaluation and treatment of CPSP, and additional work needed to differentiate CPSP characteristics from other chronic pain syndromes in children. Finally, we recognize ongoing challenges associated with the universal implementation of available knowledge about pediatric CPSP into practically useful care plans for clinicians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M Einhorn
- Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Padmaja Krishnan
- Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine, Lillington, NC, USA
| | - Cassandra Poirier
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada
| | - Pablo Ingelmo
- Edwards Family Interdisciplinary Center for Complex Pain, Montreal Children’s Hospital, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Research Institute, McGill University Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Anesthesia, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Alan Edwards Center for Research in Pain, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Li X, Meng F, Huang W, Cui Y, Meng F, Wu S, Xu H. The Alterations in the Brain Corresponding to Low Back Pain: Recent Insights and Advances. Neural Plast 2024; 2024:5599046. [PMID: 38529366 PMCID: PMC10963108 DOI: 10.1155/2024/5599046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Low back pain (LBP) is a leading cause of global disabilities. Numerous molecular, cellular, and anatomical factors are implicated in LBP. Current issues regarding neurologic alterations in LBP have focused on the reorganization of peripheral nerve and spinal cord, but neural mechanisms of exactly what LBP impacts on the brain required further researches. Based on existing clinical studies that chronic pain problems were accompanying alterations in brain structures and functions, researchers proposed logical conjectures that similar alterations occur in LBP patients as well. With recent extensive studies carried out using noninvasive neuroimaging technique, increasing number of abnormalities and alterations has been identified. Here, we reviewed brain alterations including white matters, grey matters, and neural circuits between brain areas, which are involved in chronic LBP. Moreover, brain structural and functional connectivity abnormalities are correlated to the happening and transition of LBP. The negative emotions related to back pain indicate possible alterations in emotional brain regions. Thus, the aim of this review is to summarize current findings on the alterations corresponding to LBP in the brain. It will not only further our understanding of etiology of LBP and understanding of negative emotions accompanying with back pain but also provide ideas and basis for new accesses to the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation afterward based on integral medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuyang Li
- Department of Neurobiology and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medicine, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Fancheng Meng
- Department of Neurobiology and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medicine, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Wenye Huang
- Department of Neurobiology and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medicine, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yue Cui
- Department of Neurobiology and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medicine, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Fanbo Meng
- Department of Neurobiology and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medicine, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Shengxi Wu
- Department of Neurobiology and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medicine, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Hui Xu
- Department of Neurobiology and Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, School of Basic Medicine, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
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11
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Mei YD, Gao H, Chen WF, Zhu W, Gu C, Zhang JP, Tao JM, Hua XY. Research on the multidimensional brain remodeling mechanisms at the level of brain regions, circuits, and networks in patients with chronic lower back pain caused by lumbar disk herniation. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1357269. [PMID: 38516315 PMCID: PMC10956359 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1357269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Chronic lower back pain (cLBP), frequently attributed to lumbar disk herniation (LDH), imposes substantial limitations on daily activities. Despite its prevalence, the neural mechanisms underlying lower back pain remain incompletely elucidated. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) emerges as a non-invasive modality extensively employed for investigating neuroplastic changes in neuroscience. In this study, task-based and resting-state fMRI methodologies are employed to probe the central mechanisms of lower back pain. Methods The study included 71 chronic lower back pain patients (cLBP group) due to LDH and 80 age, gender, and education-matched healthy volunteers (HC group). The subjects are mainly middle-aged and elderly individuals. Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and Japanese Orthopedic Association Scores (JOA) were recorded. Resting-state and task-based fMRI data were collected. Results/discussion No significant differences were observed in age, gender, and education level between the two groups. In the cLBP group during task execution, there was diffuse and reduced activation observed in the primary motor cortex and supplementary motor area. Additionally, during resting states, notable changes were detected in brain regions, particularly in the frontal lobe, primary sensory area, primary motor cortex, precuneus, and caudate nucleus, accompanied by alterations in Amplitude of Low Frequency Fluctuation, Regional Homogeneity, Degree Centrality, and functional connectivity. These findings suggest that chronic lower back pain may entail reduced excitability in sensory-motor areas during tasks and heightened activity in the sensory-motor network during resting states, along with modified functional connectivity in various brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan-Dong Mei
- Department of Hand Surgery, the Second People’s Hospital of Changshu, Changshu, China
| | - Hang Gao
- Department of Rehabilitation, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei-Fei Chen
- Department of Hand Surgery, the Second People’s Hospital of Changshu, Changshu, China
| | - Wei Zhu
- Department of Hand Surgery, the Second People’s Hospital of Changshu, Changshu, China
| | - Chen Gu
- Department of Hand Surgery, the Second People’s Hospital of Changshu, Changshu, China
| | - Jun-Peng Zhang
- School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ji-Ming Tao
- Department of Rehabilitation, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xu-Yun Hua
- Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
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12
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Sluka KA, Wager TD, Sutherland SP, Labosky PA, Balach T, Bayman EO, Berardi G, Brummett CM, Burns J, Buvanendran A, Caffo B, Calhoun VD, Clauw D, Chang A, Coffey CS, Dailey DL, Ecklund D, Fiehn O, Fisch KM, Frey Law LA, Harris RE, Harte SE, Howard TD, Jacobs J, Jacobs JM, Jepsen K, Johnston N, Langefeld CD, Laurent LC, Lenzi R, Lindquist MA, Lokshin A, Kahn A, McCarthy RJ, Olivier M, Porter L, Qian WJ, Sankar CA, Satterlee J, Swensen AC, Vance CG, Waljee J, Wandner LD, Williams DA, Wixson RL, Zhou XJ. Predicting chronic postsurgical pain: current evidence and a novel program to develop predictive biomarker signatures. Pain 2023; 164:1912-1926. [PMID: 37326643 PMCID: PMC10436361 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Chronic pain affects more than 50 million Americans. Treatments remain inadequate, in large part, because the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the development of chronic pain remain poorly understood. Pain biomarkers could potentially identify and measure biological pathways and phenotypical expressions that are altered by pain, provide insight into biological treatment targets, and help identify at-risk patients who might benefit from early intervention. Biomarkers are used to diagnose, track, and treat other diseases, but no validated clinical biomarkers exist yet for chronic pain. To address this problem, the National Institutes of Health Common Fund launched the Acute to Chronic Pain Signatures (A2CPS) program to evaluate candidate biomarkers, develop them into biosignatures, and discover novel biomarkers for chronification of pain after surgery. This article discusses candidate biomarkers identified by A2CPS for evaluation, including genomic, proteomic, metabolomic, lipidomic, neuroimaging, psychophysical, psychological, and behavioral measures. Acute to Chronic Pain Signatures will provide the most comprehensive investigation of biomarkers for the transition to chronic postsurgical pain undertaken to date. Data and analytic resources generatedby A2CPS will be shared with the scientific community in hopes that other investigators will extract valuable insights beyond A2CPS's initial findings. This article will review the identified biomarkers and rationale for including them, the current state of the science on biomarkers of the transition from acute to chronic pain, gaps in the literature, and how A2CPS will address these gaps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen A. Sluka
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Tor D. Wager
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
| | - Stephani P. Sutherland
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Schools of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Patricia A. Labosky
- Office of Strategic Coordination, Division of Program Coordination, Planning and Strategic Initiatives, Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Tessa Balach
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Emine O. Bayman
- Clinical Trials and Data Management Center, Department of Biostatistics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Giovanni Berardi
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Chad M. Brummett
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - John Burns
- Division of Behavioral Sciences, Rush Medical College, Chicago, IL
| | | | - Brian Caffo
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Schools of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Vince D. Calhoun
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State, Georgia Tech, and Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | - Daniel Clauw
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Andrew Chang
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Christopher S. Coffey
- Clinical Trials and Data Management Center, Department of Biostatistics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Dana L. Dailey
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Dixie Ecklund
- Clinical Trials and Data Management Center, Department of Biostatistics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Oliver Fiehn
- University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Kathleen M. Fisch
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
- Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Laura A. Frey Law
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Richard E. Harris
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Steven E. Harte
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Timothy D. Howard
- Department of Biochemistry, Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winstom-Salem, NC
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winstom-Salem, NC
| | - Joshua Jacobs
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Rush Medical College, CHicago, IL
| | - Jon M. Jacobs
- Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA
| | | | | | - Carl D. Langefeld
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winstom-Salem, NC
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winstom-Salem, NC
| | - Louise C. Laurent
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Rebecca Lenzi
- Office of Strategic Coordination, Division of Program Coordination, Planning and Strategic Initiatives, Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Martin A. Lindquist
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Schools of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | | | - Ari Kahn
- Texas Advanced Computing Center, University of Texas, AUstin, TX
| | | | - Michael Olivier
- Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winstom-Salem, NC
- Department of Internal Medicine, Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winstom-Salem, NC
| | - Linda Porter
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD
- Office of Pain Policy and Planning National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Wei-Jun Qian
- Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA
| | - Cheryse A. Sankar
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD
| | | | - Adam C. Swensen
- Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA
| | - Carol G.T. Vance
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Jennifer Waljee
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Laura D. Wandner
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD
| | - David A. Williams
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
| | | | - Xiaohong Joe Zhou
- Center for MR Research and Departments of Radiology, Neurosurgery, and Bioengineering, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
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Duff IT, Krolick KN, Mahmoud HM, Chidambaran V. Current Evidence for Biological Biomarkers and Mechanisms Underlying Acute to Chronic Pain Transition across the Pediatric Age Spectrum. J Clin Med 2023; 12:5176. [PMID: 37629218 PMCID: PMC10455285 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12165176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain is highly prevalent in the pediatric population. Many factors are involved in the transition from acute to chronic pain. Currently, there are conceptual models proposed, but they lack a mechanistically sound integrated theory considering the stages of child development. Objective biomarkers are critically needed for the diagnosis, risk stratification, and prognosis of the pathological stages of pain chronification. In this article, we summarize the current evidence on mechanisms and biomarkers of acute to chronic pain transitions in infants and children through the developmental lens. The goal is to identify gaps and outline future directions for basic and clinical research toward a developmentally informed theory of pain chronification in the pediatric population. At the outset, the importance of objective biomarkers for chronification of pain in children is outlined, followed by a summary of the current evidence on the mechanisms of acute to chronic pain transition in adults, in order to contrast with the developmental mechanisms of pain chronification in the pediatric population. Evidence is presented to show that chronic pain may have its origin from insults early in life, which prime the child for the development of chronic pain in later life. Furthermore, available genetic, epigenetic, psychophysical, electrophysiological, neuroimaging, neuroimmune, and sex mechanisms are described in infants and older children. In conclusion, future directions are discussed with a focus on research gaps, translational and clinical implications. Utilization of developmental mechanisms framework to inform clinical decision-making and strategies for prevention and management of acute to chronic pain transitions in children, is highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina T. Duff
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA;
| | - Kristen N. Krolick
- Department of Anesthesia, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Cincinnati, OH 45242, USA; (K.N.K.); (H.M.M.)
| | - Hana Mohamed Mahmoud
- Department of Anesthesia, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Cincinnati, OH 45242, USA; (K.N.K.); (H.M.M.)
| | - Vidya Chidambaran
- Department of Anesthesia, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Cincinnati, OH 45242, USA; (K.N.K.); (H.M.M.)
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14
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Chen L, Zhang Z, Han R, Du L, Li Z, Liu S, Huang D, Zhou H. PainVision-based evaluation of brain potentials: a novel approach for quantitative pain assessment. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1197070. [PMID: 37456719 PMCID: PMC10338958 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1197070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The complex and multidimensional nature of pain poses a major challenge in clinical pain assessments. In this study, we aimed to evaluate a novel approach combining quantitative sensory testing (QST) with event-related potential measurements for assessment of experimental pain in healthy individuals. Methods: QST was performed with a commercial device (PainVision, PS-2100), and numeric rating scale (NRS) scores after exposure to different sensory stimuli were reported by the participants. Resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) was simultaneously performed to capture the cortical responses to peripheral stimulation. Results: Pain scores increased with the intensity of stimuli, with mean NRS scores of 2.7 ± 1.0 after mild stimuli and 5.6 ± 1.0 after moderate stimuli. A reproducible, significant P2-N2 complex was evoked by both mild and moderately painful stimuli, but not by non-painful stimuli. The latency of pain-related potentials was not significantly different between stimuli. The amplitudes of both P2 and N2 components significantly increased when intense nociception was applied, and the increments mainly originated from theta oscillations. Conclusion: The combination of QST with EEG was feasible for subjective and objective pain assessment. Distinct patterns of brain potentials were associated with the phenotype of the peripheral stimuli (e.g., noxious versus. innoxious, high versus. low pain intensity).
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Chen
- Department of Pain, The Third Xiangya Hospital and Institute of Pain Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- Department of Pain, The Third Xiangya Hospital and Institute of Pain Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Rui Han
- Department of Pain, The Third Xiangya Hospital and Institute of Pain Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Liyuan Du
- Department of Pain, The Third Xiangya Hospital and Institute of Pain Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zhenxing Li
- Department of Pain, The Third Xiangya Hospital and Institute of Pain Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Shuiping Liu
- Department of Pain, Hunan Prevention and Treatment Institute for Occupational Diseases, Changsha, China
| | - Dong Huang
- Department of Pain, The Third Xiangya Hospital and Institute of Pain Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Brain Homeostasis, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Haocheng Zhou
- Department of Pain, The Third Xiangya Hospital and Institute of Pain Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Brain Homeostasis, Central South University, Changsha, China
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15
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Zimney K, Van Bogaert W, Louw A. The Biology of Chronic Pain and Its Implications for Pain Neuroscience Education: State of the Art. J Clin Med 2023; 12:4199. [PMID: 37445234 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12134199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Pain is an individualized experience for the person suffering from chronic pain. Significant strides have been made in the last few decades in understanding various biological changes that coincide with chronic pain. This state-of-the-art overview looks at the current evidence related to the biology of chronic pain and the implications these findings have on the delivery of pain neuroscience education (PNE). The paper summarizes the various (epi)genetic, neural, endocrine, and immune factors discovered and explored in the scientific literature concerning chronic pain. Each of these biological factors has various implications for the content and delivery of PNE. We discuss the future directions these biological factors have for the clinical implementation of PNE by linking the importance of behavior change, optimizing the learning environment, and using an individualized multimodal treatment approach with PNE. In addition, future directions for research of PNE based on these biological factors are provided with importance placed on individualized patient-centered care and how PNE can be used with traditional modes of care and growing trends with other care methods. PNE was originally and continues to be rooted in understanding chronic pain biology and how that understanding can improve patient care and outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kory Zimney
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of South Dakota, 414 East Clark St., Vermillion, SD 57069, USA
| | - Wouter Van Bogaert
- Pain in Motion Research Group (PAIN), Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 121, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
- Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO), Leuvenseweg 38, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
- Interuniversity Centre for Health Economics Research (I-CHER), Department of Public Health (GEWE), Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Physical Medicine and Physiotherapy, University Hospital Brussels, Laarbeeklaan 101, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Adriaan Louw
- Evidence in Motion, 618 Broad Street, Suite B, Story City, IA 50248, USA
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16
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Hsu PS, Cheng CM, Chao HT, Lin MW, Li WC, Lee LC, Liu CH, Chen LF, Hsieh JC. OPRM1 A118G polymorphism modulating motor pathway for pain adaptability in women with primary dysmenorrhea. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1179851. [PMID: 37378013 PMCID: PMC10291086 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1179851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Primary dysmenorrhea (PDM) is a common condition among women of reproductive age, characterized by menstrual pain in the absence of any organic causes. Previous research has established a link between the A118G polymorphism in the mu-opioid receptor (OPRM1) gene and pain experience in PDM. Specifically, carriers of the G allele have been found to exhibit maladaptive functional connectivity between the descending pain modulatory system and the motor system in young women with PDM. This study aims to explore the potential relationship between the OPRM1 A118G polymorphism and changes in white matter in young women with PDM. Methods The study enrolled 43 individuals with PDM, including 13 AA homozygotes and 30 G allele carriers. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) scans were performed during both the menstrual and peri-ovulatory phases, and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) and probabilistic tractography were used to explore variations in white matter microstructure related to the OPRM1 A118G polymorphism. The short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) was used to access participants' pain experience during the MEN phase. Results Two-way ANOVA on TBSS analysis revealed a significant main effect of genotype, with no phase effect or phase-gene interaction detected. Planned contrast analysis showed that during the menstrual phase, G allele carriers had higher fractional anisotropy (FA) and lower radial diffusivity in the corpus callosum and the left corona radiata compared to AA homozygotes. Tractographic analysis indicated the involvement of the left internal capsule, left corticospinal tract, and bilateral medial motor cortex. Additionally, the mean FA of the corpus callosum and the corona radiata was negatively correlated with MPQ scales in AA homozygotes, but this correlation was not observed in G allele carriers. No significant genotype difference was found during the pain-free peri-ovulary phase. Discussion OPRM1 A118G polymorphism may influence the connection between structural integrity and dysmenorrheic pain, where the G allele could impede the pain-regulating effects of the A allele. These novel findings shed light on the underlying mechanisms of both adaptive and maladaptive structural neuroplasticity in PDM, depending on the specific OPRM1 polymorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Shan Hsu
- Institute of Brain Science, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Integrated Brain Research Unit, Division of Clinical Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Chinese Medicine, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, New Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Chou-Ming Cheng
- Integrated Brain Research Unit, Division of Clinical Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsiang-Tai Chao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Wei Lin
- Institute of Public Health, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Chi Li
- Institute of Brain Science, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Integrated Brain Research Unit, Division of Clinical Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Lin-Chien Lee
- Institute of Brain Science, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Integrated Brain Research Unit, Division of Clinical Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Cheng Hsin General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Hsiung Liu
- Integrated Brain Research Unit, Division of Clinical Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Neurology, Lotung Poh-Ai Hospital, Yilan, Taiwan
| | - Li-Fen Chen
- Institute of Brain Science, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Integrated Brain Research Unit, Division of Clinical Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jen-Chuen Hsieh
- Integrated Brain Research Unit, Division of Clinical Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, College of Biological Science and Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Center for Intelligent Drug Systems and Smart Bio-devices, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
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17
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Ailes I, Syed M, Matias CM, Krisa L, Miao J, Sathe A, Fayed I, Alhussein A, Natale P, Mohamed FB, Talekar K, Alizadeh M. Case report: Utilizing diffusion-weighted MRI on a patient with chronic low back pain treated with spinal cord stimulation. FRONTIERS IN NEUROIMAGING 2023; 2:1137848. [PMID: 37554655 PMCID: PMC10406238 DOI: 10.3389/fnimg.2023.1137848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (dwMRI) has increasingly demonstrated greater utility in analyzing neuronal microstructure. In patients with chronic low back pain (cLBP), using dwMRI to observe neuronal microstructure can lead to non-invasive biomarkers which could provide clinicians with an objective quantitative prognostic tool. In this case report, we investigated dwMRI for the development of non-invasive biomarkers by conducting a region-based analysis of a 55-year-old male patient with failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) treated with spinal cord stimulation (SCS). We hypothesized that dwMRI could safely generate quantitative data reflecting cerebral microstructural alterations driven by neuromodulation. Neuroimaging was performed at 6- and 12- months post-SCS implantation. The quantitative maps generated included diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters; fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD), radial diffusivity (RD), and mean diffusivity (MD) computed from whole brain tractography. To examine specific areas of the brain, 44 regions of interest (ROIs), collectively representing the pain NeuroMatrix, were extracted and registered to the patient's diffusion space. Average diffusion indices were calculated from the ROIs at both 6- and 12- months. Regions with >10% relative change in at least 3 of the 4 maps were reported. Using this selection criterion, 8 ROIs demonstrated over 10% relative changes. These ROIs were mainly located in the insular gyri. In addition to the quantitative data, a series of questionnaires were administered during the 6- and 12-month visits to assess pain intensity, functional disability, and quality of life. Overall improvements were observed in these components, with the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) displaying the greatest change. Lastly, we demonstrated the safety of dwMRI for a patient with SCS. In summary, the results from the case report prompt further investigation in applying dwMRI in a larger cohort to better correlate the influence of SCS with brain microstructural alterations, supporting the utility of dwMRI to generate non-invasive biomarkers for prognostication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaiah Ailes
- Department of Neurosurgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Jefferson Integrated Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center (JIMRIC), Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Mashaal Syed
- Department of Neurosurgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Jefferson Integrated Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center (JIMRIC), Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Caio M. Matias
- Department of Neurosurgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Jefferson Integrated Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center (JIMRIC), Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Laura Krisa
- Jefferson Integrated Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center (JIMRIC), Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Jingya Miao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Anish Sathe
- Department of Neurosurgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Jefferson Integrated Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center (JIMRIC), Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Islam Fayed
- Department of Neurosurgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Jefferson Integrated Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center (JIMRIC), Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Abdulaziz Alhussein
- Department of Neurosurgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Jefferson Integrated Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center (JIMRIC), Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Peter Natale
- Jefferson Integrated Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center (JIMRIC), Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Feroze B. Mohamed
- Jefferson Integrated Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center (JIMRIC), Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Kiran Talekar
- Jefferson Integrated Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center (JIMRIC), Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Mahdi Alizadeh
- Department of Neurosurgery, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Jefferson Integrated Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center (JIMRIC), Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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18
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Rader L, Freis SM, Friedman NP. Associations Between Adolescent Pain and Psychopathology in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. Behav Genet 2023; 53:232-248. [PMID: 37036551 PMCID: PMC10246734 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-023-10138-x] [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: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023]
Abstract
Pain and psychopathology co-occur in adolescence, but the directionality and etiology of these associations are unclear. Using the pain questionnaire and the Child Behavior Checklist from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study (n = 10,414 children [770 twin pairs] aged 12-13), we estimated longitudinal, co-twin control, and twin models to evaluate the nature of these associations. In two-wave cross-lag panel models, there were small cross-lag effects that suggested bidirectional associations. However, the co-twin control models suggested that most associations were familial. Pain at age 12 and 13 was mostly environmental (A = 0-12%, C = 15-30%, E = 70-73%) and the twin models suggested that associations with psychopathology were primarily due to shared environmental correlations. The exception was externalizing, which had a phenotypic prospective effect on pain, a significant within-family component, and a non-shared environmental correlation at age 12. Environmental risk factors may play a role in pain-psychopathology co-occurrence. Future studies can examine risk factors such as stressful life events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Rader
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
| | - Samantha M Freis
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Naomi P Friedman
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
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19
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Büchel C. The role of expectations, control and reward in the development of pain persistence based on a unified model. eLife 2023; 12:81795. [PMID: 36972108 PMCID: PMC10042542 DOI: 10.7554/elife.81795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic, or persistent pain affects more than 10% of adults in the general population. This makes it one of the major physical and mental health care problems. Although pain is an important acute warning signal that allows the organism to take action before tissue damage occurs, it can become persistent and its role as a warning signal thereby inadequate. Although per definition, pain can only be labeled as persistent after 3 months, the trajectory from acute to persistent pain is likely to be determined very early and might even start at the time of injury. The biopsychosocial model has revolutionized our understanding of chronic pain and paved the way for psychological treatments for persistent pain, which routinely outperform other forms of treatment. This suggests that psychological processes could also be important in shaping the very early trajectory from acute to persistent pain and that targeting these processes could prevent the development of persistent pain. In this review, we develop an integrative model and suggest novel interventions during early pain trajectories, based on predictions from this model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Büchel
- Department of Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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20
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Gray matter volume and pain tolerance in a general population: the Tromsø study. Pain 2023:00006396-990000000-00257. [PMID: 36877481 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT As pain is processed by an extensive network of brain regions, the structural status of the brain may affect pain perception. We aimed to study the association between gray matter volume (GMV) and pain sensitivity in a general population. We used data from 1522 participants in the seventh wave of the Tromsø study, who had completed the cold pressor test (3°C, maximum time 120 seconds), undergone magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, and had complete information on covariates. Cox proportional hazards regression models were fitted with time to hand withdrawal from cold exposure as outcome. Gray matter volume was the independent variable, and analyses were adjusted for intracranial volume, age, sex, education level, and cardiovascular risk factors. Additional adjustment was made for chronic pain and depression in subsamples with available information on the respective item. FreeSurfer was used to estimate vertexwise cortical and subcortical gray matter volumes from the T1-weighted MR image. Post hoc analyses were performed on cortical and subcortical volume estimates. Standardized total GMV was associated with risk of hand withdrawal (hazard ratio [HR] 0.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.71-0.93). The effect remained significant after additional adjustment for chronic pain (HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.72-0.97) or depression (HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.71-0.94). In post hoc analyses, positive associations between standardized GMV and pain tolerance were seen in most brain regions, with larger effect sizes in regions previously shown to be associated with pain. In conclusion, our findings indicate that larger GMV is associated with longer pain tolerance in the general population.
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21
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Yan H, Shlobin NA, Jung Y, Zhang KK, Warsi N, Kulkarni AV, Ibrahim GM. Nucleus accumbens: a systematic review of neural circuitry and clinical studies in healthy and pathological states. J Neurosurg 2023; 138:337-346. [PMID: 35901682 DOI: 10.3171/2022.5.jns212548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The nucleus accumbens (NAcc) of the ventral striatum is critically involved in goal- and reward-based behavior. Structural and functional abnormalities of the NAcc or its associated neural systems are involved in neurological and psychiatric disorders. Studies of neural circuitry have shed light on the subtleties of the structural and functional derangements of the NAcc across various diseases. In this systematic review, the authors sought to identify human studies involving the NAcc and provide a synthesis of the literature on the known circuity of the NAcc in healthy and diseased states, as well as the clinical outcomes following neuromodulation. METHODS A systematic review was conducted using the PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases. Neuroimaging studies that reported on neural circuitry related to the human NAcc with sample sizes greater than 5 patients were included. Demographic data, aim, design and duration, participants, and clinical and neurocircuitry details and outcomes of the studies were extracted. RESULTS Of 3591 resultant articles, 123 were included. The NAcc and its corticolimbic connections to other brain regions, such as the prefrontal cortex, are largely involved in reward and pain processes, with distinct functional circuitry between the shell and core in healthy patients. There is heterogeneity between clinical studies with regard to the NAcc indirect targeting coordinates, methods for postoperative confirmation, and blinded trial design. Neuromodulation studies provided promising clinical results in the context of addiction and substance misuse, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and mood disorders. The most common complications were impaired memory or concentration, and a notable serious complication was hypomania. CONCLUSIONS The functional diversity of the NAcc highlights the importance of studying the NAcc in healthy and pathological states. The results of this review suggest that NAcc neuromodulation has been attempted in the management of diverse psychiatric indications. There is promising, emerging evidence that the NAcc may be an effective target for specific reward- or pain-based pathologies with a reasonable risk profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Yan
- 1Division of Neurosurgery, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,2Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,4McMaster Medical School, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nathan A Shlobin
- 3Department of Neurological Surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | | | - Kristina K Zhang
- 5Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and.,6Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nebras Warsi
- 1Division of Neurosurgery, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,5Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and
| | - Abhaya V Kulkarni
- 1Division of Neurosurgery, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,2Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - George M Ibrahim
- 1Division of Neurosurgery, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,5Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and.,6Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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22
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Xiong HY, Cao YQ, Du SH, Yang QH, He SY, Wang XQ. Effects of High-Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Targeting the Anterior Cingulate Cortex on the Pain Thresholds: A Randomized Controlled Trial. PAIN MEDICINE 2023; 24:89-98. [PMID: 36066447 DOI: 10.1093/pm/pnac135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The majority of existing clinical studies used active transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over superficial areas of the pain neuromatrix to regulate pain, with conflicting results. Few studies have investigated the effect of tDCS on pain thresholds by focusing on targets in deep parts of the pain neuromatrix. METHODS This study applied a single session of high-definition tDCS (HD-tDCS) targeting the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and used a parallel and sham-controlled design to compare the antinociceptive effects in healthy individuals by assessing changes in pain thresholds. Sixty-six female individuals (mean age, 20.5 ± 2.4 years) were randomly allocated into the anodal, cathodal, or sham HD-tDCS groups. The primary outcome of the study was pain thresholds (pressure pain threshold, heat pain threshold, and cold pain threshold), which were evaluated before and after stimulation through the use of quantitative sensory tests. RESULTS Only cathodal HD-tDCS targeting the ACC significantly increased heat pain threshold (P < 0.05) and pressure pain threshold (P < 0.01) in healthy individuals compared with sham stimulation. Neither anodal nor cathodal HD-tDCS showed significant analgesic effects on cold pain threshold. Furthermore, no statistically significant difference was found in pain thresholds between anodal and sham HD-tDCS (P > 0.38). Independent of HD-tDCS protocols, the positive and negative affective schedule scores were decreased immediately after stimulation compared with baseline. CONCLUSIONS The present study has found that cathodal HD-tDCS targeting the ACC provided a strong antinociceptive effect (increase in pain threshold), demonstrating a positive biological effect of HD-tDCS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan-Yu Xiong
- Department of Sport Rehabilitation, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Yin-Quan Cao
- Department of Sport Rehabilitation, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Shu-Hao Du
- Department of Sport Rehabilitation, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi-Hao Yang
- Department of Sport Rehabilitation, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Si-Yi He
- Department of Sport Rehabilitation, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Xue-Qiang Wang
- Department of Sport Rehabilitation, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China.,Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Shanghai Shangti Orthopaedic Hospital, Shanghai, China
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Robertson JW, Aristi G, Hashmi JA. White matter microstructure predicts measures of clinical symptoms in chronic back pain patients. Neuroimage Clin 2023; 37:103309. [PMID: 36621020 PMCID: PMC9850203 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Chronic back pain (CBP) has extensive clinical and social implications for its sufferers and is a major source of disability. Chronic pain has previously been shown to have central neural factors underpinning it, including the loss of white matter (WM), however traditional methods of analyzing WM microstructure have produced mixed and unclear results. To better understand these factors, we assessed the WM microstructure of 50 patients and 40 healthy controls (HC) using diffusion-weighted imaging. The data were analyzed using fixel-based analysis (FBA), a higher-order diffusion modelling technique applied to CBP for the first time here. Subjects also answered questionnaires relating to pain, disability, catastrophizing, and mood disorders, to establish the relationship between fixelwise metrics and clinical symptoms. FBA determined that, compared to HC, CBP patients had: 1) lower fibre density (FD) in several tracts, specifically the right anterior and bilateral superior thalamic radiations, right spinothalamic tract, right middle cerebellar peduncle, and the body and splenium of corpus callosum; 2) higher FD in the genu of corpus callosum; and 3) lower FDC - a combined fibre density and cross-section measure - in the bilateral spinothalamic tracts and right anterior thalamic radiation. Exploratory correlations showed strong negative relationships between fixelwise metrics and clinical questionnaire scores, especially pain catastrophizing. These results have important implications for the intake and processing of sensory data in CBP that warrant further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason W Robertson
- Department of Anesthesia, Pain Management and Perioperative Medicine, Dalhousie University, 1276 South Park St., Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 2Y9, Canada; Nova Scotia Health Authority, 1276 South Park St., Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 2Y9, Canada.
| | - Guillermo Aristi
- Department of Anesthesia, Pain Management and Perioperative Medicine, Dalhousie University, 1276 South Park St., Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 2Y9, Canada; Nova Scotia Health Authority, 1276 South Park St., Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 2Y9, Canada
| | - Javeria A Hashmi
- Department of Anesthesia, Pain Management and Perioperative Medicine, Dalhousie University, 1276 South Park St., Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 2Y9, Canada; Nova Scotia Health Authority, 1276 South Park St., Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 2Y9, Canada.
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24
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Neuroimaging reveals a potential brain-based pre-existing mechanism that confers vulnerability to development of chronic painful chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. Br J Anaesth 2023; 130:83-93. [PMID: 36396483 DOI: 10.1016/j.bja.2022.09.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a debilitating condition impacting 30% of cancer survivors. This study is the first to explore whether a brain-based vulnerability to chronic sensory CIPN exists. METHODS This prospective, multicentre cohort study recruited from three sites across Scotland. Brain functional MRI (fMRI) scans (3 Tesla) were carried out on chemotherapy naïve patients at a single fMRI centre in Edinburgh, Scotland. Nociceptive stimuli (with a 256 mN monofilament) were administered during the fMRI. Development of chronic sensory/painful CIPN (CIPN+) was determined based upon European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy 20 changes conducted 9 months after chemotherapy, and imaging data analysed using standard software. RESULTS Of 30 patients recruited (two lung, nine gynaecological, and 19 colorectal malignancies), data from 20 patients at 9 months after chemotherapy was available for analysis. Twelve were classified as CIPN+ (mean age, 63.2[9.6] yr, 9.6; six female), eight as CIPN- (mean age 62.9 [SD 5.5] yr, four female). In response to punctate stimulation, group contrast analysis showed that CIPN+ compared with CIPN- had robust activity in sensory, motor, attentional, and affective brain regions. An a priori chosen region-of-interest analysis focusing on the periaqueductal grey, an area hypothesised as relevant for developing CIPN+, showed significantly increased responses in CIPN- compared with CIPN+ patients. No difference in subcortical volumes between CIPN+ and CIPN- patients was detected. CONCLUSIONS Before administration of any chemotherapy or appearance of CIPN symptoms, we observed altered patterns of brain activity in response to nociceptive stimulation in patients who later developed chronic sensory CIPN. This suggests the possibility of a pre-existing vulnerability to developing CIPN centred on brainstem regions of the descending pain modulatory system.
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25
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Cortical function and sensorimotor plasticity are prognostic factors associated with future low back pain after an acute episode: the Understanding persistent Pain Where it ResiDes prospective cohort study. Pain 2023; 164:14-26. [PMID: 35559930 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Predicting the development of chronic low back pain (LBP) at the time of an acute episode remains challenging. The Understanding persistent Pain Where it ResiDes study aimed to identify neurobiological and psychological risk factors for chronic LBP. Individuals with acute LBP (N = 120) participated in a prospective cohort study with 6-month follow-up. Candidate predictors were selected from the neurobiological (eg, sensorimotor cortical excitability assessed by sensory and motor-evoked potentials and brain-derived neurotrophic factor genotype), psychological (eg, depression and anxiety), symptom-related (eg, LBP history), and demographic domains. Analyses involved multivariable linear regression models with pain intensity or disability degree as continuous variables. Secondary analyses involved a multivariable logistic model with the presence of LBP at 6 months (thresholding pain intensity and disability degree) as a dichotomous variable. Lower sensory cortex and corticomotor excitability, higher baseline pain intensity, higher depression, stress, and pain catastrophizing were the strongest predictors ( R2 = 0.47) of pain intensity at 6 months. Older age and higher pain catastrophizing were the strongest predictors ( R2 = 0.30) of disability at 6 months. When the LBP outcome was dichotomised, sensory cortex and corticomotor excitability, brain-derived neurotrophic factor genotype, depression and anxiety, LBP history and baseline pain intensity, discriminated between those who did and did not report LBP at 6 months (C-statistic 0.91). This study identifies novel risk factors for the development of future LBP. Neurobiological risk factors, when added to a multivariable linear regression model, explained a further 15% of the variance in the 6-month pain intensity.
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Zhang P, Wan X, Ai K, Zheng W, Liu G, Wang J, Huang W, Fan F, Yao Z, Zhang J. Rich-club reorganization and related network disruptions are associated with the symptoms and severity in classic trigeminal neuralgia patients. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 36:103160. [PMID: 36037660 PMCID: PMC9434131 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103160] [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: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alterations in white matter microstructure and functional activity have been demonstrated to be involved in the central nervous system mechanism of classic trigeminal neuralgia (CTN). However, the rich-club organization and related topological alterations in the CTN brain networks remain unclear. METHODS We simultaneously collected diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) and resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data from 29 patients with CTN (9 males, mean age = 54.59 years) and 34 matched healthy controls (HCs) (12 males, mean age = 54.97 years) to construct structural networks (SNs) and functional networks (FNs). Rich-club organization was determined separately based on each group's SN and different kinds of connections. For both network types, we calculated the basic connectivity properties (network density and strength) and topological properties (global/local/nodal efficiency and small worldness). Moreover, SN-FN coupling was obtained. The relationships between all those properties and clinical measures were evaluated. RESULTS Compared to their FN, the SN of CTN patients was disrupted more severely, including its topological properties (reduced network efficiency and small-worldness), and a decrease in network density and strength was observed. Patients showed reorganization of the rich-club architecture, wherein the nodes with decreased nodal efficiency in the SN were mainly non-hub regions, and the local connections were closely related to altered global efficiency and whole brain coupling. While the cortical-subcortical connections of feeder were found to be strengthened in the SN of patients, the coupling between networks increased in all types of connections. Finally, disease severity (duration, pain intensity, and affective alterations) was negatively correlated with coupling (rich-club, feeder, and whole brain) and network strength (the rich-club of the SN and local connections of the FN). A positive correlation was only found between pain intensity and the coupling of local connections. CONCLUSIONS The SN of patients with CTN may be more vulnerable. Accompanied by the reorganization of the rich-club, the less efficient network communication and the impaired functional dynamics were largely attributable to the dysfunction of non-hub regions. As compensation, the pain transmission pathway of feeder connections involving in pain processing and emotional regulation may strengthen. The local and feeder sub-networks may serve as potential biomarkers for diagnosis or prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Zhang
- Second Clinical School, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China,Department of Magnetic Resonance, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Xinyue Wan
- Department of Radiology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Kai Ai
- Philips, Healthcare, Xi’an 710000, China
| | - Weihao Zheng
- Gansu Provincial Key Laboratory of Wearable Computing, School of Information Science and Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Guangyao Liu
- Second Clinical School, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China,Department of Magnetic Resonance, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Jun Wang
- Second Clinical School, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China,Department of Magnetic Resonance, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Wenjing Huang
- Second Clinical School, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China,Department of Magnetic Resonance, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Fengxian Fan
- Department of Magnetic Resonance, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Zhijun Yao
- Gansu Provincial Key Laboratory of Wearable Computing, School of Information Science and Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China,Corresponding authors at: Gansu Provincial Key Laboratory of Wearable Computing, School of Information Science and Engineering, Lanzhou University, No. 222 South Tianshui Road, Lanzhou 730000, China (Z. Yao). Department of Magnetic Resonance, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Cuiyingmen No.82, Chengguan District, Lanzhou 730030, China (J. Zhang).
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Magnetic Resonance, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou 730000, China,Gansu Province Clinical Research Center for Functional and Molecular Imaging, Lanzhou 730030, China,Corresponding authors at: Gansu Provincial Key Laboratory of Wearable Computing, School of Information Science and Engineering, Lanzhou University, No. 222 South Tianshui Road, Lanzhou 730000, China (Z. Yao). Department of Magnetic Resonance, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Cuiyingmen No.82, Chengguan District, Lanzhou 730030, China (J. Zhang).
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Qu N, Tian H, De Martino E, Zhang B. Neck Pain: Do We Know Enough About the Sensorimotor Control System? Front Comput Neurosci 2022; 16:946514. [PMID: 35910451 PMCID: PMC9337601 DOI: 10.3389/fncom.2022.946514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neck pain is a worldwide health problem. Clarifying the etiology and providing effective interventions are challenging for the multifactorial nature of neck pain. As an essential component of cervical spine function, the sensorimotor control system has been extensively studied in both healthy and pathological conditions. Proprioceptive signals generated from cervical structures are crucial to normal cervical functions, and abnormal proprioception caused by neck pain leads to alterations in neural plasticity, cervical muscle recruitment and cervical kinematics. The long-term sensorimotor disturbance and maladaptive neural plasticity are supposed to contribute to the recurrence and chronicity of neck pain. Therefore, multiple clinical evaluations and treatments aiming at restoring the sensorimotor control system and neural plasticity have been proposed. This paper provides a short review on neck pain from perspectives of proprioception, sensorimotor control system, neural plasticity and potential interventions. Future research may need to clarify the molecular mechanism underlying proprioception and pain. The existing assessment methods of cervical proprioceptive impairment and corresponding treatments may need to be systematically reevaluated and standardized. Additionally, new precise motor parameters reflecting sensorimotor deficit and more effective interventions targeting the sensorimotor control system or neural plasticity are encouraged to be proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Qu
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - HaoChun Tian
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Enrico De Martino
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Department of Health Science and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
- Aerospace Medicine and Rehabilitation Laboratory, Department of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- *Correspondence: Bin Zhang,
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28
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Budd AS, Huynh TKT, Seres P, Beaulieu C, Armijo-Olivo S, Cummine J. White Matter Diffusion Properties in Chronic Temporomandibular Disorders: An Exploratory Analysis. FRONTIERS IN PAIN RESEARCH 2022; 3:880831. [PMID: 35800990 PMCID: PMC9254396 DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2022.880831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To determine differences in diffusion metrics in key white matter (WM) tracts between women with chronic temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) and age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Design Cross sectional study compared diffusion metrics between groups and explored their associations with clinical variables in subjects with TMDs. Methods In a total of 33 subjects with TMDs and 33 healthy controls, we performed tractography to obtain diffusion metrics (fractional anisotropy [FA], mean diffusivity [MD], radial diffusivity [RD], and axial diffusivity [AD]) from the cingulum near the cingulate gyrus (CGC), the cingulum near the hippocampus (CGH), the fornix, the anterior limb of the internal capsule (ALIC), the posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC), and the uncinate fasciculus (UF). We compared diffusion metrics across groups and explored the relationships between diffusion metrics and clinical measures (pain chronicity and intensity, central sensitization, somatization, depression, orofacial behavior severity, jaw function limitations, disability, and interference due to pain) in subjects with TMDs. Results We observed differences in diffusion metrics between groups, primarily in the right side of the brain, with the right CGC having lower FA and the right UF having lower FA and higher MD and RD in subjects with TMDs compared to healthy controls. No clinical measures were consistently associated with diffusion metrics in subjects with TMDs. Conclusion The UF showed potential microstructural damage in subjects with TMDs, but further studies are needed to confirm any associations between diffusion changes and clinical measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra S. Budd
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Thi K. T. Huynh
- Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Peter Seres
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Christian Beaulieu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Susan Armijo-Olivo
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Faculty of Business and Social Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany
- Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- *Correspondence: Susan Armijo-Olivo
| | - Jacqueline Cummine
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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Berger SE, Baria AT. Assessing Pain Research: A Narrative Review of Emerging Pain Methods, Their Technosocial Implications, and Opportunities for Multidisciplinary Approaches. FRONTIERS IN PAIN RESEARCH 2022; 3:896276. [PMID: 35721658 PMCID: PMC9201034 DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2022.896276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pain research traverses many disciplines and methodologies. Yet, despite our understanding and field-wide acceptance of the multifactorial essence of pain as a sensory perception, emotional experience, and biopsychosocial condition, pain scientists and practitioners often remain siloed within their domain expertise and associated techniques. The context in which the field finds itself today-with increasing reliance on digital technologies, an on-going pandemic, and continued disparities in pain care-requires new collaborations and different approaches to measuring pain. Here, we review the state-of-the-art in human pain research, summarizing emerging practices and cutting-edge techniques across multiple methods and technologies. For each, we outline foreseeable technosocial considerations, reflecting on implications for standards of care, pain management, research, and societal impact. Through overviewing alternative data sources and varied ways of measuring pain and by reflecting on the concerns, limitations, and challenges facing the field, we hope to create critical dialogues, inspire more collaborations, and foster new ideas for future pain research methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara E. Berger
- Responsible and Inclusive Technologies Research, Exploratory Sciences Division, IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, NY, United States
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30
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Martins D, Dipasquale O, Veronese M, Turkheimer F, Loggia ML, McMahon S, Howard MA, Williams SC. Transcriptional and cellular signatures of cortical morphometric remodelling in chronic pain. Pain 2022; 163:e759-e773. [PMID: 34561394 PMCID: PMC8940732 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Chronic pain is a highly debilitating and difficult to treat condition, which affects the structure of the brain. Although the development of chronic pain is moderately heritable, how disease-related alterations at the microscopic genetic architecture drive macroscopic brain abnormalities is currently largely unknown. Here, we examined alterations in morphometric similarity (MS) and applied an integrative imaging transcriptomics approach to identify transcriptional and cellular correlates of these MS changes, in 3 independent small cohorts of patients with distinct chronic pain syndromes (knee osteoarthritis, low back pain, and fibromyalgia) and age-matched and sex-matched pain-free controls. We uncover a novel pattern of cortical MS remodelling involving mostly small-to-medium MS increases in the insula and limbic cortex (none of these changes survived stringent false discovery rate correction for the number of regions tested). This pattern of changes is different from that observed in patients with major depression and cuts across the boundaries of specific pain syndromes. By leveraging transcriptomic data from Allen Human Brain Atlas, we show that cortical MS remodelling in chronic pain spatially correlates with the brain-wide expression of genes related to pain and broadly involved in the glial immune response and neuronal plasticity. Our findings bridge levels to connect genes, cell classes, and biological pathways to in vivo imaging correlates of chronic pain. Although correlational, our data suggest that cortical remodelling in chronic pain might be shaped by multiple elements of the cellular architecture of the brain and identifies several pathways that could be prioritized in future genetic association or drug development studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Martins
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ottavia Dipasquale
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mattia Veronese
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Federico Turkheimer
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marco L. Loggia
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital Boston, MA, United States
| | - Stephen McMahon
- Wolfson CARD, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew A. Howard
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Steven C.R. Williams
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
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31
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Berardi G, Frey-Law L, Sluka KA, Bayman EO, Coffey CS, Ecklund D, Vance CGT, Dailey DL, Burns J, Buvanendran A, McCarthy RJ, Jacobs J, Zhou XJ, Wixson R, Balach T, Brummett CM, Clauw D, Colquhoun D, Harte SE, Harris RE, Williams DA, Chang AC, Waljee J, Fisch KM, Jepsen K, Laurent LC, Olivier M, Langefeld CD, Howard TD, Fiehn O, Jacobs JM, Dakup P, Qian WJ, Swensen AC, Lokshin A, Lindquist M, Caffo BS, Crainiceanu C, Zeger S, Kahn A, Wager T, Taub M, Ford J, Sutherland SP, Wandner LD. Multi-Site Observational Study to Assess Biomarkers for Susceptibility or Resilience to Chronic Pain: The Acute to Chronic Pain Signatures (A2CPS) Study Protocol. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:849214. [PMID: 35547202 PMCID: PMC9082267 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.849214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain has become a global health problem contributing to years lived with disability and reduced quality of life. Advances in the clinical management of chronic pain have been limited due to incomplete understanding of the multiple risk factors and molecular mechanisms that contribute to the development of chronic pain. The Acute to Chronic Pain Signatures (A2CPS) Program aims to characterize the predictive nature of biomarkers (brain imaging, high-throughput molecular screening techniques, or "omics," quantitative sensory testing, patient-reported outcome assessments and functional assessments) to identify individuals who will develop chronic pain following surgical intervention. The A2CPS is a multisite observational study investigating biomarkers and collective biosignatures (a combination of several individual biomarkers) that predict susceptibility or resilience to the development of chronic pain following knee arthroplasty and thoracic surgery. This manuscript provides an overview of data collection methods and procedures designed to standardize data collection across multiple clinical sites and institutions. Pain-related biomarkers are evaluated before surgery and up to 3 months after surgery for use as predictors of patient reported outcomes 6 months after surgery. The dataset from this prospective observational study will be available for researchers internal and external to the A2CPS Consortium to advance understanding of the transition from acute to chronic postsurgical pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Berardi
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Laura Frey-Law
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Kathleen A. Sluka
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Emine O. Bayman
- Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Christopher S. Coffey
- Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Dixie Ecklund
- Department of Biostatistics, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Carol G. T. Vance
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Dana L. Dailey
- Department of Physical Therapy, St. Ambrose University, Davenport, IA, United States
| | - John Burns
- Department of Psychiatry, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Asokumar Buvanendran
- Department of Anesthesiology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Robert J. McCarthy
- Department of Anesthesiology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Joshua Jacobs
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Xiaohong Joe Zhou
- Departments of Radiology, Neurosurgery, and Bioengineering, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Richard Wixson
- NorthShore Orthopaedic and Spine Institute, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Skokie, IL, United States
| | - Tessa Balach
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Chad M. Brummett
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Daniel Clauw
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Medicine (Rheumatology), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Douglas Colquhoun
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Steven E. Harte
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Medicine (Rheumatology), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Richard E. Harris
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Medicine (Rheumatology), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - David A. Williams
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Medicine (Rheumatology), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Andrew C. Chang
- Section of Thoracic Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Jennifer Waljee
- Section of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Kathleen M. Fisch
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Kristen Jepsen
- Institute of Genomic Medicine Genomics Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Louise C. Laurent
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Michael Olivier
- Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Carl D. Langefeld
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Timothy D. Howard
- Department of Biochemistry, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United States
| | - Oliver Fiehn
- West Coast Metabolomics Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Jon M. Jacobs
- Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
| | - Panshak Dakup
- Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
| | - Wei-Jun Qian
- Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
| | - Adam C. Swensen
- Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States
| | - Anna Lokshin
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Martin Lindquist
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Brian S. Caffo
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Ciprian Crainiceanu
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Scott Zeger
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Ari Kahn
- Texas Advanced Computing Center, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Tor Wager
- Presidential Cluster in Neuroscience, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
| | - Margaret Taub
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - James Ford
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, United States
| | - Stephani P. Sutherland
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Laura D. Wandner
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, The National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
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Argaman Y, Granovsky Y, Sprecher E, Sinai A, Yarnitsky D, Weissman-Fogel I. Clinical Effects of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of the Motor Cortex Are Associated With Changes in Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Patients With Fibromyalgia Syndrome. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2022; 23:595-615. [PMID: 34785365 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2021.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In this double-blinded, sham-controlled, counterbalanced, and crossover study, we investigated the potential neuroplasticity underlying pain relief and daily function improvements following repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex (M1-rTMS) in fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) patients. Specifically, we used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine changes in brain structural and resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) that correlated with improvements in FMS symptomology following M1-rTMS. Twenty-seven women with FMS underwent real and sham treatment series, each consisting of 10 daily treatments of 10Hz M1-rTMS over 2 weeks, with a washout period in between. Before and after each series, participants underwent anatomical and resting-state functional MRI scans and questionnaire assessments of FMS-related clinical pain and functional and psychological burdens. The expected reductions in FMS-related symptomology following M1-rTMS occurred with the real treatment only and correlated with rsFC changes in brain areas associated with pain processing and modulation. Specifically, between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and the M1 (t = -5.54, corrected P = .002), the amygdala and the posterior insula (t = 5.81, corrected P = .044), and the anterior and posterior insula (t = 6.01, corrected P = .029). Neither treatment significantly changed brain structure. Therefore, we provide the first evidence of an association between the acute clinical effects of M1-rTMS in FMS and functional alterations of brain areas that have a significant role in the experience of chronic pain. Structural changes could potentially occur over a more extended treatment period. PERSPECTIVE: We show that the neurophysiological mechanism of the improvement in fibromyalgia symptoms following active, but not sham, rTMS applied to M1 involves changes in resting-state functional connectivity in sensory, affective and cognitive pain processing brain areas, thus substantiating the essence of fibromyalgia syndrome as a treatable brain-based disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuval Argaman
- Clinical Neurophysiology Lab, Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Yelena Granovsky
- Clinical Neurophysiology Lab, Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel; Department of Neurology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel
| | - Elliot Sprecher
- Department of Neurology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel
| | - Alon Sinai
- Department of Neurosurgery, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel
| | - David Yarnitsky
- Clinical Neurophysiology Lab, Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel; Department of Neurology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel
| | - Irit Weissman-Fogel
- Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
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Zhang Y, Furst AJ. Brainstem Diffusion Tensor Tractography and Clinical Applications in Pain. FRONTIERS IN PAIN RESEARCH (LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 3:840328. [PMID: 35399154 PMCID: PMC8989264 DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2022.840328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
The brainstem is one of the most vulnerable brain structures in many neurological conditions, such as pain, sleep problems, autonomic dysfunctions, and neurodegenerative disorders. Diffusion tensor imaging and tractography provide structural details and quantitative measures of brainstem fiber pathways. Until recently, diffusion tensor tractographic studies have mainly focused on whole-brain MRI acquisition. Due to the brainstem's spatial localization, size, and tissue characteristics, and limits of imaging techniques, brainstem diffusion MRI poses particular challenges in tractography. We provide a brief overview on recent advances in diffusion tensor tractography in revealing human pathways connecting the brainstem to the subcortical regions (e.g., basal ganglia, mesolimbic, basal forebrain), and cortical regions. Each of these pathways contains different distributions of fiber tracts from known neurotransmitter-specific nuclei in the brainstem. We compare the brainstem tractographic approaches in literature and our in-lab developed automated brainstem tractography in terms of atlas building, technical advantages, and neuroanatomical implications on neurotransmitter systems. Lastly, we summarize recent investigations of using brainstem tractography as a promising tool in association with pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC), VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, United States,*Correspondence: Yu Zhang ;
| | - Ansgar J. Furst
- War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (WRIISC), VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, United States,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, United States,Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, United States,Polytrauma System of Care (PSC), VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, United States
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34
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Zou R, Li L, Zhang L, Huang G, Liang Z, Xiao L, Zhang Z. Combining Regional and Connectivity Metrics of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Diffusion Tensor Imaging for Individualized Prediction of Pain Sensitivity. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:844146. [PMID: 35370547 PMCID: PMC8965585 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.844146] [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: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Characterization and prediction of individual difference of pain sensitivity are of great importance in clinical practice. MRI techniques, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), have been popularly used to predict an individual's pain sensitivity, but existing studies are limited by using one single imaging modality (fMRI or DTI) and/or using one type of metrics (regional or connectivity features). As a result, pain-relevant information in MRI has not been fully revealed and the associations among different imaging modalities and different features have not been fully explored for elucidating pain sensitivity. In this study, we investigated the predictive capability of multi-features (regional and connectivity metrics) of multimodal MRI (fMRI and DTI) in the prediction of pain sensitivity using data from 210 healthy subjects. We found that fusing fMRI-DTI and regional-connectivity features are capable of more accurately predicting an individual's pain sensitivity than only using one type of feature or using one imaging modality. These results revealed rich information regarding individual pain sensitivity from the brain's both structural and functional perspectives as well as from both regional and connectivity metrics. Hence, this study provided a more comprehensive characterization of the neural correlates of individual pain sensitivity, which holds a great potential for clinical pain management.
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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, 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, 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, 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, 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, China
| | - Lizu Xiao
- Department of Pain Medicine and Shenzhen Municipal Key Laboratory for Pain Medicine, The Affiliated Shenzhen Sixth Hospital of Guangdong Medical 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, China
- Peng Cheng Laboratory, Shenzhen, China
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35
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Chronic pain precedes disrupted eating behavior in low-back pain patients. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0263527. [PMID: 35143525 PMCID: PMC8830732 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain is associated with anhedonia and decreased motivation. These behavioral alterations have been linked to alterations in the limbic brain and could explain the increased risk for obesity in pain patients. The mechanism of these behavioral changes and how they set in in relation to the development of chronic pain remain however poorly understood. Here we asked how eating behavior was affected in low-back pain patients before and after they transitioned to chronic pain, compared to patients whose pain subsided. Additionally, we assessed how the hedonic perception of fat-rich food, which is altered in chronic pain patients, related to the properties of the nucleus accumbens in this patients' population. We hypothesized that the accumbens would be directly implicated in the hedonic processing of fat-rich food in pain patients because of its well-established role in hedonic feeding and fat ingestion, and its emerging role in chronic pain. Accordingly, we used behavioral assays and structural brain imaging to test sub-acute back pain patients (SBP) and healthy control subjects at baseline and at approximately one-year follow-up. We also studied a sample of chronic low-back pain patients (CLBP) at one time point only. We found that SBP patients who recovered at follow-up (SBPr) and CLBP patients showed disrupted eating behaviors. In contrast, SBP patients who persisted in having pain at follow-up (SBPp) showed intact eating behavior. From a neurological standpoint, only SBPp and CLBP patients showed a strong and direct relationship between hedonic perception of fat-rich food and nucleus accumbens volume. This suggests that accumbens alterations observed in SBPp patients in previous works might protect them from hedonic eating disruptions during the early course of the illness. We conclude that disrupted eating behavior specifically sets in after pain chronification and is accompanied by structural changes in the nucleus accumbens.
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de Zoete RMJ, Stanwell P, Weber KA, Snodgrass SJ. Differences in Structural Brain Characteristics Between Individuals with Chronic Nonspecific Neck Pain and Asymptomatic Controls: A Case–Control Study. J Pain Res 2022; 15:521-531. [PMID: 35210851 PMCID: PMC8863323 DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s345365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Neck pain is a prevalent and costly problem, but its underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Neuroimaging studies show alterations in brain morphometry in chronic musculoskeletal pain, but reports on neck pain are scarce. Objective This study investigates (1) differences in brain morphometry between individuals with chronic nonspecific neck pain and asymptomatic individuals and (2) associations between brain morphometry and patient-reported outcomes. Methods Sixty-three participants (33 pain, 11 female, mean [SD] age 35 [10] years; 30 control, 12 female, age 35 [11] years) underwent magnetic resonance imaging. Brain regions of interest (ROIs) were determined a priori, outcomes included cortical thickness and volume. Between-group differences were determined using cluster-wise correction for multiple comparisons and analyses of pain-related ROIs. Results Between-group differences in volume were identified in the precentral, frontal, occipital, parietal, temporal, and paracentral cortices. ROI analyses showed that parahippocampal cortical thickness was larger in the neck pain group (p=0.015, 95% CI: −0.27 to −0.03). Moderate to strong associations between volume and thickness of the cingulate cortex, prefrontal cortex, and temporal lobe and neck pain duration, pain intensity, and neck disability were identified (p-values 0.006 to 0.048). Conclusion Alterations in brain morphology that are associated with clinical characteristics inform the mechanisms underlying chronic nonspecific neck pain and may guide the development of more effective treatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rutger M J de Zoete
- School of Allied Health Science and Practice, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
- Correspondence: Rutger MJ de Zoete, School of Allied Health Science and Practice, The University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia, Email
| | - Peter Stanwell
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
| | - Kenneth A Weber
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Suzanne J Snodgrass
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
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Black SR, Janson A, Mahan M, Anderson J, Butson CR. Identification of Deep Brain Stimulation Targets for Neuropathic Pain After Spinal Cord Injury Using Localized Increases in White Matter Fiber Cross Section. Neuromodulation 2022; 25:276-285. [PMID: 35125147 DOI: 10.1111/ner.13399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The spinal cord injury (SCI) patient population is overwhelmingly affected by neuropathic pain (NP), a secondary condition for which therapeutic options are limited and have a low degree of efficacy. The objective of this study was to identify novel deep brain stimulation (DBS) targets that may theoretically benefit those with NP in the SCI patient population. We hypothesize that localized changes in white matter identified in SCI subjects with NP compared to those without NP could be used to develop an evidence-based approach to DBS target identification. MATERIALS AND METHODS To classify localized neurostructural changes associated with NP in the SCI population, we compared white matter fiber density (FD) and cross section (FC) between SCI subjects with NP (n = 17) and SCI subjects without NP (n = 15) using diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We then identified theoretical target locations for DBS using fiber bundles connected to significantly altered regions of white matter. Finally, we used computational models of DBS to determine if our theoretical target locations could be used to feasibly activate our fiber bundles of interest. RESULTS We identified significant increases in FC in the splenium of the corpus callosum in pain subjects when compared to controls. We then isolated five fiber bundles that were directly connected to the affected region of white matter. Our models were able to predict that our fiber bundles of interest can be feasibly activated with DBS at reasonable stimulation amplitudes and with clinically relevant implantation approaches. CONCLUSIONS Altogether, we identified neuroarchitectural changes associated with NP in the SCI cohort and implemented a novel evidence-driven target selection approach for DBS to guide future research in neuromodulation treatment of NP after SCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shana R Black
- Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Andrew Janson
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Mark Mahan
- Neurosurgery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Jeffrey Anderson
- Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Radiology and Imaging Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Christopher R Butson
- Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Neurosurgery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Neurology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Psychiatry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
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38
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Zhang Z, Gewandter JS, Geha P. Brain Imaging Biomarkers for Chronic Pain. Front Neurol 2022; 12:734821. [PMID: 35046881 PMCID: PMC8763372 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.734821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of chronic pain has reached epidemic levels. In addition to personal suffering chronic pain is associated with psychiatric and medical co-morbidities, notably substance misuse, and a huge a societal cost amounting to hundreds of billions of dollars annually in medical cost, lost wages, and productivity. Chronic pain does not have a cure or quantitative diagnostic or prognostic tools. In this manuscript we provide evidence that this situation is about to change. We first start by summarizing our current understanding of the role of the brain in the pathogenesis of chronic pain. We particularly focus on the concept of learning in the emergence of chronic pain, and the implication of the limbic brain circuitry and dopaminergic signaling, which underly emotional learning and decision making, in this process. Next, we summarize data from our labs and from other groups on the latest brain imaging findings in different chronic pain conditions focusing on results with significant potential for translation into clinical applications. The gaps in the study of chronic pain and brain imaging are highlighted in throughout the overview. Finally, we conclude by discussing the costs and benefits of using brain biomarkers of chronic pain and compare to other potential markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengwu Zhang
- Department of Statistics and Operations Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Jennifer S Gewandter
- Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Paul Geha
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States.,Department of Neurology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States.,Del Monte Neuroscience Institute, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
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39
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A neuropsychosocial signature predicts longitudinal symptom changes in women with irritable bowel syndrome. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:1774-1791. [PMID: 34819635 PMCID: PMC9095468 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01375-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder of brain-gut interactions characterized by chronic abdominal pain, altered bowel movements, often accompanied by somatic and psychiatric comorbidities. We aimed to test the hypothesis that a baseline phenotype composed of multi-modal neuroimaging and clinical features predicts clinical improvement on the IBS Symptom Severity Scale (IBS-SSS) at 3 and 12 months without any targeted intervention. Female participants (N = 60) were identified as "improvers" (50-point decrease on IBS-SSS from baseline) or "non-improvers." Data integration analysis using latent components (DIABLO) was applied to a training and test dataset to determine whether a limited number of sets of multiple correlated baseline'omics data types, including brain morphometry, anatomical connectivity, resting-state functional connectivity, and clinical features could accurately predict improver status. The derived predictive models predicted improvement status at 3-months and 12-months with 91% and 83% accuracy, respectively. Across both time points, non-improvers were classified as having greater correlated morphometry, anatomical connectivity and resting-state functional connectivity characteristics within salience and sensorimotor networks associated with greater pain unpleasantness, but lower default mode network integrity and connectivity. This suggests that non-improvers have a greater engagement of attentional systems to perseverate on painful visceral stimuli, predicting IBS exacerbation. The ability of baseline multimodal brain-clinical signatures to predict symptom trajectories may have implications in guiding integrative treatment in the age of precision medicine, such as treatments targeted at changing attentional systems such as mindfulness or cognitive behavioral therapy.
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40
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Allen S. The Search for Pain Biomarkers. IEEE Pulse 2022; 13:25-29. [DOI: 10.1109/mpuls.2022.3145628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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41
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Sex-Specific Pharmacotherapy for Back Pain: A Proof-of-Concept Randomized Trial. Pain Ther 2021; 10:1375-1400. [PMID: 34374961 PMCID: PMC8586405 DOI: 10.1007/s40122-021-00297-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preventing transition to chronic back pain (CBP) is a long-sought strategy that could rescue patients from prolonged suffering. Recent rodent and human brain imaging studies suggest involvement of sexually dimorphic, dopaminergic-motivational, mesolimbic circuits in the transition to chronic pain (tCBP), and hint that the combination of carbidopa/levodopa and naproxen (LDP + NPX) may block tCBP. Here we evaluated, in people with recent-onset back pain, whether a 3-month treatment with LDP + NPX is safe, blocks tCBP, and whether its efficacy is sex-dependent. METHODS A total of 72 participants were enrolled and stratified by risk for tCBP using brain-imaging biomarkers. Low-risk participants entered a no-treatment arm. Others were randomized to placebo + naproxen or LDP + NPX for 3 months. RESULTS Both treatments resulted in more than 50% pain relief for approximately 75% of participants. A strong sex by treatment interaction was observed for daily pain intensity (phone NRS, P = 0.007), replicated on 4-week average pain (Pain/4w, P = 0.00001), and in intent-to-treat analysis (Pain/4w, P = 0.000004). Nucleus accumbens functional connectivity with medial prefrontal cortex, a predefined objective biomarker, showed sex dependence at baseline (P = 0.03) and sex-by-treatment interaction effect 3 months after treatment cessation (P = 0.031). Treatment modified the psychological profile of participants, and disrupted brain modeling-based predicted back pain intensity trajectories. Forty participants were queried 3.3 years from trial start; back pain ratings were similar between end of treatment and at 3.3 years (P = 0.62), indicating persistence of relief for this duration. CONCLUSIONS These results provide the first evidence for preventing transition to chronic back pain using sex-specific pharmacotherapy. These provocative observations require confirmation in a larger study. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01951105.
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42
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Cruz-Almeida Y, Coombes S, Febo M. Pain differences in neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging measures among community-dwelling older adults. Exp Gerontol 2021; 154:111520. [PMID: 34418483 PMCID: PMC9091979 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2021.111520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) is a technique providing more detailed information on the microstructural bases of white matter. Given the previously reported white matter contributions to chronic pain, the present study aims to investigate pain-specific differences in NODDI measures across white matter tracts in a sample of community-dwelling older adults with (n = 29) and without (n = 18) chronic musculoskeletal pain. We further aimed to investigate associations between NODDI measures and clinical and experimental pain measures. As part of the Nepal study, a subset of older adults (>60 years old), underwent multiple laboratory sessions providing self-reported and experimental pain measures and a diffusion weighted neuroimaging sequence. Older adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain had a lower neurite density with less geometric complexity across a number of white matter tracts compared to older pain-free controls (corrected p's < 0.05). Lower neurite density was associated with greater self-reported pain intensity and anatomical pain sites, as well as greater experimental pain sensitivity (p's < 0.05). There were also significant pain-by-sex differences in neurite density and geometric complexity across multiple white matter tracts mainly around the hippocampus (corrected p's < 0.05). Finally, there were no pain differences with respect to extra-cellular water diffusion (corrected p's > 0.05). Our study demonstrates less geometric complexity in neurite density and architecture in chronic musculoskeletal pain, partly in a sex-dependent manner. An increased understanding of neurobiological mechanisms such as those measured by NODDI may contribute to the potential targeting of interventions in our older population suffering from chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yenisel Cruz-Almeida
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America; Department of Community Dentistry & Behavioral Science, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America; Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America.
| | - Stephen Coombes
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America; Department of Applied Kinesiology & Physiology, College of Health & Human Performance, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
| | - Marcelo Febo
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
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43
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Galambos A, Stoll DP, Bolczár S, Lazáry Á, Urbán R, Kökönyei G. A bifactor structural model of the Hungarian Pain Catastrophizing Scale and latent classes of a clinical sample. Heliyon 2021; 7:e08026. [PMID: 34604562 PMCID: PMC8473550 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Pain catastrophizing is an exaggerated cognitive-affective response to actual or anticipated pain, usually measured by the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS). Our study aimed to test the bifactor measurement model of the Hungarian PCS and to identify a catastrophizing risk group with a clinically meaningful cut-off score. The data of 404 chronic spine-related (neck, back and low-back) pain patients (mean age: 58.61 (SD = 14.34)) were used in our cross-sectional study. Besides pain-related and demographic data, pain catastrophizing and depressive symptoms were measured with questionnaires. Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed that the bifactor model outperformed the other tested measurement models, and the general catastrophizing factor was responsible for 81.5% of the explained variance. Using latent class analysis, we found that even moderately elevated pain catastrophizing score was related to more depressive symptoms and higher perceived pain intensity, and 22 score could be used as a cut-off score. Our results support the concept of global pain catastrophizing and the validity of the Hungarian PCS. Further studies are needed to evaluate the bifactor structure of this scale and the predictive value of the proposed cut-off score.
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Affiliation(s)
- Attila Galambos
- Doctoral School of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Izabella Street 46, H-1064, Budapest, Hungary.,Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Izabella Street 46, H-1064, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dániel Péter Stoll
- Department of Psychology, National Center for Spinal Disorders, Királyhágó street 1, H-1126, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Szabolcs Bolczár
- Department of Psychology, National Center for Spinal Disorders, Királyhágó street 1, H-1126, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Áron Lazáry
- Department of Research and Development, National Center for Spinal Disorders, Királyhágó street 1, H-1126, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Róbert Urbán
- Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Izabella Street 46, H-1064, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gyöngyi Kökönyei
- Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Izabella Street 46, H-1064, Budapest, Hungary.,SE-NAP2 Genetic Brain Imaging Migraine Research Group, Hungarian Brain Research Program, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad square 4, H-1089, Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Pharmacodynamics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad square 4, H-1089, Budapest, Hungary
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44
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Abnormal within- and cross-networks functional connectivity in different outcomes of herpes zoster patients. Brain Imaging Behav 2021; 16:366-378. [PMID: 34549378 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-021-00510-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Neuroimaging studies have displayed aberrant brain activities in individual sensory- and emotional-linked regions in postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) patients. However, multi-dimensional dysfunction in chronic pain may rely on the interplay between networks. Little is known about the changes in the functional architecture of resting state networks (RSNs) in PHN. In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 31 PHN patients, 33 RHZ patients and 34 HCs; all participants underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans. We investigated the differences of within- and cross-network connectivities between different outcomes of HZ patients [including PHN and recuperation from herpes zoster (RHZ)] and healthy controls (HCs) so as to extract a characteristic network pattern of PHN. The abnormal network connectivities were then correlated with clinical variables in respective groups. PHN and RHZ patients could be similarly characterized by abnormal within-default mode network (DMN), DMN-salience network (SN) and SN-basal ganglia network (BGN) connectivity relative to HCs. Of note, compared with RHZ patients, PHN patients could be characterized by abnormal DMN-BGN and within-BGN connectivity. Furthermore, the within-DMN connectivity was associated with pain-induced emotional scores among PHN patients. Our study presented that network-level imbalance could account for the pain-related dysfunctions in different outcomes of herpes zoster patients. These insights are potentially useful for understanding neuromechanism of PHN and providing central therapeutic targets for PHN.
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Kandić M, Moliadze V, Andoh J, Flor H, Nees F. Brain Circuits Involved in the Development of Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: Evidence From Non-invasive Brain Stimulation. Front Neurol 2021; 12:732034. [PMID: 34531819 PMCID: PMC8438114 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.732034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been well-documented that the brain changes in states of chronic pain. Less is known about changes in the brain that predict the transition from acute to chronic pain. Evidence from neuroimaging studies suggests a shift from brain regions involved in nociceptive processing to corticostriatal brain regions that are instrumental in the processing of reward and emotional learning in the transition to the chronic state. In addition, dysfunction in descending pain modulatory circuits encompassing the periaqueductal gray and the rostral anterior cingulate cortex may also be a key risk factor for pain chronicity. Although longitudinal imaging studies have revealed potential predictors of pain chronicity, their causal role has not yet been determined. Here we review evidence from studies that involve non-invasive brain stimulation to elucidate to what extent they may help to elucidate the brain circuits involved in pain chronicity. Especially, we focus on studies using non-invasive brain stimulation techniques [e.g., transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), particularly its repetitive form (rTMS), transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS), and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)] in the context of musculoskeletal pain chronicity. We focus on the role of the motor cortex because of its known contribution to sensory components of pain via thalamic inhibition, and the role of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex because of its role on cognitive and affective processing of pain. We will also discuss findings from studies using experimentally induced prolonged pain and studies implicating the DLPFC, which may shed light on the earliest transition phase to chronicity. We propose that combined brain stimulation and imaging studies might further advance mechanistic models of the chronicity process and involved brain circuits. Implications and challenges for translating the research on mechanistic models of the development of chronic pain to clinical practice will also be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Kandić
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Vera Moliadze
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Jamila Andoh
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Herta Flor
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Frauke Nees
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
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46
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De Ridder D, Adhia D, Vanneste S. The anatomy of pain and suffering in the brain and its clinical implications. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 130:125-146. [PMID: 34411559 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage. Chronic pain, with a prevalence of 20-30 % is the major cause of human suffering worldwide, because effective, specific and safe therapies have yet to be developed. It is unevenly distributed among sexes, with women experiencing more pain and suffering. Chronic pain can be anatomically and phenomenologically dissected into three separable but interacting pathways, a lateral 'painfulness' pathway, a medial 'suffering' pathway and a descending pain inhibitory pathway. One may have pain(fullness) without suffering and suffering without pain(fullness). Pain sensation leads to suffering via a cognitive, emotional and autonomic processing, and is expressed as anger, fear, frustration, anxiety and depression. The medial pathway overlaps with the salience and stress networks, explaining that behavioural relevance or meaning determines the suffering associated with painfulness. Genetic and epigenetic influences trigger chronic neuroinflammatory changes which are involved in transitioning from acute to chronic pain. Based on the concept of the Bayesian brain, pain (and suffering) can be regarded as the consequence of an imbalance between the two ascending and the descending pain inhibitory pathways under control of the reward system. The therapeutic clinical implications of this simple pain model are obvious. After categorizing the working mechanisms of each of the available treatments (pain killers, psychopharmacology, psychotherapy, neuromodulation, psychosurgery, spinal cord stimulation) to 1 or more of the 3 pathways, a rational combination can be proposed of activating the descending pain inhibitory pathway in combination with inhibition of the medial and lateral pathway, so as to rebalance the pain (and suffering) pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirk De Ridder
- Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgical Sciences, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
| | - Divya Adhia
- Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgical Sciences, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Sven Vanneste
- Global Brain Health Institute, Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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Fuchs X, Diers M, Trojan J, Kirsch P, Milde C, Bekrater-Bodmann R, Rance M, Foell J, Andoh J, Becker S, Flor H. Phantom limb pain after unilateral arm amputation is associated with decreased heat pain thresholds in the face. Eur J Pain 2021; 26:114-132. [PMID: 34288253 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.1842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mechanisms underlying chronic phantom limb pain (PLP) are complex and insufficiently understood. Altered sensory thresholds are often associated with chronic pain but quantitative sensory testing (QST) in PLP has so far been inconclusive due to large methodological variation between studies and small sample sizes. METHODS In this study, we applied QST in 37 unilateral upper-limb amputees (23 with and 14 without PLP) and 19 healthy controls. We assessed heat pain (HPT), pressure pain, warmth detection and two-point discrimination thresholds at the residual limb, a homologous point and the thenar of the intact limb as well as both corners of the mouth. RESULTS We did not find significant differences in any of the thresholds between the groups. However, PLP intensity was negatively associated with HPT at all measured body sites except for the residual limb, indicating lower pain thresholds with higher PLP levels. Correlations between HPT and PLP were strongest in the contralateral face (r = -0.65, p < 0.001). Facial HPT were specifically associated with PLP, independent of residual limb pain (RLP) and various other covariates. HPT at the residual limb, however, were significantly associated with RLP, but not with PLP. CONCLUSION We conclude that the association between PLP and, especially facial, HPT could be related to central mechanisms. SIGNIFICANCE Phantom limb pain (PLP) is still poorly understood. We show that PLP intensity is associated with lower heat pain thresholds, especially in the face. This finding could be related to central nervous changes in PLP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xaver Fuchs
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,Biopsychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Sports Science, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Martin Diers
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, LWL University Hospital, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Jörg Trojan
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Pinar Kirsch
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Christopher Milde
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,Department of Psychology, University of Koblenz-Landau, Landau, Germany
| | - Robin Bekrater-Bodmann
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Mariela Rance
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Jens Foell
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Jamila Andoh
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Susanne Becker
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.,Integrative Spinal Research, Research Chiropractic, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Herta Flor
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
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48
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Li D, Xu H, Yang Q, Zhang M, Wang Y. Cerebral white matter alterations revealed by multiple diffusion metrics in cervical spondylotic patients with pain: A TBSS study. PAIN MEDICINE 2021; 23:895-901. [PMID: 34286334 DOI: 10.1093/pm/pnab227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aims of the present study were to investigate white matter alterations and their associations with the clinical variables in cervical spondylotic (CS) patients with pain. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING Chinese community. SUBJECTS Forty-two CS patients with pain and 42 matched healthy participants were ultimately recruited from August 2018 to September 2019. METHODS Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) analysis was performed to investigate the differences of DTI-derived indices (fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), radial diffusivity (RD), and axial diffusivity (AD)) between the patients and healthy controls throughout brain white matter. The relationship of the severity of cervical pain and affective disturbance to aberrant DTI indices in the patients was also examined using spearman correlation analyses. RESULTS The CS patients with pain showed decreased FA in the genu, body, and splenium portions of corpus callosum (CC), and increased MD and RD along with decreased FA in anterior corona radiata (ACR) compared with healthy controls, whereas no significant difference of AD was observed between groups. Additionally, lower FA of the genu part of CC together with higher MD of the left ACR were statistically correlated with the pain severity in the patient group. CONCLUSIONS Decreased FA coupled with increased MD and RD was detected in multiple white matter regions, and several DTI metrics in certain white matter tracts had moderate relationships with the pain severity in the CS patients with pain. These observations may provide alternative imaging clues for the evaluation of the pathophysiological characteristics of CS pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Li
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University
| | - Hui Xu
- Department of Medical Imaging, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University
| | - Qian Yang
- Department of Medical Imaging, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University
| | - Ming Zhang
- Department of Medical Imaging, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University
| | - Yuan Wang
- Department of Medical Imaging, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University
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49
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Kim D, Chae Y, Park HJ, Lee IS. Effects of Chronic Pain Treatment on Altered Functional and Metabolic Activities in the Brain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Functional Neuroimaging Studies. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:684926. [PMID: 34290582 PMCID: PMC8287208 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.684926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have identified altered brain changes in chronic pain patients, however, it remains unclear whether these changes are reversible. We summarized the neural and molecular changes in patients with chronic pain and employed a meta-analysis approach to quantify the changes. We included 75 studies and 11 of these 75 studies were included in the activation likelihood estimation (ALE) analysis. In the 62 functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies, the primary somatosensory and motor cortex (SI and MI), thalamus, insula, and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) showed significantly decreased activity after the treatments compared to baseline. In the 13 positron emission tomography (PET) studies, the SI, MI, thalamus, and insula showed significantly increased glucose uptake, blood flow, and opioid-receptor binding potentials after the treatments compared to baseline. A meta-analysis of fMRI studies in patients with chronic pain, during pain-related tasks, showed a significant deactivation likelihood cluster in the left medial posterior thalamus. Further studies are warranted to understand brain reorganization in patients with chronic pain compared to the normal state, in terms of its relationship with symptom reduction and baseline conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongwon Kim
- College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Younbyoung Chae
- College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
- Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hi-Joon Park
- College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
- Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - In-Seon Lee
- College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
- Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
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50
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Bandeira PM, Reis FJJ, Sequeira VCC, Chaves ACS, Fernandes O, Arruda-Sanchez T. Heart rate variability in patients with low back pain: a systematic review. Scand J Pain 2021; 21:426-433. [PMID: 33930261 DOI: 10.1515/sjpain-2021-0006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Heart rate variability (HRV) is an important physiological measure of the capacity for neurogenic homeostatic regulation, and an indirect measure of emotional processing. We aimed to investigate whether HRV parameters are altered in people with chronic low back pain when compared to healthy controls. METHODS We searched on PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO from inception to January 2018. The inclusion criteria were: patients with non-specific chronic low back pain, absence of radiculopathy, age from 18 to 65 years, and comparison with healthy controls. Data extraction was performed by two independent review authors. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed using the appraisal tool for cross-sectional studies. RESULTS After screening 2,873 potential articles, two studies met the inclusion criteria. Studies were composed of 153 patients with chronic low back pain and 62 healthy controls. An electrocardiogram was used to record HRV and linear methods (time and frequency) were used to analyze the results. The main findings indicate that patients with chronic low back pain have a significant reduction in HRV, with sympathetic predominance compared to healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS There is limited evidence suggesting that chronic low back pain patients presented a lower vagal activity evidenced by HRV, when compared to healthy controls. The results of this systematic review should be interpreted with caution due to the restricted number of included studies, small sample sizes and different protocols used to measure HRV. The limited evidence about HRV alterations in low back pain also suggests the need of future studies to investigate if HRV parameters can be a useful measure in chronic pain samples or even if it can be used as an outcome in clinical trials aiming to investigate the effectiveness of interventions based on emotion regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela M Bandeira
- Postgraduate Program in Medicine (Cardiology), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Felipe J J Reis
- Postgraduate Program in Medicine (Cardiology), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Department of Physical Therapy, Federal Institute of Rio de Janeiro (IFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratory of Neuroimaging and Psychophysiology, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Pain in Motion Research Group, Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy, Faculty of Physical Education & Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Vanessa C C Sequeira
- Postgraduate Program in Medicine (Cardiology), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Anna C S Chaves
- Postgraduate Program in Medicine (Cardiology), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Orlando Fernandes
- Laboratory of Neuroimaging and Psychophysiology, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Radiology, Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Tiago Arruda-Sanchez
- Postgraduate Program in Medicine (Cardiology), Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratory of Neuroimaging and Psychophysiology, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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