Resting state functional connectivity differentiation of neuropathic and nociceptive pain in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury

Jesse L. Kowalski, Leslie R. Morse, Karen Troy, Nguyen Nguyen, Ricardo A. Battaglino, Scott P. Falci, Clas Linnman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Many individuals with spinal cord injury live with debilitating chronic pain that may be neuropathic, nociceptive, or a combination of both in nature. Identification of brain regions demonstrating altered connectivity associated with the type and severity of pain experience may elucidate underlying mechanisms, as well as treatment targets. Resting state and sensorimotor task-based magnetic resonance imaging data were collected in 37 individuals with chronic spinal cord injury. Seed-based correlations were utilized to identify resting state functional connectivity of regions with established roles in pain processing: the primary motor and somatosensory cortices, cingulate, insula, hippocampus, parahippocampal gyri, thalamus, amygdala, caudate, putamen, and periaqueductal gray matter. Resting state functional connectivity alterations and task-based activation associated with individuals’ pain type and intensity ratings on the International Spinal Cord Injury Basic Pain Dataset (0–10 scale) were evaluated. We found that intralimbic and limbostriatal resting state connectivity alterations are uniquely associated with neuropathic pain severity, whereas thalamocortical and thalamolimbic connectivity alterations are associated specifically with nociceptive pain severity. The joint effect and contrast of both pain types were associated with altered limbocortical connectivity. No significant differences in task-based activation were identified. These findings suggest that the experience of pain in individuals with spinal cord injury may be associated with unique alterations in resting state functional connectivity dependent upon pain type.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number103414
JournalNeuroImage: Clinical
Volume38
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors

Keywords

  • Functional connectivity
  • Neuropathic pain
  • Nociceptive pain
  • Resting state fMRI
  • Spinal cord injury

PubMed: MeSH publication types

  • Journal Article
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

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