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Zhong S, Chen P, Lai S, Zhang Y, Chen G, He J, Pan Y, Tang G, Wang Y, Jia Y. Hippocampal Dynamic Functional Connectivity, HPA Axis Activity, and Personality Trait in Bipolar Disorder with Suicidal Attempt. Neuroendocrinology 2023; 114:179-191. [PMID: 37729896 DOI: 10.1159/000534033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Suicide in bipolar disorder (BD) is a multifaceted behavior, involving specific neuroendocrine and psychological mechanisms. According to previous studies, we hypothesized that suicidal BD patients may exhibit impaired dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) variability of hippocampal subregions and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity, which may be associated with suicide-related personality traits. The objective of our study was to clarify this. METHODS Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were obtained from 79 patients with BD, 39 with suicidal attempt (SA), and 40 without SA, and 35 healthy controls (HCs). The activity of the HPA axis was assessed by measuring morning plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol (CORT) levels. All participants underwent personality assessment using Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2). RESULTS BD patients with SA exhibited increased dFC variability between the right caudal hippocampus and the left superior temporal gyrus (STG) when compared with non-SA BD patients and HCs. BD with SA also showed significantly lower ACTH levels in comparison with HCs, which was positively correlated with increased dFC variability between the right caudal hippocampus and the left STG. BD with SA had significantly higher scores of Hypochondriasis, Depression, and Schizophrenia than non-SA BD. Additionally, multivariable regression analysis revealed the interaction of ACTH × dFC variability between the right caudal hippocampus and the left STG independently predicted MMPI-2 score (depression evaluation) in suicidal BD patients. CONCLUSION These results suggested that suicidal BD exhibited increased dFC variability of hippocampal-temporal cortex and less HPA axis hyperactivity, which may affect their personality traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuming Zhong
- Department of Psychiatry, First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China,
| | - Pan Chen
- Medical Imaging Center, First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shunkai Lai
- Department of Psychiatry, First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yiliang Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guanmao Chen
- Medical Imaging Center, First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiali He
- Department of Psychiatry, First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Youling Pan
- Medical Imaging Center, First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guixian Tang
- Medical Imaging Center, First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Medical Imaging Center, First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanbin Jia
- Department of Psychiatry, First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
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Delgado-Sanchez A, Brown C, Sivan M, Talmi D, Charalambous C, Jones AKP. Are We Any Closer to Understanding How Chronic Pain Develops? A Systematic Search and Critical Narrative Review of Existing Chronic Pain Vulnerability Models. J Pain Res 2023; 16:3145-3166. [PMID: 37727681 PMCID: PMC10506671 DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s411628] [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: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Identifying biopsychosocial factors underlying chronic pain vulnerability is essential for the design of preventative efforts. Multiple chronic pain vulnerability models exist, however, there is a lack of comprehensive evaluation of these models in the literature, potentially due to the lack of guidelines that specify the criteria by which these types of work should be assessed. In this work, we created evaluation criteria (based on the general goals of conceptual models), and we then used them to critically review the chronic pain vulnerability models available in the current peer-reviewed literature (identified through a systematic search). Particularly, we evaluated the models on the basis of conceptual clarity/specificity of measures, depth of description of aetiological and mechanistic factors, use of a whole system approach, and quality of the evidence associated with the models. We found nine conceptual models that have been explored in detail (eg, fear avoidance model, diathesis-stress model). These models excel at clarity and are supported mostly by self-report evidence of a psychological nature (anxiety sensitivity, pain catastrophizing, etc.), but provide little explanation of mechanistic and aetiological factors. In the future, models could be improved by complementing them with proposals from other models and exploring potential causal factors and mechanisms maintaining the condition. This task could be carried out through prospective cohort studies, and computational approaches, amongst others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariane Delgado-Sanchez
- Division of Human Communication, Development, and Hearing, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Christopher Brown
- Institute of Population Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Manoj Sivan
- Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Deborah Talmi
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Anthony K P Jones
- Division of Human Communication, Development, and Hearing, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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3
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Pinto AM, Luís M, Geenen R, Palavra F, Lumley MA, Ablin JN, Amris K, Branco J, Buskila D, Castelhano J, Castelo-Branco M, Crofford LJ, Fitzcharles MA, Häuser W, Kosek E, López-Solà M, Mease P, Marques TR, Jacobs JWG, Castilho P, da Silva JAP. Neurophysiological and Psychosocial Mechanisms of Fibromyalgia: A Comprehensive Review and Call for An Integrative Model. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023:105235. [PMID: 37207842 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Research into the neurobiological and psychosocial mechanisms involved in fibromyalgia has progressed remarkably in recent years. Despite this, current accounts of fibromyalgia fail to capture the complex, dynamic, and mutual crosstalk between neurophysiological and psychosocial domains. We conducted a comprehensive review of the existing literature in order to: a) synthesize current knowledge on fibromyalgia; b) explore and highlight multi-level links and pathways between different systems; and c) build bridges connecting disparate perspectives. An extensive panel of international experts in neurophysiological and psychosocial aspects of fibromyalgia discussed the collected evidence and progressively refined and conceptualized its interpretation. This work constitutes an essential step towards the development of a model capable of integrating the main factors implicated in fibromyalgia into a single, unified construct which appears indispensable to foster the understanding, assessment, and intervention for fibromyalgia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Margarida Pinto
- University of Coimbra, Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive and Behavioral Intervention (CINEICC), Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Rua do Colégio Novo, s/n, 3000-115 Coimbra, Portugal; University of Coimbra, University Clinic of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Rua Larga - FMUC, Pólo I - Edifício Central, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal; University of Coimbra, Psychological Medicine Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Rua Larga - FMUC, Pólo I - Edifício Central, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Mariana Luís
- Rheumatology Department, Coimbra Hospital and University Centre, Praceta Mota Pinto, 3004-561 Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Rinie Geenen
- Department of Psychology, Utrecht University, Martinus J. Langeveldgebouw, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS Utrecht, the Netherlands; Altrecht Psychosomatic Medicine Eikenboom, Vrijbaan 2, 3705 WC Zeist, the Netherlands.
| | - Filipe Palavra
- Centre for Child Development, Neuropediatric Unit. Pediatric Hospital, Coimbra Hospital and University Centre, Avenida Afonso Romão, 3000-602 Coimbra, Portugal; Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (i.CBR), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Mark A Lumley
- Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, 5057 Woodward Ave., Suite 7908, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
| | - Jacob N Ablin
- Internal Medicine H, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, 6 Weizmann Street, Tel Aviv 6423906, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv 69978, Israel.
| | - Kirstine Amris
- The Parker Institute, Department of Rheumatology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Nordre Fasanvej 57, 2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark.
| | - Jaime Branco
- Rheumatology Department, Egas Moniz Hospital - Lisboa Ocidental Hospital Centre (CHLO-EPE), R. da Junqueira 126, 1349-019 Lisbon, Portugal; Comprehensive Health Research Center (CHRC), Chronic Diseases Research Centre (CEDOC), NOVA Medical School, NOVA University Lisbon (NMS/UNL), Campo Mártires da Pátria 130, 1169-056 Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Dan Buskila
- Ben Gurion University of the Negev Beer-Sheba, Israel.
| | - João Castelhano
- University of Coimbra, Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research (CIBIT), ICNAS, Edifício do ICNAS, Polo 3, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal, Portugal.
| | - Miguel Castelo-Branco
- University of Coimbra, Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research (CIBIT), ICNAS, Edifício do ICNAS, Polo 3, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal, Portugal.
| | - Leslie J Crofford
- Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1211 Medical Center Drive, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
| | - Mary-Ann Fitzcharles
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, McGill University, 1650 Cedar Ave, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3G 1A4.
| | - Winfried Häuser
- Department Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Straße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany.
| | - Eva Kosek
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm 171 77, Sweden; Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Marina López-Solà
- Serra Hunter Programme, Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona.
| | - Philip Mease
- Swedish Medical Center/Providence St. Joseph Health, Seattle, WA, USA; University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Tiago Reis Marques
- Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences (LMS), Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2BU, UK; Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, UK.
| | - Johannes W G Jacobs
- Department of Rheumatology & Clinical Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, Netherlands.
| | - Paula Castilho
- University of Coimbra, Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive and Behavioral Intervention (CINEICC), Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Rua do Colégio Novo, s/n, 3000-115 Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - José A P da Silva
- University of Coimbra, University Clinic of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Rua Larga - FMUC, Pólo I - Edifício Central, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal; Rheumatology Department, Coimbra Hospital and University Centre, Praceta Mota Pinto, 3004-561 Coimbra, Portugal; Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (i.CBR), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
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Salberg S, Doshen A, Yamakawa GR, Miller JV, Noel M, Henderson L, Mychasiuk R. The waiting game: investigating the neurobiological transition from acute to persistent pain in adolescent rats. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:6382-6393. [PMID: 36610738 PMCID: PMC10183733 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Persistent postsurgical pain affects 20% of youth undergoing a surgical procedure, with females exhibiting increased prevalence of chronic pain compared with males. This study sought to examine the sexually-dimorphic neurobiological changes underlying the transition from acute to persistent pain following surgery in adolescence. Male and female Sprague Dawley rats were randomly allocated to a sham or injury (plantar-incision surgery) condition and assessed for pain sensitivity while also undergoing magnetic resonance imaging at both an acute and chronic timepoint within adolescence. We found that injury resulted in persistent pain in both sexes, with females displaying most significant sensitivity. Injury resulted in significant gray matter density increases in brain areas including the cerebellum, caudate putamen/insula, and amygdala and decreases in the hippocampus, hypothalamus, nucleus accumbens, and lateral septal nucleus. Gray matter density changes in the hippocampus and lateral septal nucleus were driven by male rats whereas changes in the amygdala and caudate putamen/insula were driven by female rats. Overall, our results indicate persistent behavioral and neurobiological changes following surgery in adolescence, with sexually-dimorphic and age-specific outcomes, highlighting the importance of studying both sexes and adolescents, rather than extrapolating from male adult literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Salberg
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Angela Doshen
- School of Medical Sciences (Neuroscience), Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, 94 Mallett St, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Glenn R Yamakawa
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Jillian Vinall Miller
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative & Pain Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 29 Street NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 2T9, Canada
| | - Melanie Noel
- Department of Psychology, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, The University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Dr NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Luke Henderson
- School of Medical Sciences (Neuroscience), Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, 94 Mallett St, Camperdown, NSW, 2050, Australia
| | - Richelle Mychasiuk
- Department of Neuroscience, Monash University, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
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Norman-Nott N, Wilks CR, Hesam-Shariati N, Schroeder J, Suh J, Czerwinski M, Briggs NE, Quidé Y, McAuley J, Gustin SM. The No Worries Trial: Efficacy of Online Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Skills Training for Chronic Pain (iDBT-Pain) Using A Single Case Experimental Design. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2021; 23:558-576. [PMID: 34678466 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2021.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Emotion dysregulation frequently co-occurs with chronic pain, which in turn leads to heightened emotional and physical suffering. This cycle of association has prompted a recommendation for psychological treatment of chronic pain to target mechanisms for emotion regulation. The current trial addressed this need by investigating a new internet-delivered treatment incorporating emotional skills training from dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT). Using a single-case experimental design that is suited to heterogeneous populations and can demonstrate efficacy with a small sample, three participants with chronic pain were recruited. Participants received four weeks of online DBT skills training (iDBT-Pain intervention) which incorporated one-on-one sessions over Zoom and a web app. Results revealed compelling evidence for the intervention on the primary outcome of emotion dysregulation and were promising for the secondary outcome of pain intensity. Improvement was also identified on pre-and post-measures of depression, coping behaviours, sleep problems, wellbeing, and harm avoidance, indicating that the intervention may positively influence other factors related to chronic pain. Overall, the trial provides preliminary efficacy for the intervention to improve chronic pain. However, we recommend further investigation of the iDBT-Pain intervention, either in single case trials, which when conducted with scientific rigour may be aggregated to derive nomothetic conclusions, or in a group-comparison trial to compare with usual modes of treatment. Perspective: This trial advances understanding of emotion-focused treatment for chronic pain and provides evidence for a viable new technological treatment. Importantly, as an internet-delivered approach, the iDBT-Pain intervention is accessible to those with restricted mobility and remote communities where there are often limited psychological services for people with chronic pain. Trial registration: The trial was registered on the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12620000604909).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nell Norman-Nott
- Centre for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia; School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Chelsey R Wilks
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Missouri-St Louis, United States
| | - Negin Hesam-Shariati
- Centre for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia; School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jessica Schroeder
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington, United States
| | - Jina Suh
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington, United States; Microsoft Research, Redmond, United States
| | | | - Nancy E Briggs
- Stats Central, Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Yann Quidé
- Centre for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia; School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - James McAuley
- Centre for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia; School of Health Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Sylvia M Gustin
- Centre for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia; School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
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6
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Tang Y, Ren C, Wang M, Dai G, Xiao Y, Wang S, Han F, Chen G. Altered gray matter volume and functional connectivity in patients with herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia. Brain Res 2021; 1769:147608. [PMID: 34343527 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2021.147608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Numerous neuroimaging studies on postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) and herpes zoster (HZ) have revealed abnormalities in brain structure/microstructure and function. However, few studies have focused on changes in gray matter (GM) volume and intrinsic functional connectivity (FC) in the transition from HZ to PHN. This study combined voxel-based morphometry and FC analysis methods to investigate GM volume and FC differences in 28 PHN patients, 25 HZ patients, and 21 well-matched healthy controls (HCs). Compared to HCs, PHN patients exhibited a reduction in GM volume in the bilateral putamen. Compared with HZ patients, PHN patients showed decreased GM volume in the left parahippocampal gyrus, putamen, anterior cingulate cortex, and right caudate and increased GM volume in the right thalamus. However, no regions with significant GM volume changes were found between the HZ and HC groups. Correlation analysis revealed that GM volume in the right putamen was positively associated with illness duration in PHN patients. Furthermore, lower FCs between the right putamen and right middle frontal gyrus/brainstem were observed in PHN patients than in HCs. These results indicate that aberrant GM volumes and FC in several brain regions, especially in the right putamen, are closely associated with chronification from HZ to PHN; moreover, these changes profoundly affect multiple dimensions of pain processing. These findings may provide new insights into the pathophysiological mechanisms of PHN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Tang
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Changhe Ren
- Department of Pain, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Maohua Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Guidong Dai
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Yan Xiao
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Song Wang
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Fugang Han
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China.
| | - Guangxiang Chen
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China.
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Kang D, Hesam-Shariati N, McAuley JH, Alam M, Trost Z, Rae CD, Gustin SM. Disruption to normal excitatory and inhibitory function within the medial prefrontal cortex in people with chronic pain. Eur J Pain 2021; 25:2242-2256. [PMID: 34242465 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.1838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Growing evidence indicates a link between changes in the medial prefrontal cortex and the pathophysiology of chronic pain. In particular, chronic pain is associated with altered medial prefrontal anatomy and biochemistry. Due to the comorbid affective disorders seen across all pain conditions, the medial prefrontal cortex is a region of significance as it is involved in emotional processing. We have recently reported that a decrease in medial prefrontal N-acetylaspartate and glutamate is associated with increased emotional dysregulation, indicating there are neurotransmitter imbalances in chronic pain. Therefore, we compared medial prefrontal neurochemistry in 24 people with chronic pain conditions to 24 age and sex-matched healthy controls with no history of chronic pain. METHOD GABA-edited MEGA-PRESS was used to measure GABA+ levels, and short TE PRESS was used to measure glutamate levels in the medial prefrontal cortex. Psychometric measures regarding pain intensity a week before scanning, during the scan and the total duration of chronic pain, were also recorded and compared to measured GABA+ and glutamate levels. RESULTS This study reveals that the presence of chronic pain is associated with significant decreases in medial prefrontal GABA+ and glutamate. These findings support the hypothesis that chronic pain is associated with altered medial prefrontal biochemistry. CONCLUSION The dysregulation of glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmitter systems supports a model of disinhibition of chronic pain, which may play a key role in both the experience of persistent pain and its associated affective disturbances. SIGNIFICANCE This study reveals a significant reduction in γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA+ ) and glutamate within the medial prefrontal cortex in chronic pain sufferers. While the current findings should be considered with reference to a small sample size, the disruption to normal excitatory and inhibitory medial prefrontal cortex function may be key in the development and maintenance of chronic pain and comorbid mental health disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Kang
- Centre for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Negin Hesam-Shariati
- Centre for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,School of Psychology, University of New South, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - James H McAuley
- Centre for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Monzurul Alam
- Centre for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,School of Psychology, University of New South, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Zina Trost
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | | | - Sylvia M Gustin
- Centre for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,School of Psychology, University of New South, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Tang Y, Wang M, Zheng T, Xiao Y, Wang S, Han F, Chen G. Structural and functional brain abnormalities in postherpetic neuralgia: A systematic review of neuroimaging studies. Brain Res 2020; 1752:147219. [PMID: 33358730 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2020.147219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
In recent decades, an increasing number of neuroimaging studies utilizing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have explored the differential effects of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) on brain structure and function. We systematically reviewed and integrated the findings from relevant neuroimaging studies in PHN patients. A total of 15 studies with 16 datasets were ultimately included in the present study, which were categorized by the different neuroimaging modalities. The results revealed that PHN was closely associated with structural/microstructural and functional abnormalities of the brain mainly located in the 'pain matrix', including the thalamus, insula, parahippocampus, amygdala, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, precentral gyrus and inferior parietal lobe, as well as other regions, such as the precuneus, lentiform nucleus and brainstem. Furthermore, a disruption of multiple networks, including the default-mode network, salience network and limbic system, may contribute to the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying PHN. The findings indicate that the cerebral abnormalities of PHN were not restricted to the pain matrix but extended to other regions, profoundly affecting the regulation and moderation of pain processing in PHN. Future prospective and longitudinal neuroimaging studies with larger samples will elucidate the progressive trajectory of neural changes in the pathophysiological process of PHN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Tang
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Maohua Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Ting Zheng
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Yan Xiao
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Song Wang
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Fugang Han
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China
| | - Guangxiang Chen
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, Sichuan, China.
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Hakim JD, Chami J, Keay KA. μ-Opioid and dopamine-D2 receptor expression in the nucleus accumbens of male Sprague-Dawley rats whose sucrose consumption, but not preference, decreases after nerve injury. Behav Brain Res 2020; 381:112416. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Revised: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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10
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Naylor B, Hesam-Shariati N, McAuley JH, Boag S, Newton-John T, Rae CD, Gustin SM. Reduced Glutamate in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex Is Associated With Emotional and Cognitive Dysregulation in People With Chronic Pain. Front Neurol 2019; 10:1110. [PMID: 31849800 PMCID: PMC6903775 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.01110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
A decrease in glutamate in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) has been extensively found in animal models of chronic pain. Given that the mPFC is implicated in emotional appraisal, cognition and extinction of fear, could a potential decrease in glutamate be associated with increased pessimistic thinking, fear and worry symptoms commonly found in people with chronic pain? To clarify this question, 19 chronic pain subjects and 19 age- and gender-matched control subjects without pain underwent magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Both groups also completed the Temperament and Character, the Beck Depression and the State Anxiety Inventories to measure levels of harm avoidance, depression, and anxiety, respectively. People with chronic pain had significantly higher scores in harm avoidance, depression and anxiety compared to control subjects without pain. High levels of harm avoidance are characterized by excessive worry, pessimism, fear, doubt and fatigue. Individuals with chronic pain showed a significant decrease in mPFC glutamate levels compared to control subjects without pain. In people with chronic pain mPFC glutamate levels were significantly negatively correlated with harm avoidance scores. This means that the lower the concentration of glutamate in the mPFC, the greater the total scores of harm avoidance. High scores are associated with fearfulness, pessimism, and fatigue-proneness. We suggest that chronic pain, particularly the stress-induced release of glucocorticoids, induces changes in glutamate transmission in the mPFC, thereby influencing cognitive, and emotional processing. Thus, in people with chronic pain, regulation of fear, worry, negative thinking and fatigue is impaired.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke Naylor
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,School of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - James H McAuley
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Simon Boag
- School of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Toby Newton-John
- Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Sylvia M Gustin
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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11
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Kang D, McAuley JH, Kassem MS, Gatt JM, Gustin SM. What does the grey matter decrease in the medial prefrontal cortex reflect in people with chronic pain? Eur J Pain 2018; 23:203-219. [PMID: 30101509 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.1304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Revised: 08/05/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Alterations in the grey matter volume of several brain regions have been reported in people with chronic pain. The most consistent observation is a decrease in grey matter volume in the medial prefrontal cortex. These findings are important as the medial prefrontal cortex plays a critical role in emotional and cognitive processing in chronic pain. Although a logical cause of grey matter volume decrease may be neurodegeneration, this is not supported by the current evidence. Therefore, the purpose of this review was to evaluate the existing literature to unravel what the decrease in medial prefrontal cortex grey matter volume in people with chronic pain may represent on a biochemical and cellular level. DATABASES AND DATA TREATMENT A literature search for this topical review was conducted using PubMed and SCOPUS library. Search terms included chronic pain, pain, medial prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, grey matter, neurochemistry, spectroscopy, magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, dendrite, neurodegeneration, glia, astrocyte, microglia, neurotransmitter, glutamate, GABA and different combinations of these terms. RESULTS Adopting a stress model of chronic pain, two major pathways are proposed that contribute to grey matter volume decrease in the medial prefrontal cortex: (a) changes in dendritic morphology as a result of hypothalamic-pituitary axis dysfunction and (b) neurotransmitter dysregulation, specifically glutamate and γ-Aminobutyric acid, which affects local microvasculature. CONCLUSION Our model proposes new mechanisms in chronic pain pathophysiology responsible for mPFC grey matter loss as alternatives to neurodegeneration. SIGNIFICANCE It is unclear what the decrease in medial prefrontal cortex grey matter volume represents in chronic pain. The most attractive reason is neurodegeneration. However, there is no evidence to support this. Our review reveals nondegenerative causes of decreased medial prefrontal grey matter to guide future research into chronic pain pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Kang
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,UNSW Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - James H McAuley
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,UNSW Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Justine M Gatt
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Sylvia M Gustin
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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12
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Ong WY, Stohler CS, Herr DR. Role of the Prefrontal Cortex in Pain Processing. Mol Neurobiol 2018; 56:1137-1166. [PMID: 29876878 PMCID: PMC6400876 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-018-1130-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 322] [Impact Index Per Article: 53.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is not only important in executive functions, but also pain processing. The latter is dependent on its connections to other areas of the cerebral neocortex, hippocampus, periaqueductal gray (PAG), thalamus, amygdala, and basal nuclei. Changes in neurotransmitters, gene expression, glial cells, and neuroinflammation occur in the PFC during acute and chronic pain, that result in alterations to its structure, activity, and connectivity. The medial PFC (mPFC) could serve dual, opposing roles in pain: (1) it mediates antinociceptive effects, due to its connections with other cortical areas, and as the main source of cortical afferents to the PAG for modulation of pain. This is a ‘loop’ where, on one side, a sensory stimulus is transformed into a perceptual signal through high brain processing activity, and perceptual activity is then utilized to control the flow of afferent sensory stimuli at their entrance (dorsal horn) to the CNS. (2) It could induce pain chronification via its corticostriatal projection, possibly depending on the level of dopamine receptor activation (or lack of) in the ventral tegmental area-nucleus accumbens reward pathway. The PFC is involved in biopsychosocial pain management. This includes repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, transcranial direct current stimulation, antidepressants, acupuncture, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, music, exercise, partner support, empathy, meditation, and prayer. Studies demonstrate the role of the PFC during placebo analgesia, and in establishing links between pain and depression, anxiety, and loss of cognition. In particular, losses in PFC grey matter are often reversible after successful treatment of chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Yi Ong
- Department of Anatomy, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119260, Singapore.
- Neurobiology and Ageing Research Programme, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119260, Singapore.
| | | | - Deron R Herr
- Department of Pharmacology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119260, Singapore.
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13
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Naylor B, Boag S, Gustin SM. New evidence for a pain personality? A critical review of the last 120 years of pain and personality. Scand J Pain 2017; 17:58-67. [PMID: 28850375 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjpain.2017.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2016] [Revised: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Personality traits may influence development and adjustment to ongoing pain. Over the past 120 years, there has been considerable research into the relationship between pain and personality. This paper presents new evidence for common personality traits found amongst chronic pain sufferers. In particular, it evaluates evidence for Cloninger's biopsychosocial model of personality in distinguishing typical personality features of chronic pain sufferers. It evaluates this evidence in the context of the past 120 years of research including psychodynamic formulations, MMPI studies, personality disorder investigations, and the influence of neuroticism on chronic pain. METHODS A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Medline, PsycINFO, SCOPUS and Cochrane library. Search terms included chronic pain, pain, personality, neuroticism, harm avoidance, self-directedness, attachment, Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI-R), MMPI, MMPI-2, NEO-PI, EPI, Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory, Millon Behavioral Health Inventory, Millon Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic, the Personality Assessment Inventory, the Locus of Control Construct and different combinations of these terms. CONCLUSIONS Recent descriptive studies using Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI-R) suggest that higher harm avoidance and lower self-directedness may be the most distinguishing personality features of chronic pain sufferers. High harm avoidance refers to a tendency to be fearful, pessimistic, sensitive to criticism, and requiring high levels of re-assurance. Low self-directedness often manifests as difficulty with defining and setting meaningful goals, low motivation, and problems with adaptive coping. Evidence for this personality profile is found across a wide variety of chronic pain conditions including fibromyalgia, headache and migraine, temporomandibular disorder, trigeminal neuropathy, musculo-skeletal disorders and heterogeneous pain groups. Limitations are also discussed. For example, high harm avoidance is also found in those suffering anxiety and depression. While many studies control for such factors, some do not and thus future research should address such confounds carefully. The evidence is also evaluated within the context of past research into the existence of 'a pain personality'. Psychodynamic formulations are found to be deficient in objective scientific methods. MMPI studies lack sufficient evidence to support 'a pain personality' and may be confounded by somatic items in the instrument. More recent neuroticism studies suggest a relationship between neuroticism and pain, particularly for adjustment to chronic pain. Personality disorders are more prevalent in chronic pain populations than non-pain samples. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS Because harm avoidance reflects a tendency to developed conditioned fear responses, we suggest that higher harm avoidance may create more vulnerability to developing a fear-avoidance response to chronic pain. Furthermore, lower self-directedness may contribute to keeping a sufferer within this vicious cycle of fear, avoidance and suffering. Moreover, we suggest that harm avoidance and self-directedness are broader and more complex constructs than current clinical targets of CBT such as fear-avoidance and self-efficacy. Thus, assessing such personality traits may help to address the complexity of chronic pain presentations. For example, it may help to identify and treat sufferers more resistant to treatment, more prone to comorbidity and more vulnerable to entering the vicious cycle of chronic pain, suffering and disability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke Naylor
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Australia; School of Psychology, Macquarie University, Australia
| | - Simon Boag
- School of Psychology, Macquarie University, Australia
| | - Sylvia Maria Gustin
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Australia; School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Australia.
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14
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Puiu T, Kairys AE, Pauer L, Schmidt-Wilcke T, Ichesco E, Hampson JP, Napadow V, Clauw DJ, Harris RE. Association of Alterations in Gray Matter Volume With Reduced Evoked-Pain Connectivity Following Short-Term Administration of Pregabalin in Patients With Fibromyalgia. Arthritis Rheumatol 2017; 68:1511-21. [PMID: 26816332 DOI: 10.1002/art.39600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2015] [Accepted: 01/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Pregabalin (PGB) is an α2 δ calcium-channel subunit ligand that has previously been shown to reduce chronic pain in multiple conditions. Preclinical studies indicate that PGB may down-regulate brain glutamate release while also inhibiting astrocyte induction of glutamatergic synapse formation, and recent clinical findings support the notion that PGB modulates glutamatergic activity and functional brain connectivity in order to produce analgesia. The present study was undertaken to examine concurrent changes in brain gray matter volume (GMV) or evoked-pain connectivity in humans receiving PGB. METHODS Sixteen female fibromyalgia patients participated in a randomized double-blind 2-period crossover study of PGB versus placebo. Before and after each period, patients underwent high-resolution structural and evoked pressure-pain functional brain imaging. GMV was analyzed using voxel-based morphometry, and functional connectivity during evoked pressure-pain was assessed. RESULTS PGB administration significantly reduced GMV within the posterior insula bilaterally, whereas there were no significant changes in insular GMV following placebo treatment. GMV reductions in the medial frontal gyrus were also observed when comparing PGB versus placebo treatment, and were associated with reduced clinical pain. These reductions in insular GMV were associated with concomitant reductions in connectivity to the default mode network, which was also associated with reduced clinical pain. CONCLUSION Short-term PGB treatment altered brain structure and evoked-pain connectivity, and these decreases were associated with reduced clinical pain. We speculate that these fairly rapid changes in GMV may be related to brain neuroplasticity. It is unknown whether these effects are generalizable to other chronic pain states.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anson E Kairys
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and University of Colorado Denver
| | - Lynne Pauer
- Pfizer Global Research and Development, Groton, Connecticut
| | | | | | | | - Vitaly Napadow
- Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston
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15
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Functional brain imaging: what has it brought to our understanding of neuropathic pain? A special focus on allodynic pain mechanisms. Pain 2016; 157 Suppl 1:S67-S71. [PMID: 26785157 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Brain responses to nociception are well identified. The same is not true for allodynic pain, a strong painful sensation in response to touch or innocuous cold stimuli that may be experienced by patients with neuropathic pain. Brain (or spinal cord) reorganization that may explain this paradoxical perception still remains largely unknown. Allodynic pain is associated with abnormally increased activity in SII and in the anterior insular cortex, contralateral and/or ipsilateral to allodynia. Because a bilateral increase in activity has been repeatedly reported in these areas in nociceptive conditions, the observed activation during allodynia can explain that a physiologically nonpainful stimulus could be perceived by the damaged nervous system as a painful one. Both secondary somatosensory and insular cortices receive input from the thalamus, which is a major relay of sensory and spinothalamic pathways, the involvement of which is known to be crucial for the development of neuropathic pain. Both thalamic function and structure have been reported to be abnormal or impaired in neuropathic pain conditions including in the basal state, possibly explaining the spontaneous component of neuropathic pain. A further indication as to how the brain can create neuropathic pain response in SII and insular cortices stems from examples of diseases, including single-case reports in whom a focal brain lesion leads to central pain disappearance. Additional studies are required to certify the contribution of these areas to the disease processes, to disentangle abnormalities respectively related to pain and to deafferentation, and, in the future, to guide targeting of stimulation studies.
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16
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Thibault K, Rivière S, Lenkei Z, Férézou I, Pezet S. Orofacial Neuropathic Pain Leads to a Hyporesponsive Barrel Cortex with Enhanced Structural Synaptic Plasticity. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0160786. [PMID: 27548330 PMCID: PMC4993517 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0160786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Accepted: 07/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain is a long-lasting debilitating condition that is particularly difficult to treat due to the lack of identified underlying mechanisms. Although several key contributing processes have been described at the level of the spinal cord, very few studies have investigated the supraspinal mechanisms underlying chronic pain. Using a combination of approaches (cortical intrinsic imaging, immunohistochemical and behavioural analysis), our study aimed to decipher the nature of functional and structural changes in a mouse model of orofacial neuropathic pain, focusing on cortical areas involved in various pain components. Our results show that chronic neuropathic orofacial pain is associated with decreased haemodynamic responsiveness to whisker stimulation in the barrel field cortex. This reduced functional activation is likely due to the increased basal neuronal activity (measured indirectly using cFos and phospho-ERK immunoreactivity) observed in several cortical areas, including the contralateral barrel field, motor and cingulate cortices. In the same animals, immunohistochemical analysis of markers for active pre- or postsynaptic elements (Piccolo and phospho-Cofilin, respectively) revealed an increased immunofluorescence in deep cortical layers of the contralateral barrel field, motor and cingulate cortices. These results suggest that long-lasting orofacial neuropathic pain is associated with exacerbated neuronal activity and synaptic plasticity at the cortical level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karine Thibault
- Brain Plasticity Unit, ESPCI, PSL Research University, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005, Paris, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 8249, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Sébastien Rivière
- Brain Plasticity Unit, ESPCI, PSL Research University, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005, Paris, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 8249, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Zsolt Lenkei
- Brain Plasticity Unit, ESPCI, PSL Research University, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005, Paris, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 8249, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Férézou
- Brain Plasticity Unit, ESPCI, PSL Research University, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005, Paris, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 8249, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Sophie Pezet
- Brain Plasticity Unit, ESPCI, PSL Research University, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005, Paris, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 8249, 75005, Paris, France
- * E-mail:
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17
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Henderson LA, Di Pietro F. How do neuroanatomical changes in individuals with chronic pain result in the constant perception of pain? Pain Manag 2016; 6:147-59. [PMID: 26997246 DOI: 10.2217/pmt.15.67] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the advent of anatomical brain imaging analysis techniques, numerous reports have shown altered regional brain anatomy in individuals with various chronic pain conditions. While early reports of increased regional brain volumes in taxi drivers and pianists were simply interpreted as responses to excessive use, the mechanisms responsible for anatomical changes associated with chronic pain are not so straightforward. The main aim of this paper is to explore the potential underlying cellular changes responsible for change in gross brain anatomy in individuals with chronic pain, in particular pain following nervous system damage. Determining the basis of these changes may provide a platform for development of targeted, personalized and ultimately more effective treatment regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke A Henderson
- Department of Anatomy & Histology, F13, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Flavia Di Pietro
- Department of Anatomy & Histology, F13, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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