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Augière T, Simoneau M, Mercier C. Visuotactile integration in individuals with fibromyalgia. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 18:1390609. [PMID: 38826615 PMCID: PMC11140151 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1390609] [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: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Our brain constantly integrates afferent information, such as visual and tactile information, to perceive the world around us. According to the maximum-likelihood estimation (MLE) model, imprecise information will be weighted less than precise, making the multisensory percept as precise as possible. Individuals with fibromyalgia (FM), a chronic pain syndrome, show alterations in the integration of tactile information. This could lead to a decrease in their weight in a multisensory percept or a general disruption of multisensory integration, making it less beneficial. To assess multisensory integration, 15 participants with FM and 18 pain-free controls performed a temporal-order judgment task in which they received pairs of sequential visual, tactile (unisensory conditions), or visuotactile (multisensory condition) stimulations on the index and the thumb of the non-dominant hand and had to determine which finger was stimulated first. The task enabled us to measure the precision and accuracy of the percept in each condition. Results indicate an increase in precision in the visuotactile condition compared to the unimodal conditions in controls only, although we found no intergroup differences. The observed visuotactile precision was correlated to the precision predicted by the MLE model in both groups, suggesting an optimal integration. Finally, the weights of the sensory information were not different between the groups; however, in the group with FM, higher pain intensity was associated with smaller tactile weight. This study shows no alterations of the visuotactile integration in individuals with FM, though pain may influence tactile weight in these participants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Augière
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration (Cirris), CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, Quebec, QC, Canada
- School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada
| | - Martin Simoneau
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration (Cirris), CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, Quebec, QC, Canada
- Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada
| | - Catherine Mercier
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration (Cirris), CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, Quebec, QC, Canada
- School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada
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2
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Tong H, Maloney TC, Payne MF, Suñol M, Dudley JA, King CD, Ting TV, Kashikar-Zuck S, Coghill RC, López-Solà M. Augmented pain-evoked primary sensorimotor cortex activation in adolescent girls with juvenile fibromyalgia. Pain 2023; 164:2316-2326. [PMID: 37326678 PMCID: PMC10502878 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Juvenile fibromyalgia (JFM) is a chronic widespread pain condition that primarily affects adolescent girls. Previous studies have found increased sensitivity to noxious pressure in adolescents with JFM. However, the underlying changes in brain systems remain unclear. The aim of this study was to characterize pain-evoked brain responses and identify brain mediators of pain hypersensitivity in adolescent girls with JFM. Thirty-three adolescent girls with JFM and 33 healthy adolescent girls underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging scans involving noxious pressure applied to the left thumbnail at an intensity of 2.5 or 4 kg/cm 2 and rated pain intensity and unpleasantness on a computerized Visual Analogue Scale. We conducted standard general linear model analyses and exploratory whole-brain mediation analyses. The JFM group reported significantly greater pain intensity and unpleasantness than the control group in response to noxious pressure stimuli at both intensities ( P < 0.05). The JFM group showed augmented right primary somatosensory cortex (S1) activation to 4 kg/cm 2 (Z > 3.1, cluster-corrected P < 0.05), and the peak S1 activation magnitudes significantly correlated with the scores on the Widespread Pain Index ( r = 0.35, P = 0.048) with higher activation associated with more widespread pain. We also found that greater primary sensorimotor cortex activation in response to 4 kg/cm 2 mediated the between-group differences in pain intensity ratings ( P < 0.001). In conclusion, we found heightened sensitivity to noxious pressure stimuli and augmented pain-evoked sensorimotor cortex responses in adolescent girls with JFM, which could reflect central sensitization or amplified nociceptive input.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Tong
- Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Pediatric Pain Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Thomas C. Maloney
- Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Imaging Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Michael F. Payne
- Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Pediatric Pain Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Maria Suñol
- Unit of Psychological Medicine, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jonathan A. Dudley
- Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Imaging Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Christopher D. King
- Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Pediatric Pain Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Tracy V. Ting
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Division of Rheumatology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Susmita Kashikar-Zuck
- Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Pediatric Pain Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Robert C. Coghill
- Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Pediatric Pain Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Marina López-Solà
- Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Pediatric Pain Research Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Unit of Psychological Medicine, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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3
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Lim M, Kim DJ, Nascimento TD, Ichesco E, Kaplan C, Harris RE, DaSilva AF. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Signal Variability Is Associated With Neuromodulation in Fibromyalgia. Neuromodulation 2023; 26:999-1008. [PMID: 34309138 PMCID: PMC8789944 DOI: 10.1111/ner.13512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Although primary motor cortex (M1) transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has an analgesic effect in fibromyalgia (FM), its neural mechanism remains elusive. We investigated whether M1-tDCS modulates a regional temporal variability of blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) signals, an indicator of the brain's flexibility and efficiency and if this change is associated with pain improvement. MATERIALS AND METHODS In a within-subjects cross-over design, 12 female FM patients underwent sham and active tDCS on five consecutive days, respectively. Each session was performed with an anode placed on the left M1 and a cathode on the contralateral supraorbital region. The subjects also participated in resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) at baseline and after sham and active tDCS. We compared the BOLD signal variability (SDBOLD), defined as the standard deviation of the BOLD time-series, between the tDCS conditions. Baseline SDBOLD was compared to 15 healthy female controls. RESULTS At baseline, FM patients showed reduced SDBOLD in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), lateral PFC, and anterior insula and increased SDBOLD in the posterior insula compared to healthy controls. After active tDCS, compared to sham, we found an increased SDBOLD in the left rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC), lateral PFC, and thalamus. After sham tDCS, compared to baseline, we found a decreased SDBOLD in the dorsomedial PFC and posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus. Interestingly, after active tDCS compared to sham, pain reduction was correlated with an increased SDBOLD in the rACC/vmPFC but with a decreased SDBOLD in the posterior insula. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that M1-tDCS might revert temporal variability of fMRI signals in the rACC/vmPFC and posterior insula linked to FM pain. Changes in neural variability would be part of the mechanisms underlying repetitive M1-tDCS analgesia in FM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manyoel Lim
- Headache and Orofacial Pain Effort (H.O.P.E.), Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences & Prosthodontics, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Dajung J Kim
- Headache and Orofacial Pain Effort (H.O.P.E.), Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences & Prosthodontics, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Thiago D Nascimento
- Headache and Orofacial Pain Effort (H.O.P.E.), Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences & Prosthodontics, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Eric Ichesco
- Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Chelsea Kaplan
- Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Richard E Harris
- Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Alexandre F DaSilva
- Headache and Orofacial Pain Effort (H.O.P.E.), Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences & Prosthodontics, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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Hussein M, Fathy W, Abdelaleem EA, Nasser M, Yehia A, Elanwar R. The Impact of Micro RNA-320a Serum Level on Severity of Symptoms and Cerebral Processing of Pain in Patients with Fibromyalgia. PAIN MEDICINE (MALDEN, MASS.) 2022; 23:2061-2072. [PMID: 35587745 DOI: 10.1093/pm/pnac076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The aim of this work was to explore the expression of miR-320a level in fibromyalgia patients in comparison to healthy controls, and to clarify its impact on the severity of symptoms and the cerebral processing of pain assessed by middle latency somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs). DESIGN Case-control study. SETTING Rheumatology and Neurology outpatient clinics. SUBJECTS Seventy-four fibromyalgia patients and seventy-four normal healthy controls. METHODS The included patients were subjected to detailed history taking, assessment of severity of fibromyalgia symptoms using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire Revised (FIQR), assessment of pain intensity using the Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory (NPSI), measurement of the serum level of miR-320a in addition to of measurement peak latencies and amplitudes of middle latency SSEPs. RESULTS Fibromyalgia patients had significantly higher micro-RNA-320a levels (0.907 ± 0.022) in comparison to controls (0.874 ± 0.015) (P-value < .001). The mean values of micro-RNA-320a levels were significantly higher in fibromyalgia patients with insomnia, chronic fatigue syndrome, persistent depressive disorder, and primary headache disorder than those without (P-value = .024, <.001, .006, .036 respectively). There were statistically significant positive correlations between micro-RNA-320a levels, and disease duration, FIQR, and NPSI total scores (P-value <0.001, 0.003, 0.002 respectively). There were no statistically significant correlations between micro-RNA-320a levels and middle latency SSEPs. DISCUSSION Micro-RNA-320a level is significantly upregulated in fibromyalgia patient. It has a crucial impact on the severity of symptoms but not related to the cerebral processing of pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Hussein
- Department of Neurology, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
| | - Wael Fathy
- Department of Anaesthesia, Surgical ICU and Pain management, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
| | - Enas A Abdelaleem
- Department of Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
| | - Mona Nasser
- Department of Clinical and Chemical pathology, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Yehia
- Department of Internal medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
| | - Rehab Elanwar
- Neuro diagnostic research center, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
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5
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Limb Laterality Discrimination, Evoked Sensations and Somatosensory Behavior in Fibromyalgia Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12157495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The main objective of this study was to assess the status of body schema using limb laterality discrimination tasks and pain measurement variables of patients with FMS compared to healthy subjects. The secondary aim was to analyze the relationships between laterality discrimination with respect to somatosensory variables. Thirty female patients with FMS (with a mean age of 52.43 ± 11.82 years) and thirty healthy women (with a mean age of 47.93 ± 5.92 years) were recruited. The main outcome measures were laterality discrimination, referral of evoked sensations, pressure pain threshold and conditioned pain modulation. The main analysis showed that patients with FMS have a longer reaction time for laterality discrimination in hands (hands—20 images, t = 4.044, p < 0.0001, d = 1.04; hands—50 images t = 4.012, p < 0.0001, d = 1.31; feet—20 images t = 2.982, p < 0.01, d = 0.76; feet—50 images, t = 2.159, p < 0.05, d = 0.55). With regard the secondary analysis, patients with FM have higher mechanical hyperalgesia (t = −9.550; p < 0.0001, d = 2.51) and decreased response to conditioned pain modulation compared with healthy subjects (t = 15.519; p < 0.0001, d = 4.17). A positive correlation was found in patients with FMS between greater laterality discrimination ability and better function of conditioned pain modulation (hands r = 0.676, p < 0.0001; feet r = 0.485, p < 0.01). In conclusion, patients with FMS have a longer reaction time and lower accuracy for laterality discrimination, increased mechanical hyperalgesia and decreased conditioned pain modulation compared to healthy subjects. Finally, it seems that there is a positive correlation between greater laterality discrimination ability and better conditioned pain modulation function.
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Zhang YN, Xing XX, Chen L, Dong X, Pan HT, Hua XY, Wang K. Brain Functional Alteration at Different Stages of Neuropathic Pain With Allodynia and Emotional Disorders. Front Neurol 2022; 13:843815. [PMID: 35585842 PMCID: PMC9108233 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.843815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuropathic pain (NeuP), a challenging medical condition, has been suggested by neuroimaging studies to be associated with abnormalities of neural activities in some brain regions. However, aberrancies in brain functional alterations underlying the sensory-discriminative abnormalities and negative emotions in the setting of NeuP remain unexplored. Here, we aimed to investigate the functional alterations in neural activity relevant to pain as well as pain-related depressive-like and anxiety-like behaviors in NeuP by combining amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and degree centrality (DC) analyses methods based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). A rat model of NeuP was established via chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve. Results revealed that the robust mechanical allodynia occurred early and persisted throughout the entire observational period. Depressive and anxiety-like behaviors did not appear until 4 weeks after injury. When the maximum allodynia was apparent early, CCI rats exhibited decreased ALFF and DC values in the left somatosensory and nucleus accumbens shell (ACbSh), respectively, as compared with sham rats. Both values were significantly positively correlated with mechanical withdrawal thresholds (MWT). At 4 weeks post-CCI, negative emotional states were apparent and CCI rats were noted to exhibit increased ALFF values in the left somatosensory and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) as well as increased DC values in the right motor cortex, as compared with sham rats. At 4 weeks post-CCI, ALFF values in the left somatosensory cortex and DC values in the right motor cortex were noted to negatively correlate with MWT and exhibition of anxiety-like behavior on an open-field test (OFT); values were found to positively correlate with the exhibition of depressive-like behavior on forced swimming test (FST). The mPFC ALFF values were found to negatively correlate with the exhibition of anxiety-like behavior on OFT and positively correlate with the exhibition of depressive-like behavior on FST. Our findings detail characteristic alterations of neural activity patterns induced by chronic NeuP and underscore the important role of the left somatosensory cortex, as well as its related networks, in the mediation of subsequent emotional dysregulation due to NeuP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Nan Zhang
- Acupuncture Anesthesia Clinical Research Institute, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiang-Xin Xing
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China,Engineering Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine Intelligent Rehabilitation, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Liu Chen
- Acupuncture Anesthesia Clinical Research Institute, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Dong
- Acupuncture Anesthesia Clinical Research Institute, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hao-Tian Pan
- Acupuncture Anesthesia Clinical Research Institute, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xu-Yun Hua
- Engineering Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine Intelligent Rehabilitation, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China,Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China,*Correspondence: Xu-Yun Hua
| | - Ke Wang
- Acupuncture Anesthesia Clinical Research Institute, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China,Ke Wang
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Pondelis NJ, Moulton EA. Supraspinal Mechanisms Underlying Ocular Pain. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 8:768649. [PMID: 35211480 PMCID: PMC8862711 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.768649] [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: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Supraspinal mechanisms of pain are increasingly understood to underlie neuropathic ocular conditions previously thought to be exclusively peripheral in nature. Isolating individual causes of centralized chronic conditions and differentiating them is critical to understanding the mechanisms underlying neuropathic eye pain and ultimately its treatment. Though few functional imaging studies have focused on the eye as an end-organ for the transduction of noxious stimuli, the brain networks related to pain processing have been extensively studied with functional neuroimaging over the past 20 years. This article will review the supraspinal mechanisms that underlie pain as they relate to the eye.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Pondelis
- Brain and Eye Pain Imaging Lab, Pain and Affective Neuroscience Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Eric A Moulton
- Brain and Eye Pain Imaging Lab, Pain and Affective Neuroscience Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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8
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Augière T, Desjardins A, Paquette Raynard E, Brun C, Pinard AM, Simoneau M, Mercier C. Tactile Detection in Fibromyalgia: A Systematic Review and a Meta-Analysis. FRONTIERS IN PAIN RESEARCH 2021; 2:740897. [PMID: 35295451 PMCID: PMC8915638 DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2021.740897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain syndrome characterized by sensorimotor deficits and distortions of body representation, that could both be caused by alterations in sensory processing. Several studies suggest a hypersensitivity to various sensory stimulations in fibromyalgia but results on detection of both noxious and non-noxious tactile stimulation, which are particularly relevant for body representation and motor control, remain conflicting. Therefore, the aim of this study is to systematically review and quantify the detection thresholds to noxious and non-noxious tactile stimuli in individuals with fibromyalgia compared to pain-free controls. A systematic review and a meta-analysis were performed in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane, PsycInfo and Web of Science databases using keywords related to fibromyalgia, tactile pain detection threshold, tactile detection threshold and quantitative sensory testing. Nineteen studies were included in the review, with 12 in the meta-analysis. Despite the heterogeneity of the results, the data from both the review and from the meta-analysis suggest a trend toward hyperalgesia and no difference of sensitivity to non-noxious tactile stimuli in participants with fibromyalgia compared to healthy controls. This contradicts the hypothesis of a general increase in responsiveness of the central nervous system to noxious and non-noxious stimulations in fibromyalgia. This study shows no alteration of the sensitivity to non-noxious tactile stimulation in fibromyalgia, suggesting that an altered unimodal processing is not sufficient to explain symptoms such as sensorimotor impairments and body representation distortions. Future research should investigate whether alterations in multisensory integration could contribute to these symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Augière
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Department of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Audrey Desjardins
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Department of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | | | - Clémentine Brun
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Anne Marie Pinard
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Martin Simoneau
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Catherine Mercier
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Department of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
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9
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Korucu ZT, Onurlu İ, Korucu A, Günendi Z. The effect of supervised dynamic exercise program on somatosensory temporal discrimination in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome. Arch Rheumatol 2021; 36:409-418. [PMID: 34870173 PMCID: PMC8612498 DOI: 10.46497/archrheumatol.2021.8412] [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: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives
This study aims to investigate the effect of a supervised dynamic exercise program on somatosensory temporal discrimination (STD) which indicates the central sensory processing ability. Patients and methods
Forty-eight patients (mean age: 43 years; range, 19 to 64 years) with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) were included in this prospective, randomized study between April 2018 and October 2018. Demographics and clinical measurements were recorded. The STD threshold was measured by a researcher blinded to the treatment groups. After baseline assessments, the patients were randomized into two groups: the supervised exercise group (SEG) and the home exercise group (HEG) as the control group. The SEG performed submaximal aerobic exercise and low-medium resistant isotonic exercises under the supervision of a physiotherapist, 1-h per day, three days in a week for four weeks. The HEG was given a home-based exercise program consisting of low-to-medium resistance isotonic exercises and aerobic exercises 1-h per day, three days in a week for four weeks. After exercise program, clinical assessments and STD threshold measurement were repeated. Results
Clinical and STD threshold measures improved significantly after four-week exercise program in both groups. The improvements in clinical measures were significantly higher in the SEG. However, there was no difference in the STD threshold improvement between the groups. No correlation was found between the STD threshold measure and clinical features in any patients. Conclusion
Although a significant improvement was achieved in impaired STD threshold with SEG, it was not found to be superior to the amelioration observed with HEG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zübeyde Tuğçe Korucu
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ankara City Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
| | - İlknur Onurlu
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Alperen Korucu
- Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Ankara City Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Zafer Günendi
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
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10
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Kim DJ, Lim M, Kim JS, Chung CK. Structural and functional thalamocortical connectivity study in female fibromyalgia. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23323. [PMID: 34857797 PMCID: PMC8640058 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02616-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysfunctional thalamocortical interactions have been suggested as putative mechanisms of ineffective pain modulation and also suggested as possible pathophysiology of fibromyalgia (FM). However, it remains unclear which specific thalamocortical networks are altered and whether it is related to abnormal pain perception in people with FM. Here, we conducted combined vertex-wise subcortical shape, cortical thickness, structural covariance, and resting-state functional connectivity analyses to address these questions. FM group exhibited a regional shape deflation of the left posterior thalamus encompassing the ventral posterior lateral and pulvinar nuclei. The structural covariance analysis showed that the extent of regional deflation of the left posterior thalamus was negatively covaried with the left inferior parietal cortical thickness in the FM group, whereas those two regions were positively covaried in the healthy controls. In functional connectivity analysis with the left posterior thalamus as a seed, FM group had less connectivity with the periaqueductal gray compared with healthy controls, but enhanced connectivity between the posterior thalamus and bilateral inferior parietal regions, associated with a lower electrical pain threshold at the hand dorsum (pain-free point). Overall, our findings showed the structural thalamic alteration interacts with the cortical regions in a functionally maladaptive direction, leading the FM brain more responsive to external stimuli and potentially contributing to pain amplification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dajung J Kim
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.,Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences and Prosthodontics, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Manyoel Lim
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.,Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences and Prosthodontics, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - June Sic Kim
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.,Research Institute of Basic Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Chun Kee Chung
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea. .,Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
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Terrasa JL, Barros-Loscertales A, Montoya P, Muñoz MA. Self-Regulation of SMR Power Led to an Enhancement of Functional Connectivity of Somatomotor Cortices in Fibromyalgia Patients. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:236. [PMID: 32265639 PMCID: PMC7103632 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroimaging studies have demonstrated that altered activity in somatosensory and motor cortices play a key role in pain chronification. Neurofeedback training of sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) is a tool which allow individuals to self-modulate their brain activity and to produce significant changes over somatomotor brain areas. Several studies have further shown that neurofeedback training may reduce pain and other pain-related symptoms in chronic pain patients. The goal of the present study was to analyze changes in SMR power and brain functional connectivity of the somatosensory and motor cortices elicited by neurofeedback task designed to both synchronize and desynchronize the SMR power over motor and somatosensory areas in fibromyalgia patients. Seventeen patients were randomly assigned to the SMR training (n = 9) or to a sham protocol (n = 8). All participants were trained during 6 sessions, and fMRI and EEG power elicited by synchronization and desynchronization trials were analyzed. In the SMR training group, four patients achieved the objective of SMR modulation in more than 70% of the trials from the second training session (good responders), while five patients performed the task at the chance level (bad responders). Good responders to the neurofeedback training significantly reduced pain and increased both SMR power modulation and functional connectivity of motor and somatosensory related areas during the last neurofeedback training session, whereas no changes in brain activity or pain were observed in bad responders or participants in the sham group. In addition, we observed that good responders were characterized by reduced impact of fibromyalgia and pain symptoms, as well as by increased levels of health-related quality of life during the pre-training sessions. In summary, the present study revealed that neurofeedback training of SMR elicited significant brain changes in somatomotor areas leading to a significant reduction of pain in fibromyalgia patients. In this sense, our research provide evidence that neurofeedback training is a promising tool for a better understanding of brain mechanisms involved in pain chronification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan L Terrasa
- Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience and Clinical Psychology, Research Institute of Health Sciences (IUNICS) and Balearic Islands Health Research Institute (IdISBa), University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), Palma, Spain
| | | | - Pedro Montoya
- Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience and Clinical Psychology, Research Institute of Health Sciences (IUNICS) and Balearic Islands Health Research Institute (IdISBa), University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), Palma, Spain
| | - Miguel A Muñoz
- Brain, Mind and Behavior Research Center, University of Granada (CIMCYC-UGR), Granada, Spain
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Hugosdottir R, Mørch CD, Andersen OK, Arendt-Nielsen L. Investigating stimulation parameters for preferential small-fiber activation using exponentially rising electrical currents. J Neurophysiol 2019; 122:1745-1752. [PMID: 31461369 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00390.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Electrical stimulation is widely used in pain research and profiling, but current technologies lack selectivity toward small sensory fibers. Pin electrodes deliver high current density in upper skin layers, and it has been proposed that slowly rising exponential pulses can elevate large-fiber activation threshold and thereby increase preferential small-fiber activation. Optimal stimulation parameters for the combined pin electrode and exponential pulse stimulation have so far not been established, which is the aim of this study. Perception thresholds were compared between pin and patch electrodes using single 1- to 100-ms exponential and rectangular pulses. Stimulus-response functions were evaluated for both pulse shapes delivered as single pulses and pulse trains of 10 Hz using intensities from 0.1 to 20 times perception threshold. Perception thresholds (mA) decreased when duration was increased for both electrodes with rectangular pulses and the pin electrode with exponential pulses. For the patch electrode, perception thresholds for exponential pulses decreased for durations ≤10 ms but increased for durations ≥15 ms, indicating accommodation of large fibers. Stimulus-response curves for single pulses were similar for the two pulse shapes. For pulse trains, the slope of the curve was higher for rectangular pulses. Maximal large-fiber accommodation to exponential pulses was observed for 100-ms pulses, indicating that 100-ms exponential pulses should be applied for preferential small-fiber activation. Intensity of 10 times perception threshold was sufficient to cause maximal pain ratings. The developed methodology may open new opportunities for using electrical stimulation paradigms for small-fiber stimulation and diagnostics.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Selective activation of small cutaneous nerve fibers is pivotal for investigations of the pain system. The present study demonstrated that patch electrode perception thresholds increase with increased duration of exponential currents from 20 to 100 ms. This is likely caused by large-fiber accommodation, which can be utilized to activate small fibers preferentially through small-diameter pin electrodes. This finding may be utilized in studies of fundamental pain mechanisms and, for example, in small-fiber neuropathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Hugosdottir
- Center of Neuroplasticity and Pain, SMI, Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Carsten Dahl Mørch
- Center of Neuroplasticity and Pain, SMI, Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Ole Kæseler Andersen
- Center of Neuroplasticity and Pain, SMI, Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Lars Arendt-Nielsen
- Center of Neuroplasticity and Pain, SMI, Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
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Sagalajev B, Viisanen H, Wei H, Pertovaara A. Descending antinociception induced by secondary somatosensory cortex stimulation in experimental neuropathy: role of the medullospinal serotonergic pathway. J Neurophysiol 2017; 117:1200-1214. [PMID: 28053243 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00836.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2016] [Revised: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 12/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Stimulation of the secondary somatosensory cortex (S2) has attenuated pain in humans and inflammatory nociception in animals. Here we studied S2 stimulation-induced antinociception and its underlying mechanisms in an experimental animal model of neuropathy induced by spinal nerve ligation (SNL). Effect of S2 stimulation on heat-evoked limb withdrawal latency was assessed in lightly anesthetized rats that were divided into three groups based on prior surgery and monofilament testing before induction of anesthesia: 1) sham-operated group and 2) hypersensitive and 3) nonhypersensitive (mechanically) SNL groups. In a group of hypersensitive SNL animals, a 5-HT1A receptor agonist was microinjected into the rostroventromedial medulla (RVM) to assess whether autoinhibition of serotonergic cell bodies blocks antinociception. Additionally, effect of S2 stimulation on pronociceptive ON-cells and antinociceptive OFF-cells in the RVM or nociceptive spinal wide dynamic range (WDR) neurons were assessed in anesthetized hypersensitive SNL animals. S2 stimulation induced antinociception in hypersensitive but not in nonhypersensitive SNL or sham-operated animals. Antinociception was prevented by a 5-HT1A receptor agonist in the RVM. Antinociception was associated with decreased duration of heat-evoked response in RVM ON-cells. In spinal WDR neurons, heat-evoked discharge was delayed by S2 stimulation, and this antinociceptive effect was prevented by blocking spinal 5-HT1A receptors. The results indicate that S2 stimulation suppresses nociception in SNL animals if SNL is associated with tactile allodynia-like hypersensitivity. In hypersensitive SNL animals, S2 stimulation induces antinociception mediated by medullospinal serotonergic pathways acting on the spinal 5-HT1A receptor, and partly through reduction of the RVM ON-cell discharge.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Stimulation of S2 cortex, but not that of an adjacent cortical area, induced descending heat antinociception in rats with the spinal nerve ligation-induced model of neuropathy. Antinociception was bilateral, and it involved suppression of pronociceptive medullary cells and activation of serotonergic pathways that act on the spinal 5-HT1A receptor. S2 stimulation failed to induce descending antinociceptive effect in sham-operated controls or in nerve-ligated animals that had not developed mechanical hypersensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boriss Sagalajev
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hanna Viisanen
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hong Wei
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Antti Pertovaara
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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