Cortical Changes in Patients with Trigeminal Neuropathic Pain
Author Information
Author(s): Alexandre F. DaSilva, Lino Becerra, Gautam Pendse, Boris Chizh, Shannon Tully, David Borsook
Primary Institution: P.A.I.N. Group, Brain Imaging Center, Mclean Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Hypothesis
Regions involved in ongoing somatosensory input would show cortical thickening, while regions involved in emotional processing would show cortical thinning.
Conclusion
Chronic trigeminal neuropathic pain leads to structural changes in the cortex that correlate with pain duration and intensity.
Supporting Evidence
- Cortical thickness changes were correlated with pain duration and intensity.
- Thinning was observed in emotional processing regions, while thickening occurred in somatosensory areas.
- Functional imaging showed BOLD signal changes that corresponded with structural alterations.
Takeaway
People with chronic facial pain have changes in their brain that can make certain areas thicker or thinner, which might help explain their pain.
Methodology
Patients underwent two MRI sessions to measure cortical thickness and functional changes in response to pain stimuli.
Potential Biases
Potential selection bias due to recruitment methods and the small number of participants.
Limitations
The small sample size and variability in pain duration among patients may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
Patients were right-handed adults with chronic trigeminal neuropathic pain, aged approximately 48 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website