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Muhammad F, Weber KA, Rohan M, Smith ZA. Patterns of cortical thickness alterations in degenerative cervical myelopathy: associations with dexterity and gait dysfunctions. Brain Commun 2024; 6:fcae279. [PMID: 39364309 PMCID: PMC11448325 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 10/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) can lead to significant brain structural reorganization. The association between the cortical changes and specific motor symptoms in DCM has yet to be fully elucidated. We investigated the associations between cortical thickness changes with neurological symptoms, such as dexterity and gait abnormalities, in patients with DCM in a case-control study. A 3 Tesla MRI scanner was used to acquire high-resolution T1-weighted structural scans from 30 right-handed patients with DCM and 22 age-matched healthy controls. Pronounced cortical thinning was observed in DCM patients relative to healthy controls, particularly in the bilateral precentral and prefrontal gyri, left pars triangularis, left postcentral gyrus, right transverse temporal and visual cortices (P ≤ 0.04). Notably, cortical thickness in these regions showed strong correlations with objective motor deficits (P < 0.0001). Specifically, the prefrontal cortex, premotor area and supplementary motor area exhibited significant thickness reductions correlating with diminished dexterity (R2 = 0.33, P < 0.0007; R2 = 0.34, P = 0.005, respectively). Similarly, declines in gait function were associated with reduced cortical thickness in the visual motor and frontal eye field cortices (R2 = 0.39, P = 0.029, R2 = 0.33, P = 0.04, respectively). Interestingly, only the contralateral precuneus thickness was associated with the overall modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) scores (R2 = 0.29, P = 0.003). However, the upper extremity subscore of mJOA indicated an association with the visual cortex and the anterior prefrontal (R2 = 0.48, P = 0.002, R2 = 0.33, P = 0.0034, respectively). In conclusion, our findings reveal patterns of cortical changes correlating with motor deficits, highlighting the significance of combining objective clinical and brain imaging assessments for understanding motor network dysfunction in DCM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fauziyya Muhammad
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Kenneth A Weber
- Systems Neuroscience and Pain Lab, Division of Pain Medicine, Stanford School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Michael Rohan
- Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, OK 74136, USA
| | - Zachary A Smith
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
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2
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Oughourlian TC, Rizvi S, Wang C, Kostiuk A, Salamon N, Holly LT, Ellingson BM. Sex-specific alterations in functional connectivity and network topology in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy. Sci Rep 2024; 14:16020. [PMID: 38992236 PMCID: PMC11239916 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-67084-9] [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] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) experience structural and functional brain reorganization. However, few studies have investigated the influence of sex on cerebral alterations. The present study investigates the role of sex on brain functional connectivity (FC) and global network topology in DCM and healthy controls (HCs). The resting-state functional MRI data was acquired for 100 patients (58 males vs. 42 females). ROI-to-ROI FC and network topological features were characterized for each patient and HC. Group differences in FC and network topological features were examined. Compared to healthy counterparts, DCM males exhibited higher FC between vision-related brain regions, and cerebellum, brainstem, and thalamus, but lower FC between the intracalcarine cortex and frontal and somatosensory cortices, while DCM females demonstrated higher FC between the thalamus and cerebellar and sensorimotor regions, but lower FC between sensorimotor and visual regions. DCM males displayed higher FC within the cerebellum and between the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and vision-related regions, while DCM females displayed higher FC between frontal regions and the PCC, cerebellum, and visual regions. Additionally, DCM males displayed significantly greater intra-network connectivity and efficiency compared to healthy counterparts. Results from the present study imply sex-specific supraspinal functional alterations occur in patients with DCM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talia C Oughourlian
- UCLA Brain Tumor Imaging Laboratory (BTIL), Center for Computer Vision and Imaging Biomarkers, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 924 Westwood Blvd, Suite 615, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, USA
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Graduate Program, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Shan Rizvi
- UCLA Brain Tumor Imaging Laboratory (BTIL), Center for Computer Vision and Imaging Biomarkers, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Undergraduate Interdepartmental Program, College of Life Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Chencai Wang
- UCLA Brain Tumor Imaging Laboratory (BTIL), Center for Computer Vision and Imaging Biomarkers, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 924 Westwood Blvd, Suite 615, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, USA
| | - Alex Kostiuk
- UCLA Brain Tumor Imaging Laboratory (BTIL), Center for Computer Vision and Imaging Biomarkers, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 924 Westwood Blvd, Suite 615, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, USA
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Graduate Program, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Noriko Salamon
- Department of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 924 Westwood Blvd, Suite 615, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, USA
| | - Langston T Holly
- Department of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Benjamin M Ellingson
- UCLA Brain Tumor Imaging Laboratory (BTIL), Center for Computer Vision and Imaging Biomarkers, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Department of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, 924 Westwood Blvd, Suite 615, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, USA.
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Graduate Program, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Ambalavanar U, Haavik H, Rotondi NK, Murphy BA. Development of the Sensory-Motor Dysfunction Questionnaire and Pilot Reliability Testing. Brain Sci 2024; 14:619. [PMID: 38928619 PMCID: PMC11202203 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14060619] [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: 05/27/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Both chronic and recurrent spinal pain alter sensorimotor integration (SMI), which is demonstrated using complex neurophysiological techniques. Currently, there is no patient-reported outcome measure that documents and/or assesses SMI in populations with spinal problems. The purpose of this study was to develop the Sensory-Motor Dysfunction Questionnaire (SMD-Q) and assess its test-retest reliability and internal consistency in individuals with recurrent spinal pain. The SMD-Q was developed based on the existing literature on motor control disturbances associated with disordered SMI. The initial SMD-Q drafts underwent review by two separate panels of subject matter experts and a focus group with subclinical spine pain. Their suggestions were incorporated into the questionnaire prior to reliability testing. The questionnaire was administered twice at a seven-day interval using QualtricsTM. A total of 20 participants (14 females and 6 males; 20.95 ± 2.46 years of age) completed the study. Quadratic weighted kappa (Kw) was used to assess test-retest reliability and Cronbach's alpha (α) was used to assess internal consistency. Four items had a Kw < 0.40, seven had a 0.40 < Kw < 0.75, and one had a Kw > 0.75 (excellent agreement), with excellent internal consistency (α > 0.90). The pilot SMD-Q appears to reliably measure altered SMI, suggesting that revisions and testing with a larger sample are worth pursuing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ushani Ambalavanar
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Technology, University of Ontario, 2000 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa, ON L1G 0C5, Canada
| | - Heidi Haavik
- Center of Chiropractic Research, New Zealand College of Chiropractic, Mount Wellington, Auckland 1060, New Zealand
| | - Nooshin Khobzi Rotondi
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Technology, University of Ontario, 2000 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa, ON L1G 0C5, Canada
| | - Bernadette Ann Murphy
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Technology, University of Ontario, 2000 Simcoe St. N., Oshawa, ON L1G 0C5, Canada
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Gu SY, Shi FC, Wang S, Wang CY, Yao XX, Sun YF, Luo CX, Liu WT, Hu JB, Chen F, Pan PL, Li WH. Altered cortical thickness and structural covariance networks in chronic low back pain. Brain Res Bull 2024; 212:110968. [PMID: 38679110 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2024.110968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite regional brain structural changes having been reported in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP), the topological properties of structural covariance networks (SCNs), which refer to the organization of the SCNs, remain unclear. This study applied graph theoretical analysis to explore the alterations of the topological properties of SCNs, aiming to comprehend the integration and separation of SCNs in patients with CLBP. METHODS A total of 38 patients with CLBP and 38 healthy controls (HCs), balanced for age and sex, were scanned using three-dimensional T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. The cortical thickness was extracted from 68 brain regions, according to the Desikan-Killiany atlas, and used to reconstruct the SCNs. Subsequently, graph theoretical analysis was employed to evaluate the alterations of the topological properties in the SCNs of patients with CLBP. RESULTS In comparison to HCs, patients with CLBP had less cortical thickness in the left superior frontal cortex. Additionally, the cortical thickness of the left superior frontal cortex was negatively correlated with the Visual Analogue Scale scores of patients with CLBP. Furthermore, patients with CLBP, relative to HCs, exhibited lower global efficiency and small-worldness, as well as a longer characteristic path length. This indicates a decline in the brain's capacity to transmit and process information, potentially impacting the processing of pain signals in patients with CLBP and contributing to the development of CLBP. In contrast, there were no significant differences in the clustering coefficient, local efficiency, nodal efficiency, nodal betweenness centrality, or nodal degree between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS From the regional cortical thickness to the complex brain network level, our study demonstrated changes in the cortical thickness and topological properties of the SCNs in patients with CLBP, thus aiding in a better understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of CLBP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si-Yu Gu
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital 6 of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, PR China
| | - Feng-Chao Shi
- Department of Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital 6 of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, PR China
| | - Shu Wang
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital 6 of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, PR China
| | - Cheng-Yu Wang
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital 6 of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, PR China
| | - Xin-Xin Yao
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital 6 of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, PR China
| | - Yi-Fan Sun
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital 6 of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, PR China
| | - Chuan-Xu Luo
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital 6 of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, PR China
| | - Wan-Ting Liu
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital 6 of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, PR China
| | - Jian-Bin Hu
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital 6 of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, PR China
| | - Fei Chen
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital 6 of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, PR China
| | - Ping-Lei Pan
- Department of Central Laboratory, Affiliated Hospital 6 of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, PR China
| | - Wen-Hui Li
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital 6 of Nantong University, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, PR China; The Affiliated Yancheng Maternity&Child Health Hospital of Yangzhou University Medical School, PR China.
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5
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Cheng L, Zhang J, Xi H, Li M, Hu S, Yuan W, Wang P, Chen L, Zhan L, Jia X. Abnormalities of brain structure and function in cervical spondylosis: a multi-modal voxel-based meta-analysis. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1415411. [PMID: 38948928 PMCID: PMC11211609 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1415411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Previous neuroimaging studies have revealed structural and functional brain abnormalities in patients with cervical spondylosis (CS). However, the results are divergent and inconsistent. Therefore, the present study conducted a multi-modal meta-analysis to investigate the consistent structural and functional brain alterations in CS patients. Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted in five databases to retrieve relevant resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), structural MRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies that measured brain functional and structural differences between CS patients and healthy controls (HCs). Separate and multimodal meta-analyses were implemented, respectively, by employing Anisotropic Effect-size Signed Differential Mapping software. Results 13 rs-fMRI studies that used regional homogeneity, amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) and fractional ALFF, seven voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies and one DTI study were finally included in the present research. However, no studies on surface-based morphometry (SBM) analysis were included in this research. Due to the insufficient number of SBM and DTI studies, only rs-fMRI and VBM meta-analyses were conducted. The results of rs-fMRI meta-analysis showed that compared to HCs, CS patients demonstrated decreased regional spontaneous brain activities in the right lingual gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus (MTG), left inferior parietal gyrus and right postcentral gyrus (PoCG), while increased activities in the right medial superior frontal gyrus, bilateral middle frontal gyrus and right precuneus. VBM meta-analysis detected increased GMV in the right superior temporal gyrus (STG) and right paracentral lobule (PCL), while decreased GMV in the left supplementary motor area and left MTG in CS patients. The multi-modal meta-analysis revealed increased GMV together with decreased regional spontaneous brain activity in the left PoCG, right STG and PCL among CS patients. Conclusion This meta-analysis revealed that compared to HCs, CS patients had significant alterations in GMV and regional spontaneous brain activity. The altered brain regions mainly included the primary visual cortex, the default mode network and the sensorimotor area, which may be associated with CS patients' symptoms of sensory deficits, blurred vision, cognitive impairment and motor dysfunction. The findings may contribute to understanding the underlying pathophysiology of brain dysfunction and provide references for early diagnosis and treatment of CS. Systematic review registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, CRD42022370967.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Cheng
- School of Foreign Studies, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, China
- Shanghai Center for Research in English Language Education, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianxin Zhang
- School of Foreign Studies, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, China
| | - Hongyu Xi
- School of Western Studies, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, China
| | - Mengting Li
- School of Psychology, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
- Key Laboratory of Intelligent Education Technology and Application of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
| | - Su Hu
- School of Psychology, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
- Key Laboratory of Intelligent Education Technology and Application of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
| | - Wenting Yuan
- School of Western Studies, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, China
- English Department, Heilongjiang International University, Harbin, China
| | - Peng Wang
- Department of Language, Literature and Communication, Faculty of Humanities, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Psychology, Education, and Child Studies, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Lanfen Chen
- School of Medical Imaging, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, China
| | - Linlin Zhan
- School of Western Studies, Heilongjiang University, Harbin, China
| | - Xize Jia
- School of Psychology, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
- Key Laboratory of Intelligent Education Technology and Application of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China
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Khan AF, Muhammad F, Mohammadi E, O'Neal C, Haynes G, Hameed S, Walker B, Rohan ML, Yabluchanskiy A, Smith ZA. Beyond the aging spine - a systematic review of functional changes in the human brain in cervical spondylotic myelopathy. GeroScience 2024; 46:1421-1450. [PMID: 37801201 PMCID: PMC10828266 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-023-00954-8] [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: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy (CSM) is a degenerative condition that leads to loss of cervical spinal cord integrity, typically affecting the aged population. Emerging fMRI-based evidence suggests that the brain is also affected by CSM. This systematic review aimed to understand the usefulness of brain fMRI in CSM. A comprehensive literature search was conducted until March 2023 according to PRISMA guidelines. The inclusion criteria included original research articles in English, primarily studying the human brain's functional changes in CSM using fMRI with at least 5 participants. The extracted data from each study included demographics, disease severity, MRI machine characteristics, affected brain areas, functional changes, and clinical utilities. A total of 30 studies met the inclusion criteria. Among the fMRI methods, resting-state fMRI was the most widely used experimental paradigm, followed by motor tasks. The brain areas associated with motor control were most affected in CSM, followed by the superior frontal gyrus and occipital cortex. Functional changes in the brain were correlated to clinical metrics showing clinical utility. However, the evidence that a specific fMRI metric correlating with a clinical metric was "very low" to "insufficient" due to a low number of studies and negative results. In conclusion, fMRI can potentially facilitate the diagnosis of CSM by quantitatively interrogating the functional changes of the brain, particularly areas of the brain associated with motor control. However, this field is in its early stages, and more studies are needed to establish the usefulness of brain fMRI in CSM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Fahim Khan
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 1000 N Lincoln Blvd, Suite 4000, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA.
| | - Fauziyya Muhammad
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 1000 N Lincoln Blvd, Suite 4000, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Esmaeil Mohammadi
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 1000 N Lincoln Blvd, Suite 4000, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Christen O'Neal
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 1000 N Lincoln Blvd, Suite 4000, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Grace Haynes
- Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Sanaa Hameed
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 1000 N Lincoln Blvd, Suite 4000, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Brynden Walker
- College of Arts and Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | | | - Andriy Yabluchanskiy
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 1000 N Lincoln Blvd, Suite 4000, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
- Oklahoma Center for Geroscience and Healthy Brain Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Zachary Adam Smith
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 1000 N Lincoln Blvd, Suite 4000, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
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Wang Y, Zhao R, Zhu D, Fu X, Sun F, Cai Y, Ma J, Guo X, Zhang J, Xue Y. Voxel- and tensor-based morphometry with machine learning techniques identifying characteristic brain impairment in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Front Neurol 2024; 15:1267349. [PMID: 38419699 PMCID: PMC10899699 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1267349] [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: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Aim The diagnosis of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) relies on several methods, including x-rays, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Although MRI is the most useful diagnostic tool, strategies to improve the precise and independent diagnosis of CSM using novel MRI imaging techniques are urgently needed. This study aimed to explore potential brain biomarkers to improve the precise diagnosis of CSM through the combination of voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and tensor-based morphometry (TBM) with machine learning techniques. Methods In this retrospective study, 57 patients with CSM and 57 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled. The structural changes in the gray matter volume and white matter volume were determined by VBM. Gray and white matter deformations were measured by TBM. The support vector machine (SVM) was used for the classification of CSM patients from HCs based on the structural features of VBM and TBM. Results CSM patients exhibited characteristic structural abnormalities in the sensorimotor, visual, cognitive, and subcortical regions, as well as in the anterior corona radiata and the corpus callosum [P < 0.05, false discovery rate (FDR) corrected]. A multivariate pattern classification analysis revealed that VBM and TBM could successfully identify CSM patients and HCs [classification accuracy: 81.58%, area under the curve (AUC): 0.85; P < 0.005, Bonferroni corrected] through characteristic gray matter and white matter impairments. Conclusion CSM may cause widespread and remote impairments in brain structures. This study provided a valuable reference for developing novel diagnostic strategies to identify CSM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Wang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Rui Zhao
- Department of Orthopedics Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Dan Zhu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital Airport Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiuwei Fu
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Fengyu Sun
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yuezeng Cai
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Juanwei Ma
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Xing Guo
- Department of Orthopedics Surgery, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yuan Xue
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, China
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Nitzsche B, Schulze S, Boltze J, Schmidt MJ. Reduced cingulate gyrus volume in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels with syringomyelia and neuropathic pain revealed by voxel-based morphometry: a pilot study. Front Neuroanat 2023; 17:1175953. [PMID: 37529422 PMCID: PMC10389659 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2023.1175953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Pathomorphological alterations of the central nervous system in dogs, such as syringomyelia and Chiari-like malformation, can cause cranial and cervical hyperesthesia and neuropathic pain. The long-term activity of the pain network can induce functional alteration and eventually even morphological changes in the pain network. This may happen especially in the prefrontal and cingulate cortex, where atrophy of the gray matter (GM) was observed in humans with chronic pain, irrespective of the nature of the pain syndrome. We tested the hypothesis that Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (CKCS) with Chiari-like malformation and associated syringomyelia (SM) and pain show cerebral morphological differences compared to animals without signs of syringomyelia and pain. Methods Volumetric datasets of 28 different brain structures were analyzed in a retrospective manner, including voxel-based morphometry, using magnetic resonance imaging data obtained from 41 dogs. Results Volumetric analyses revealed a decrease in GM volumes in the cingulate gyrus (CG) in CKCS with SM and chronic pain when normalized to brain volume. This finding was supported by voxel-based morphometry, which showed a cluster of significance within the CG. Conclusion GM atrophy in the CG is associated with chronic pain and thus may serve as an objective readout parameter for the diagnosis or treatment of canine pain syndromes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Björn Nitzsche
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Small Animal Clinic, Neurosurgery, Neuroradiology and Clinical Neurology, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Sabine Schulze
- Small Animal Clinic, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Johannes Boltze
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Martin J. Schmidt
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Small Animal Clinic, Neurosurgery, Neuroradiology and Clinical Neurology, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany
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Wu X, Wang Y, Chang J, Zhu K, Zhang S, Li Y, Zuo J, Chen S, Jin W, Yan T, Yang K, Xu P, Song P, Wu Y, Qian Y, Shen C, Yu Y, Dong F. Remodeling of the brain correlates with gait instability in cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1087945. [PMID: 36816111 PMCID: PMC9932596 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1087945] [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: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is a common form of non-traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) and usually leads to remodeling of the brain and spinal cord. In CSM with gait instability, the remodeling of the brain and cervical spinal cord is unclear. We attempted to explore the remodeling of these patients' brains and spinal cords, as well as the relationship between the remodeling of the brain and spinal cord and gait instability. Methods According to the CSM patients' gait, we divided patients into two groups: normal gait patients (nPT) and abnormal gait patients (aPT). Voxel-wise z-score transformation amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (zALFF) and resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) were performed for estimating brain changes. Cross-sectional area (CSA) and fractional anisotropy (FA) of the spinal cord were computed by Spinal cord toolbox. Correlations of these measures and the modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) score were analyzed. Results We found that the zALFF of caudate nucleus in aPT was higher than that in healthy controls (HC) and lower than that in nPT. The zALFF of the right postcentral gyrus and paracentral lobule in HC was higher than those of aPT and nPT. Compared with the nPT, the aPT showed increased functional connectivity between the caudate nucleus and left angular gyrus, bilateral precuneus and bilateral posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), which constitute a vital section of the default mode network (DMN). No significantly different FA values or CSA of spinal tracts at the C2 level were observed between the HC, nPT and aPT groups. In CSM, the right paracentral lobule's zALFF was negatively correlated with the FA value of fasciculus gracilis (FCG), and the right caudate zALFF was positively correlated with the FA value of the fasciculus cuneatus (FCC). The results showed that the functional connectivity between the right caudate nucleus and DMN was negatively correlated with the CSA of the lateral corticospinal tract (CST). Discussion The activation of the caudate nucleus and the strengthening functional connectivity between the caudate nucleus and DMN were associated with gait instability in CSM patients. Correlations between spinal cord and brain function might be related to the clinical symptoms in CSM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianyong Wu
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China,Department of Spine Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Jianchao Chang
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China,Department of Spine Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Kun Zhu
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China,Department of Spine Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Siya Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China,Department of Spine Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China,Department of Spine Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Junxun Zuo
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China,Department of Spine Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Senlin Chen
- Department of Orthopedics, Dongcheng Branch of The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University (Feidong People’s Hospital), Hefei, China
| | - Weiming Jin
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China,Department of Spine Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Tingfei Yan
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China,Department of Spine Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Kun Yang
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China,Department of Spine Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Peng Xu
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China,Department of Spine Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Peiwen Song
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China,Department of Spine Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yuanyuan Wu
- Department of Medical Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China,Yuanyuan Wu,
| | - Yinfeng Qian
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Cailiang Shen
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China,Department of Spine Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yongqiang Yu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Fulong Dong
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China,*Correspondence: Fulong Dong,
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10
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Wang C, Sanvito F, Oughourlian TC, Islam S, Salamon N, Holly LT, Ellingson BM. Structural Relationship between Cerebral Gray and White Matter Alterations in Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy. Tomography 2023; 9:315-327. [PMID: 36828377 PMCID: PMC9961386 DOI: 10.3390/tomography9010025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) undergo adaptive supraspinal changes. However, it remains unknown how subcortical white matter changes reflect the gray matter loss. The current study investigated the interrelationship between gray matter and subcortical white matter alterations in DCM patients. Cortical thickness of gray matter, as well as the intra-cellular volume fraction (ICVF) of subcortical whiter matter, were assessed in a cohort of 44 patients and 17 healthy controls (HCs). The results demonstrated that cortical thinning of sensorimotor and pain related regions is associated with more severe DCM symptoms. ICVF values of subcortical white matter underlying the identified regions were significantly lower in study patients than in HCs. The left precentral gyrus (r = 0.5715, p < 0.0001), the left supramarginal gyrus (r = 0.3847, p = 0.0099), the left postcentral gyrus (r = 0.5195, p = 0.0003), the right superior frontal gyrus (r = 0.3266, p = 0.0305), and the right caudal (r = 0.4749, p = 0.0011) and rostral anterior cingulate (r = 0.3927, p = 0.0084) demonstrated positive correlations between ICVF and cortical thickness in study patients, but no significant correlations between ICVF and cortical thickness were observed in HCs. Results from the current study suggest that DCM may cause widespread gray matter alterations and underlying subcortical neurite loss, which may serve as potential imaging biomarkers reflecting the pathology of DCM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chencai Wang
- UCLA Brain Tumor Imaging Laboratory (BTIL), Center for Computer Vision and Imaging Biomarkers, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
- Department of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
| | - Francesco Sanvito
- UCLA Brain Tumor Imaging Laboratory (BTIL), Center for Computer Vision and Imaging Biomarkers, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
- Department of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
- Unit of Radiology, Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic, and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Talia C. Oughourlian
- UCLA Brain Tumor Imaging Laboratory (BTIL), Center for Computer Vision and Imaging Biomarkers, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Graduate Program, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
| | - Sabah Islam
- UCLA Brain Tumor Imaging Laboratory (BTIL), Center for Computer Vision and Imaging Biomarkers, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
| | - Noriko Salamon
- Department of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
| | - Langston T. Holly
- Department of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
| | - Benjamin M. Ellingson
- UCLA Brain Tumor Imaging Laboratory (BTIL), Center for Computer Vision and Imaging Biomarkers, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
- Department of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
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11
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Evolution of brain functional plasticity associated with increasing symptom severity in degenerative cervical myelopathy. EBioMedicine 2022; 84:104255. [PMID: 36116214 PMCID: PMC9483733 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104255] [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: 04/02/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Advanced imaging modalities have helped elucidate the cerebral alterations associated with neurological impairment caused by degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM), but it remains unknown how brain functional network changes at different stages of myelopathy severity in DCM patients, and if patterns in network connectivity can be used to predict transition to more myelopathic stages of DCM. METHODS This pilot cross-sectional study, which involves the collection of resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) images and the modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) score, enrolled 116 participants (99 patients and 17 healthy controls) from 2016 to 2021. The patient cohort included 21patients with asymptomatic spinal cord compression, 48 mild DCM patients, and 20 moderate or severe DCM patients. Functional connectivity networks were quantified for all participants, and the transition matrices were quantified to determine the differences in network connectivity through increasingly myelopathic stages of DCM. Additionally, a link prediction model was used to determine whether more severe stages of DCM can be predicted from less symptomatic stages using the transition matrices. FINDINGS Results indicated interruptions in most connections within the sensorimotor network in conjunction with spinal cord compression, while compensatory connectivity was observed within and between primary and secondary sensorimotor regions, subcortical regions, visuospatial regions including the cuneus, as well as the brainstem and cerebellum. A link prediction model achieved an excellent predictive performance in estimating connectivity of more severe myelopathic stages of DCM, with the highest area under the receiver operator curve (AUC) of 0.927 for predicting mild DCM from patients with asymptomatic spinal cord compression. INTERPRETATION A series of predictable changes in functional connectivity occur throughout the stages of DCM pathogenesis. The brainstem and cerebellum appear highly influential in optimizing sensorimotor function during worsening myelopathy. The link predication model can inclusively estimate brain alterations associated with myelopathy severity. FUNDING NIH/NINDS grants (1R01NS078494-01A1, and 2R01NS078494).
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12
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Wilson AT, Johnson AJ, Laffitte Nodarse C, Hoyos L, Lysne P, Peraza JA, Montesino-Goicolea S, Valdes-Hernandez PA, Somerville J, Bialosky JE, Cruz-Almeida Y. Experimental Pain Phenotype Profiles in Community-dwelling Older Adults. Clin J Pain 2022; 38:451-458. [PMID: 35656805 PMCID: PMC9202441 DOI: 10.1097/ajp.0000000000001048] [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: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Pain sensitivity and the brain structure are critical in modulating pain and may contribute to the maintenance of pain in older adults. However, a paucity of evidence exists investigating the link between pain sensitivity and brain morphometry in older adults. The purpose of the study was to identify pain sensitivity profiles in healthy, community-dwelling older adults using a multimodal quantitative sensory testing protocol and to differentiate profiles based on brain morphometry. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study was a secondary analysis of the Neuromodulatory Examination of Pain and Mobility Across the Lifespan (NEPAL) study. Participants completed demographic and psychological questionnaires, quantitative sensory testing, and a neuroimaging session. A Principal Component Analysis with Varimax rotation followed by hierarchical cluster analysis identified 4 pain sensitivity clusters (the "pain clusters"). RESULTS Sixty-two older adults ranging from 60 to 94 years old without a specific pain condition (mean [SD] age=71.44 [6.69] y, 66.1% female) were analyzed. Four pain clusters were identified characterized by (1) thermal pain insensitivity; (2) high pinprick pain ratings and pressure pain insensitivity; (3) high thermal pain ratings and high temporal summation; and (4) thermal pain sensitivity, low thermal pain ratings, and low mechanical temporal summation. Sex differences were observed between pain clusters. Pain clusters 2 and 4 were distinguished by differences in the brain cortical volume in the parieto-occipital region. DISCUSSION While sufficient evidence exists demonstrating pain sensitivity profiles in younger individuals and in those with chronic pain conditions, the finding that subgroups of experimental pain sensitivity also exist in healthy older adults is novel. Identifying these factors in older adults may help differentiate the underlying mechanisms contributing to pain and aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail T. Wilson
- University of Central Florida, School of Kinesiology and Physical Therapy, College of Health Professions and Sciences, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Alisa J. Johnson
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA
- Department of Community Dentistry & Behavioral Science, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Chavier Laffitte Nodarse
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA
- Department of Community Dentistry & Behavioral Science, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Lorraine Hoyos
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA
| | - Paige Lysne
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA
- Department of Community Dentistry & Behavioral Science, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Julio A. Peraza
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA
- Department of Physics, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Soamy Montesino-Goicolea
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA
- Department of Community Dentistry & Behavioral Science, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Pedro A. Valdes-Hernandez
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA
- Department of Community Dentistry & Behavioral Science, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Jessie Somerville
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA
| | - Joel E. Bialosky
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA
- University of Florida Department of Physical Therapy, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Brooks Rehabilitation-College of Public Health and Health Professions Research Collaboration, Gainesville, USA
| | - Yenisel Cruz-Almeida
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA
- Department of Community Dentistry & Behavioral Science, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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13
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Ni X, Zhang J, Sun M, Wang L, Xu T, Zeng Q, Wang X, Wang Z, Liao H, Hu Y, Gao Q, Zhao L. Abnormal Dynamics of Functional Connectivity Density Associated With Chronic Neck Pain. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:880228. [PMID: 35845606 PMCID: PMC9277509 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.880228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Chronic neck pain (CNP) is highly prevalent and complicated, associated with limited movement, and accompanied by shoulder pain and other clinical manifestations such as dizziness, anxiety, and insomnia. Brain structural and functional abnormalities often occur in patients with CNP. However, knowledge of the brain’s functional organization and temporal dynamics in CNP patients is limited. Dynamic functional connectivity density (dFCD) can reflect the ability of brain areas or voxels to integrate information, and could become neuroimaging markers for objectively reflecting pain to a certain extent. Therefore, this study compared the dFCD between CNP patients and healthy controls (HCs) and investigated potential associations of the abnormal density variability in dynamic functional connectivity with pain characteristics in CNP patients. Methods: Resting functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed for 89 CNP patients and 57 HCs. After preprocessing resting-state fMRI images by the Data Processing and Analysis of Brain Imaging toolbox, the sliding window method was applied to investigate dFCD changes in CNP patients and HCs using the DynamicBC toolbox. Then we quantified dFCD variability using their standard deviation. Based on the pain-associated factors collected from the case report form of CNP patients, the mean dFCD variability values of each dFCD from region of interest were extracted to calculate Pearson’s correlation coefficient to study the potential correlation between dFCD abnormal variability and pain. Results: Compared with HCs, the dFCD values of the anterior cingulate cortex, occipital lobe, temporal lobe, and cerebellum were statistically different in patients with CNP. Subsequent correlation analysis showed that the variable dFCD in the related brain region was correlative with the course of the disease and clinical symptoms, such as pain and depression, in patients with CNP. Conclusion: Dynamic functional alterations were observed in the brain regions of CNP patients, and the dFCD of these brain regions could become neuroimaging markers for objectively reflecting pain to a certain extent. This suggests that chronic pain may cause changes in pain processing and emotional feedback and highlights the link between dynamic neural communication in brain regions and disease conditions, deepening our understanding of chronic pain diseases, and guiding clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xixiu Ni
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiabao Zhang
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Mingsheng Sun
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Linjia Wang
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Tao Xu
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Qian Zeng
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiao Wang
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Ziwen Wang
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Huaqiang Liao
- Department of Imaging, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Yimei Hu
- Department of Orthopedics, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Ling Zhao ; Qing Gao ; Yimei Hu
| | - Qing Gao
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Ling Zhao ; Qing Gao ; Yimei Hu
| | - Ling Zhao
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Ling Zhao ; Qing Gao ; Yimei Hu
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14
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Wang C, Ellingson BM, Salamon N, Holly LT. Recovery of Supraspinal Microstructural Integrity and Connectivity in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy. Neurosurgery 2022; 90:447-456. [PMID: 35076030 PMCID: PMC9514753 DOI: 10.1227/neu.0000000000001839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It remains unknown if the progressive loss of axonal conduction along sensorimotor tracts can be recovered after surgery in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) and if subsequent adaptive microstructural changes are associated with the neurological improvement. OBJECTIVE To investigate the upstream recovery of microstructural integrity and reorganization of microstructural connectivity that occurs in patients with DCM after surgical decompression. METHODS Preoperative and postoperative cerebral diffusion tensor imaging and diffusion spectrum imaging data were collected for 22 patients with DCM (age = 56.9 ± 9.1 years). Paired t-tests were used to identify significant microstructural changes within cohorts, and correlation analysis was used to identify whether those changes are associated with neurological improvement. RESULTS Before surgery, higher structural connectivity (SC) was observed in the prefrontal/frontal lobes, anterior cingulate, the internal and external capsules, and the anterior, posterior, and superior regions of the corona radiata fibers. Following surgery, an increased modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association score was associated with increased SC from the primary sensorimotor regions to the posterior cingulate and precuneus; increased SC between the cerebellum and the bilateral lingual gyri; and decreased SC from areas of the limbic system to the basal ganglia and the frontal lobe. In addition, increased fractional anisotropy and normalized quantitative anisotropy values along white matter fibers responsible for conveying sensory information and motor coordination and planning were associated with neurological improvement of patients with DCM after surgery. CONCLUSION Recovery of microstructural integrity along the corticospinal tract and other sensorimotor pathways, together with supraspinal reorganization of microstructural connectivity within sensory and motor-related regions, was associated with neurological improvement after surgical decompression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chencai Wang
- Department of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA;
| | - Benjamin M. Ellingson
- Department of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA;
- Neuroscience Interdisciplinary Graduate Program, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA;
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA;
| | - Noriko Salamon
- Department of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA;
| | - Langston T. Holly
- Department of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA;
- Department of Orthopaedics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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15
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Davies BM, Mowforth O, Gharooni AA, Tetreault L, Nouri A, Dhillon RS, Bednarik J, Martin AR, Young A, Takahashi H, Boerger TF, Newcombe VF, Zipser CM, Freund P, Koljonen PA, Rodrigues-Pinto R, Rahimi-Movaghar V, Wilson JR, Kurpad SN, Fehlings MG, Kwon BK, Harrop JS, Guest JD, Curt A, Kotter MRN. A New Framework for Investigating the Biological Basis of Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy [AO Spine RECODE-DCM Research Priority Number 5]: Mechanical Stress, Vulnerability and Time. Global Spine J 2022; 12:78S-96S. [PMID: 35174728 PMCID: PMC8859710 DOI: 10.1177/21925682211057546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN Literature Review (Narrative). OBJECTIVE To propose a new framework, to support the investigation and understanding of the pathobiology of DCM, AO Spine RECODE-DCM research priority number 5. METHODS Degenerative cervical myelopathy is a common and disabling spinal cord disorder. In this perspective, we review key knowledge gaps between the clinical phenotype and our biological models. We then propose a reappraisal of the key driving forces behind DCM and an individual's susceptibility, including the proposal of a new framework. RESULTS Present pathobiological and mechanistic knowledge does not adequately explain the disease phenotype; why only a subset of patients with visualized cord compression show clinical myelopathy, and the amount of cord compression only weakly correlates with disability. We propose that DCM is better represented as a function of several interacting mechanical forces, such as shear, tension and compression, alongside an individual's vulnerability to spinal cord injury, influenced by factors such as age, genetics, their cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and nervous system status, and time. CONCLUSION Understanding the disease pathobiology is a fundamental research priority. We believe a framework of mechanical stress, vulnerability, and time may better represent the disease as a whole. Whilst this remains theoretical, we hope that at the very least it will inspire new avenues of research that better encapsulate the full spectrum of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin M Davies
- Department of Neurosurgery, 2152University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Oliver Mowforth
- Department of Neurosurgery, 2152University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Aref-Ali Gharooni
- Department of Neurosurgery, 2152University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Lindsay Tetreault
- New York University, Langone Health, Graduate Medical Education, 5894Department of Neurology, New York, NY, USA
| | - Aria Nouri
- Division of Neurosurgery, Geneva University Hospitals, 27230University of Geneva, Genève, Switzerland
| | - Rana S Dhillon
- Department of Neurosurgery, 60078St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia
| | - Josef Bednarik
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Brno and Faculty of Medicine, 37748Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Allan R Martin
- Department of Neurosurgery, 8789University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Adam Young
- Department of Neurosurgery, 2152University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Hitoshi Takahashi
- Department of Pathology, Brain Research Institute, 12978Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Timothy F Boerger
- Department of Neurosurgery, 5506Medical College of Wisconsin, Wauwatosa, WI, USA
| | - Virginia Fj Newcombe
- Division of Anaesthesia, Department of Medicine, 2152University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Carl Moritz Zipser
- University Spine Center, 31031Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Freund
- University Spine Center, 31031Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Paul Aarne Koljonen
- Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, 25809The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ricardo Rodrigues-Pinto
- Spinal Unit (UVM), Department of Orthopaedics, 112085Centro Hospitalar Universitário do Porto - Hospital de Santo António, Porto, Portugal
- 89239Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Porto, Portugal
| | - Vafa Rahimi-Movaghar
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, 48439Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Jefferson R Wilson
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, 7938University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Shekar N Kurpad
- Department of Neurosurgery, 5506Medical College of Wisconsin, Wauwatosa, WI, USA
| | - Michael G Fehlings
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, 7938University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Brian K Kwon
- Vancouver Spine Surgery Institute, Department of Orthopedics, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - James S Harrop
- Department of Neurological Surgery, 6559Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - James D Guest
- Department of Neurosurgery and the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, The Miller School of Medicine, 12235University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Armin Curt
- University Spine Center, 31031Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mark R N Kotter
- Department of Neurosurgery, 2152University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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16
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Ma J, Hua XY, Zheng MX, Wu JJ, Huo BB, Xing XX, Feng SY, Li B, Xu JG. Surface-based map plasticity of brain regions related to sensory motor and pain information processing after osteonecrosis of the femoral head. Neural Regen Res 2021; 17:806-811. [PMID: 34472479 PMCID: PMC8530129 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.322471] [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: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Pain is one of the manifestations of hip disorder and has been proven to lead to the remodeling of somatotopic map plasticity in the cortex. However, most studies are volume-based which may lead to inaccurate anatomical positioning of functional data. The methods that work on the cortical surface may be more sensitive than those using the full brain volume and thus be more suitable for map plasticity study. In this prospective cross-sectional study performed in Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China, 20 patients with osteonecrosis of the femoral head (12 males and 8 females, aged 56.80 ± 13.60 years) and 20 healthy controls (9 males and 11 females, aged 54.56 ± 10.23 years) were included in this study. Data of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging were collected. The results revealed that compared with healthy controls, compared with the healthy controls, patients with osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) showed significantly increased surface-based regional homogeneity (ReHo) in areas distributed mainly in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, frontal eye field, right frontal eye field, and the premotor cortex and decreased surface-based ReHo in the right primary motor cortex and primary sensory cortex. Regions showing significant differences in surface-based ReHo values between the healthy controls and patients with ONFH were defined as the regions of interests. Seed-based functional connectivity was performed to investigate interregional functional synchronization. When the areas with decreased surface-based ReHo in the frontal eye field and right premotor cortex were used as the regions of interest, compared with the healthy controls, the patients with ONFH displayed increased functional connectivity in the right middle frontal cortex and right inferior parietal cortex and decreased functional connectivity in the right precentral cortex and right middle occipital cortex. Compared with healthy controls, patients with ONFH showed significantly decreased cortical thickness in the para-insular area, posterior insular area, anterior superior temporal area, frontal eye field and supplementary motor cortex and reduced volume of subcortical gray matter nuclei in the right nucleus accumbens. These findings suggest that hip disorder patients showed cortical plasticity changes, mainly in sensorimotor- and pain-related regions. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (approval No. 2018-041) on August 1, 2018.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Ma
- School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xu-Yun Hua
- School of Rehabilitation Science; Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine; Yangzhi Rehabilitation Hospital (Shanghai Sunshine Rehabilitation Center), Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mou-Xiong Zheng
- Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia-Jia Wu
- Center of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Bei-Bei Huo
- School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiang-Xin Xing
- School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Sheng-Yi Feng
- Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Bo Li
- Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian-Guang Xu
- School of Rehabilitation Science; Center of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
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Oughourlian TC, Wang C, Salamon N, Holly LT, Ellingson BM. Sex-Dependent Cortical Volume Changes in Patients with Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10173965. [PMID: 34501413 PMCID: PMC8432178 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10173965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is a progressive condition characterized by degeneration of osseocartilaginous structures within the cervical spine resulting in compression of the spinal cord and presentation of clinical symptoms. Compared to healthy controls (HCs), studies have shown DCM patients experience structural and functional reorganization in the brain; however, sex-dependent cortical differences in DCM patients remains largely unexplored. In the present study, we investigate the role of sex differences on the structure of the cerebral cortex in DCM and determine how structural differences may relate to clinical measures of neurological function. T1-weighted structural MRI scans were acquired in 85 symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with DCM and 90 age-matched HCs. Modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) scores were obtained for patients. A general linear model was used to determine vertex-level significant differences in gray matter volume (GMV) between the following groups (1) male HCs and female HCs, (2) male patients and female patients, (3) male patients and male HCs, and (4) female patients and female HCs. Within patients, males exhibited larger GMV in motor, language, and vision related brain regions compared to female DCM patients. Males demonstrated a significant positive correlation between GMV and mJOA score, in which patients with worsening neurological symptoms exhibited decreasing GMV primarily across somatosensory and motor related cortical regions. Females exhibited a similar association, albeit across a broader range of cortical areas including those involved in pain processing. In sensorimotor regions, female patients consistently showed smaller GMV compared with male patients, independent of mJOA score. Results from the current study suggest strong sex-related differences in cortical volume in patients with DCM, which may reflect hormonal influence or differing compensation mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talia C. Oughourlian
- UCLA Center for Computer Vision and Imaging Biomarkers, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA; (T.C.O.); (C.W.); (B.M.E.)
- Department of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA;
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Graduate Program, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Chencai Wang
- UCLA Center for Computer Vision and Imaging Biomarkers, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA; (T.C.O.); (C.W.); (B.M.E.)
- Department of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA;
| | - Noriko Salamon
- Department of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA;
| | - Langston T. Holly
- Department of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-(310)-319-3475
| | - Benjamin M. Ellingson
- UCLA Center for Computer Vision and Imaging Biomarkers, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA; (T.C.O.); (C.W.); (B.M.E.)
- Department of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA;
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Graduate Program, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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18
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Zhang J, Xu T, Wang L, Chen D, Gong L, Chen H, Yu J, Zhao L, Gao Q. Dynamic alterations of amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations in patients with chronic neck pain. PSYCHORADIOLOGY 2021; 1:110-117. [PMID: 38665806 PMCID: PMC10939338 DOI: 10.1093/psyrad/kkab011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Background The pathogenesis of neck pain in the brain, which is the fourth most common cause of disability, remains unclear. Furthermore, little is known about the characteristics of dynamic local functional brain activity in cervical pain. Objective The present study aimed to investigate the changes of local brain activity caused by chronic neck pain and the factors leading to neck pain. Methods Using the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) method combined with sliding window approach, we compared local brain activity that was measured by the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of 107 patients with chronic neck pain (CNP) with that of 57 healthy control participants. Five pathogenic factors were selected for correlation analysis. Results The group comparison results of dynamic amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (dALFF) variability showed that patients with CNP exhibited decreased dALFF variability in the left inferior temporal gyrus, the middle temporal gyrus, the angular gyrus, the inferior parietal marginal angular gyrus, and the middle occipital gyrus. The abnormal dALFF variability of the left inferior temporal gyrus was negatively correlated with the average daily working hours of patients with neck pain. Conclusions The findings indicated that the brain regions of patients with CNP responsible for audition, vision, memory, and emotion were subjected to temporal variability of abnormal regional brain activity. Moreover, the dALFF variability in the left inferior temporal gyrus might be a risk factor for neck pain.This study revealed the brain dysfunction of patients with CNP from the perspective of dynamic local brain activity, and highlighted the important role of dALFF variability in understanding the neural mechanism of CNP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiabao Zhang
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, China
| | - Tao Xu
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 610075, China
| | - Linjia Wang
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 610075, China
| | - Dan Chen
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 610075, China
| | - Lisha Gong
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, China
| | - Huafu Chen
- Department of Radiology, First Affiliated Hospital to Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
- High-Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, China
| | - Jiali Yu
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, China
| | - Ling Zhao
- Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 610075, China
| | - Qing Gao
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, China
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19
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Wang C, Ellingson BM, Islam S, Laiwalla A, Salamon N, Holly LT. Supraspinal functional and structural plasticity in patients undergoing surgery for degenerative cervical myelopathy. J Neurosurg Spine 2021; 35:185-193. [PMID: 34116506 PMCID: PMC9675984 DOI: 10.3171/2020.11.spine201688] [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: 09/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate cerebral reorganization, both structurally and functionally, occurring in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) after surgical decompression. METHODS In the current observational study of 19 patients, high-resolution T1-weighted structural MRI and resting-state functional MRI scans were obtained pre- and postoperatively in patients with DCM and healthy controls (HCs). The resting-state functional MRI data were utilized to perform region-of-interest (ROI)-to-ROI and ROI-to-voxel functional connectivity (FC) analysis and were similarly compared between and within cohorts. Macroscopic structural plasticity was evaluated by assessing for changes in cortical thickness within the DCM cohort after decompression surgery. RESULTS Prior to surgery, FC patterns were significantly different between DCM patients and HCs in cerebral areas responsible for postural control, motor regulation, and perception and integration of sensory information. Significantly stronger FC between the cerebellum and frontal lobes was identified in DCM patients postoperatively compared with DCM patients preoperatively. Additionally, increased FC between the cerebellum and primary sensorimotor areas was found to be positively associated with neurological improvement in patients with DCM. No macroscopic structural changes were observed in the DCM patients after surgery. CONCLUSIONS These results support the authors' hypothesis that functional changes within the brain are associated with effective postoperative recovery, particularly in regions associated with motor regulation and with perception and integration of sensory information. In particular, increased FC between the cerebellum and the primary sensorimotor after surgery appears to be associated with neurological improvement. Macroscopic morphological changes may be too subtle to be detected within 3 months after surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chencai Wang
- Dept. of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Benjamin M. Ellingson
- Dept. of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Neuroscience Interdisciplinary Graduate Program, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Sabah Islam
- Dept. of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Azim Laiwalla
- Dept. of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Noriko Salamon
- Dept. of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Langston T. Holly
- Dept. of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
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20
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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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21
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Zhang H, Xia D, Wu X, Liu R, Liu H, Yang X, Yin X, Chen S, Ma M. Abnormal Intrinsic Functional Interactions Within Pain Network in Cervical Discogenic Pain. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:671280. [PMID: 33935644 PMCID: PMC8079815 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.671280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cervical discogenic pain (CDP) is mainly induced by cervical disc degeneration. However, how CDP modulates the functional interactions within the pain network remains unclear. In the current study, we studied the changed resting-state functional connectivities of pain network with 40 CDP patients and 40 age-, gender-matched healthy controls. We first defined the pain network with the seeds of the posterior insula (PI). Then, whole brain and seed-to-target functional connectivity analyses were performed to identify the differences in functional connectivity between CDP and healthy controls. Finally, correlation analyses were applied to reveal the associations between functional connectivities and clinical measures. Whole-brain functional connectivity analyses of PI identified increased functional connectivity between PI and thalamus (THA) and decreased functional connectivity between PI and middle cingulate cortex (MCC) in CDP patients. Functional connectivity analyses within the pain network further revealed increased functional connectivities between bilateral PI and bilateral THA, and decreased functional connectivities between left PI and MCC, between left postcentral gyrus (PoCG) and MCC in CDP patients. Moreover, we found that the functional connectivities between right PI and left THA, between left PoCG and MCC were negatively and positively correlated with the visual analog scale, respectively. Our findings provide direct evidence of how CDP modulates the pain network, which may facilitate understanding of the neural basis of CDP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Xi'an Central Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Dongqin Xia
- Department of Ultrasound, The Affiliated Xi'an Central Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaoping Wu
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Xi'an Central Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Run Liu
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Xi'an Central Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Hongsheng Liu
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Xi'an Central Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiangchun Yang
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Xi'an Central Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaohui Yin
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Xi'an Central Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Song Chen
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Xi'an XD Group Hospital, Shaanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, China
| | - Mingyue Ma
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Xi'an Central Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
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22
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Detection of cerebral reorganization associated with degenerative cervical myelopathy using diffusion spectral imaging (DSI). J Clin Neurosci 2021; 86:164-173. [PMID: 33775321 DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2021.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy (DCM) is a spinal cord disorder that causes significant physical disabilities in older patients. While most DCM research focuses on the spinal cord, widespread reorganization of the brain may occur to compensate for functional impairment. This observational study used diffusion spectrum imaging (DSI) to examine reorganization of cerebral white matter associated with neurological impairment as measured by the modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA), and severity of neck disability as measured by the Neck Disability Index (NDI) score. A total of 47 patients were included in the cervical spondylosis (CS) cohort: 38 patients with DCM (mean mJOA = 14.6, and mean NDI = 12.0), and 9 neurologically asymptomatic patients with spinal cord compression (mJOA = 18, and mean NDI = 7.0). 28 healthy volunteers (HCs) served as the control group. Lower generalized fractional anisotropy (GFA) was observed throughout much of the brain in patients compared to HCs (p < 0.05). Fiber pathways associated with somatosensory functions, such as the corpus callosum and corona radiata, showed increased quantitative anisotropy (QA) in patients compared to HCs. Correlation analyses further suggested that structural connectivity was enhanced to compensate for neurological dysfunction within sensorimotor regions, where fibers such as the posterior corona radiata had NQA values that were negatively associated with mJOA (p = 0.0020, R2 = 0.2935) and positively associated with NDI score (p = 0.0164, R2 = 0.1889). Altogether, these results suggest that DCM and neurologically asymptomatic spinal cord compression patients tend to have long-term reorganization within the brain, particularly in those regions responsible for the perception and integration of sensory information, motor regulation, and pain modulation.
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23
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Wu X, Wang X, Zhang G, Guo Z, Wang Y, Wang R, Xiang H, Chen B. Histologic Observation and Significance of Sympathetic Nerve Fiber Distribution on Human Cervical Ligamentum Flavum. Orthop Surg 2020; 12:1811-1825. [PMID: 33073501 PMCID: PMC7767696 DOI: 10.1111/os.12802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To study the distribution of sympathetic nerves of the ligamentum flavum (LF), confirm its existence by histological observation and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and analyze the relationship between sympathetic nerve fibers and the biomechanical structure of the LF. Methods Randomly controlled scientific research selected 15 cases of posterior surgery in the affiliated hospital of Qingdao University from January 2013 to December 2019. The average age was 67.5 ± 14.5 years old, eight males and seven females. The LF specimens (completely separated fresh tissue) of different segments (C3‐7) were taken during the operation. Two pages of LF specimens on the left and right sides of the same segment are randomly allocated by the pairing method for formalin fixation and cryopreservation in liquid nitrogen. LF specimens extracted from seven other adult cadaver specimens (average age at death of about 56.8 ± 4.0 years, three males and four females) were used as a control group; together with formalin‐ fixed specimens obtained during surgery, 3D slices were given layer by layer. The distribution of sympathetic nerves in different parts of the LF was analyzed by glyoxylic acid‐induced biological monoamine fluorescent technique (SPG) and hematoxylin–eosin (HE) staining. Fifteen liquid nitrogen storage specimens were divided into the back of the LF and the spinal canal through frozen sections, and were analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy‐hydrogen spectrum (1H ‐NMR) for neurotransmitters and neurometabolites. Results There were type C sympathetic nerve fibers in the LF, which were divided into linear shape (α) and wave shape (β). Experimental group (χ2 = 1.705, P > 0.05) and control group (χ2 = 0.879, P > 0.05) can detect no difference in fluorescence units. Nerve fiber transmitter metabolites choline (Cho), creator (Cr), γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) also indicate that the sympathetic nerve is present in the LF. LF sympathetic nerve fibers were mainly distributed in the proximal spinal canal surface, nerve fibers on the medial belt (area II) were fewer than the lateral belt (area I) (W = 210, P < 0.05). The 1HNMR spectrum of LF spinal canal PG / Cho (t = 8.721, P < 0.05), GABA (t = 16.01, P < 0.05) value increased, lactic acid (Lac) / Cr (t = 4.213, P < 0.05), Cho / Cr (t = 2.402, P < 0.05) value decreased, indicating that nerve fibers are actively metabolized on the surface of the spinal canal, mainly distributed in tube surface. βtype fibers were more often distributed around microvessels. A small amount of α type fibers went next to the vascular structures, while α type fibers and β type fibers go cross within LF. Two patients with vertebral artery dissection had no recurrence of sympathetic symptoms within a total of 12 follow‐ups 2 years after discharge. Conclusions There are many sympathetic nerve fibers distributed on LF, and their distribution may be correlated with histological and mechanical characteristics of LF. It may also be the anatomical basis of cervical vertigo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolin Wu
- Department of Orthopedics, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiaoyan Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.,Department of Vascular Intervention, Qingdao Central Hospital, Qingdao, China
| | - Guoqing Zhang
- Department of Orthopedics, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhu Guo
- Department of Orthopedics, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Ronghuan Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Hongfei Xiang
- Department of Orthopedics, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Bohua Chen
- Department of Orthopedics, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
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24
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Ma M, Zhang H, Liu R, Liu H, Yang X, Yin X, Chen S, Wu X. Static and Dynamic Changes of Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuations in Cervical Discogenic Pain. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:733. [PMID: 32760245 PMCID: PMC7372087 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cervical discogenic pain (CDP) is a clinically common pain syndrome caused by cervical disk degeneration. A large number of studies have reported that CDP results in brain functional impairments. However, the detailed dynamic brain functional abnormalities in CDP are still unclear. In this study, using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, we explored the neural basis of CDP with 40 CDP patients and 40 age-, gender-matched healthy controls to delineate the changes of the voxel-level static and dynamic amplitude of low frequency fluctuations (ALFF). We found increased static ALFF in left insula (INS) and posterior precuneus (PCu), and decreased static ALFF in left precentral/postcentral gyrus (PreCG/PoCG), thalamus (THA), and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex in CPD patients compared to healthy controls. We also found decreased dynamic ALFF in left PreCG/PoCG, right posterior middle temporal gyrus, and bilateral THA. Moreover, we found that static ALFF in left PreCG/PoCG and dynamic ALFF in THA were significantly negatively correlated with visual analog scale and disease duration, respectively. Our findings provide the neurophysiological basis for CDP and facilitate understanding the neuropathology of CDP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyue Ma
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Xi'an Central Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Hong Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Xi'an Central Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Run Liu
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Xi'an Central Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Hongsheng Liu
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Xi'an Central Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiangchun Yang
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Xi'an Central Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaohui Yin
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Xi'an Central Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Song Chen
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Xi'an XD Group Hospital of Shanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xi'an, China
| | - Xiaoping Wu
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Xi'an Central Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
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25
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Volumetric and functional connectivity alterations in patients with chronic cervical spondylotic pain. Neuroradiology 2020; 62:995-1001. [PMID: 32296878 DOI: 10.1007/s00234-020-02413-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To explore the structural and functional alterations of the whole brain in patients with chronic cervical spondylotic pain (cCSP). METHODS The whole-brain three-dimensional (3D) T1 and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data were acquired in 31 patients with cCSP and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. 3D T1 and rs-fMRI data were processed using statistical parametric mapping (SPM) and data processing and analysis of brain imaging (DPABI) toolbox. The parametric differences of voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) were calculated between groups, then these measures were correlated with the score of visual analogue scale (VAS) and other clinical indices in patients with cCSP. RESULTS Patients with cCSP exhibited reduced gray matter volume (GMV) in the right middle cingulate cortex (MCC), right superior temporal gyrus (STG) and right precuneus compared to healthy controls. Furthermore, patients with cCSP displayed decreased functional connectivity between the right precuneus and bilateral medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Additionally, GMV of the right MCC, right STG, and right precuneus, together with rs-FC of the right precuneus to bilateral mPFC, were negatively correlated with the VAS respectively. CONCLUSIONS Our study revealed cerebral morphological and functional abnormalities during the pain process in patients with cCSP, which may provide alternative information for the treatment of cCSP.
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Li JL, Yan CQ, Wang X, Zhang S, Zhang N, Hu SQ, Wang LQ, Liu CZ. Brain Functional Alternations of the Pain-related Emotional and Cognitive Regions in Patients with Chronic Shoulder Pain. J Pain Res 2020; 13:575-583. [PMID: 32256105 PMCID: PMC7093095 DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s220370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Chronic shoulder pain (CSP) is a common health problem associated with shoulder dysfunction and persistent pain for many different reasons. However, the studies of pain-related functional brain regions in CSP have been poorly investigated. The main purpose of our study was to observe whether there are abnormal functional changes in brain regions in patients with CSP by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Patients and Methods We compared the differences of brain regions between 37 patients with CSP and 24 healthy controls (HC) using regional homogeneity (ReHo) method. The patients with chronic shoulder pain and healthy controls were matched for age and gender. Brain regions which had abnormal ReHo values were defined as seed region of interests. The approach of seed-based functional connectivity (FC) was further performed to analyze the connectivity between the seeds and whole brain regions. The relationship between abnormal regions and current clinical pain was also evaluated. Results Compared to healthy controls, the patients with CSP showed increased ReHo values in the left middle temporal gyrus and decreased ReHo values in right orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). The seed-based analyses demonstrated decreased connectivity between the right OFC and right rectus, superior frontal gyrus in patients with chronic shoulder pain. However, a correlation between ReHo values and clinical characteristics in CSP patients was not found. Conclusion The observed results indicate that there are abnormal ReHo values in brain regions of patients with CSP, especially in the OFC and middle temporal gyrus. Our findings demonstrate that the experience of CSP patients may be mainly associated with cognitive-affective pain processing, rather than nociception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Ling Li
- School of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Chao-Qun Yan
- School of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xu Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuai Zhang
- Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Wangjing Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Na Zhang
- School of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Shandong University of Chinese Medicine, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Shang-Qing Hu
- School of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Li-Qiong Wang
- School of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Cun-Zhi Liu
- School of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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Holly LT, Wang C, Woodworth DC, Salamon N, Ellingson BM. Neck disability in patients with cervical spondylosis is associated with altered brain functional connectivity. J Clin Neurosci 2019; 69:149-154. [PMID: 31420276 DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2019.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Cervical degenerative disease is a major cause of neck disability, but it has been understudied in patients with cervical spondylotic (CS), largely due to the fact that the neurological impairment associated with this condition tends to be the primary treatment focus. This observational study examined the cerebral functional alterations occurring in advanced cervical spondylosis and myelopathy using resting state functional MRI. Associations between functional connectivity (FC) and neck disability using the Neck Disability Index (NDI) were assessed. Results of the study demonstrated an increase in FC with increasing in neck disability in regions associated with sensorimotor system (both postcentral gyri and precentral gyri, bilaterally, with the SMA; bilateral precentral gyri and the left postcentral gyrus, with the left superior frontal gyrus; bilateral SMA and the left putamen, with the superior frontal gyri). Accounting for the difference in neurological function (mJOA score), strong connectivity between the precentral gyri and the SMA associated with the neck disability. Consistent with studies in chronic pain conditions, these findings suggest neck disability is associated with altered cerebral FC in cervical spondylosis patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Langston T Holly
- Dept. of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Chencai Wang
- Dept. of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Davis C Woodworth
- Dept. of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Physics and Biology in Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Noriko Salamon
- Dept. of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Benjamin M Ellingson
- Dept. of Radiological Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Physics and Biology in Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Dept. of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
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Bigler ED, Finuf C, Abildskov TJ, Goodrich-Hunsaker NJ, Petrie JA, Wood DM, Hesselink JR, Wilde EA, Max JE. Cortical thickness in pediatric mild traumatic brain injury including sports-related concussion. Int J Psychophysiol 2018; 132:99-104. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2018.07.474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2017] [Revised: 07/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Connectivity of the Brain Is Associated with Altered Sensorimotor Function in Patients with Cervical Spondylosis. World Neurosurg 2018; 119:e740-e749. [PMID: 30092474 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2018.07.257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2018] [Revised: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 07/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the relationship between functional connectivity (FC) using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and neurological impairment in patients with cervical spondylosis and healthy controls. METHODS A total of 24 patients with cervical spondylosis with or without myelopathy and 17 neurologically intact, healthy volunteer subjects were prospectively enrolled in a cross-sectional study involving observational MRI and evaluation of neurological function using the modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) score. Seed-to-seed connectivity and seed-to-voxel connectivity on functional MRI data were performed using a general linear model of connectivity with respect to age and mJOA score. RESULTS Increased FC was observed with increasing neurological impairment in patients with cervical stenosis within sensorimotor areas, including precentral gyrus, postcentral gyrus, and supplemental motor regions, using both seed-to-seed and seed-to-voxel analyses. The anterior cingulate showed increasing connectivity with the supplemental motor area, thalamus, and cerebellum with increasing neurological function. Similarly, the thalamus, cerebellum, and putamen presented with increasing connectivity to both the bilateral precuneus and the posterior cingulate with an increasing mJOA score. CONCLUSIONS Patients with cervical spondylosis exhibiting neurological impairment experience changes in brain connectivity similar to that of patients with chronic traumatic spinal cord injury. These results suggest an increase in FC within sensorimotor regions with increasing neurological impairment and decreased connectivity between the cerebellum, putamen, and thalamus to the anterior and posterior cingulate and frontal lobe regions.
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