RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Trigeminal Neuropathic Pain Alters Responses in CNS Circuits to Mechanical (Brush) and Thermal (Cold and Heat) Stimuli
JF The Journal of Neuroscience
JO J. Neurosci.
FD Society for Neuroscience
SP 10646
OP 10657
DO 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2305-06.2006
VO 26
IS 42
A1 Lino Becerra
A1 Susie Morris
A1 Shelly Bazes
A1 Richard Gostic
A1 Seth Sherman
A1 Julie Gostic
A1 Gautam Pendse
A1 Eric Moulton
A1 Steven Scrivani
A1 David Keith
A1 Boris Chizh
A1 David Borsook
YR 2006
UL http://www.jneurosci.org/content/26/42/10646.abstract
AB Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to study patients with chronic neuropathic pain involving the maxillary region (V2) of the trigeminal nerve in patients with spontaneous pain and evoked pain to brush (allodynia). Patients underwent two functional scans (2–3 months apart) with mechanical and thermal stimuli applied to the affected region of V2 and to the mirror site in the unaffected contralateral V2 region, as well as bilaterally to the mandibular (V3) division. Patients were stimulated with brush, noxious cold, and noxious heat. Significant changes were observed in regions within and outside the primary trigeminal sensory pathway. Stimulation to the affected (neuropathic) side resulted in predominantly frontal region and basal ganglia activation compared with the control side. The differences were consistent with the allodynia to brush and cold. A region of interest-based analysis of the trigeminal sensory pathway revealed patterns of activation that differentiated between the affected and unaffected sides and that were particular to each stimulus. Activation in the spinal trigeminal nucleus was constant in location for all pain stimuli. Activation in other brainstem nuclei also showed differences in the blood oxygenation level-dependent signal for the affected versus the unaffected side. Thus, sensory processing in patients with trigeminal neuropathic pain is associated with distinct activation patterns consistent with sensitization within and outside of the primary sensory pathway.