Disease-related differences in resting-state networks

Abstract

Localized provoked vulvodynia (LPVD) affects approximately 16% of the female population, but biological mechanisms underlying symptoms remain unknown. Like in other, often comorbid chronic pain disorders, altered sensory processing and modulation of pain, including central sensitization, dysregulation of endogenous pain modulatory systems, and attentional enhancement of pain perception have been implicated. The aim of this study was to test whether regions of interest showing differences in LPVD compared to healthy controls (HCs) in structural and evoked-pain neuroimaging studies, also show alterations in during rest compared to HCs and a chronic pain control group (irritable bowel syndrome, IBS). Functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed during resting state in 87 age-matched premenopausal females (29 LPVD, 29 HCs, 29 IBS). Group independent component analysis and general linear models were applied to investigate group differences in the intrinsic connectivity of regions comprising sensorimotor, salience, and default mode resting state networks. LPVD subjects showed substantial alterations in the intrinsic connectivity of these networks compared to HCs and IBS. The intrinsic connectivity of many of the regions showing group differences during rest were moderately associated with clinical symptom reports in LPVD. Findings were robust to controlling for affect and medication usage. The current findings indicate LPVD subjects have alterations in the intrinsic connectivity of regions comprising the sensorimotor, salience, and default mode networks. Although shared brain mechanisms between different chronic pain disorders have been postulated, the current findings suggest some alterations in functional connectivity may show disease specificity.

Nociception, Pain, Negative Moods, and Behavior Selection

“…Indeed, there is growing reproducible evidence that resting state activity in many chronic pain conditions show a variety of abnormalities (Baliki et al, 2008; Baliki et al, 2014b; Bolwerk et al, 2013; Cauda et al, 2010; Cauda et al, 2009; Gupta et al, 2015; Loggia et al, 2013; Malinen et al, 2010). The most consistent result is a disruption of the default mode network, specifically a dissociation of its prefrontal component in many different types of chronic pain.…”

Frequency of Hospitalizations for Pain and Association With Altered Brain Network Connectivity in Sickle Cell Disease

“…While shared brain mechanisms between different chronic pain disorders have been postulated, recent findings suggest some alterations in functional connectivity may also show disease specificity. 23 …”

Altered brain connectivity in dysmenorrhea

“…Recent studies have reported functional connectivity disturbances in medial brain motor areas in women with interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome [9], in men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome [10], and also in women with localized provoked vulvodynia [7]. Recent anatomical connectivity studies in rats using the retrograde transneuronal labelling studies suggest that visceral structures may be more strongly represented in medial brain motor areas than any other cortical area; also, the visceral representation in motor cortex is aligned with the more medial somatic motor representation of trunk and lower limb muscles [12].…”