The possible neural mechanism of neuropathic pain evoked by motor imagery in pediatric patients with complete spinal cord injury: A preliminary brain structure study based on VBM

Heliyon, 2024 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24569 · Published: January 17, 2024

Spinal Cord Injury Neurology Pain Management

Simple Explanation

This study investigates how motor imagery (MI) training affects neuropathic pain (NP) in children with complete spinal cord injury (CSCI). Patients were divided into groups based on whether MI training caused them neuropathic pain. The study analyzed brain structure differences between these groups before MI training to find brain regions that might predict MI's effect on NP. The findings suggest that individual brain differences in the right primary sensorimotor cortex (PSMC) and insula may influence how MI affects neuropathic pain.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

30 pediatric CSCI patients

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
MI could evoke NP in some pediatric CSCI patients, but not in others.
2
Patients who experienced NP during MI showed larger GMV in the right primary sensorimotor cortex (PSMC) and insula compared to those who did not.
3
Using the GMV of the right PSMC and insula in combination as a predictor, the area under the curve (AUC) reached 0.824.

Research Summary

This study demonstrates that MI can evoke a below-level NP in some, but not all, pediatric CSCI patients without NP. The different results were related to individual differences in pediatric brain reorganization (such as the GMV values of the right PSMC and insula) before MI training. the combination of the GMV values in the right insula and PSMC showed potential to be used as an indicator to predict whether MI evokes NP in pediatric CSCI patients

Practical Implications

Predictive Indicator

The GMV values of the right PSMC and insula can potentially be used as an imaging indicator for pediatric spinal cord injury patients to screen before MI training and predict whether MI can evoke NP.

Neural Mechanism

The right PSMC and insula may be involved in the regulation of MI on the NP in pediatric patients after CSCI.

Personalized Therapy

Individual brain reorganization differences after CSCI may cause varied outcomes of MI on NP.

Study Limitations

1
All patients enrolled in this study did not have NP, and the effect of MI on pediatric spinal cord injury patients with NP is still unclear.
2
A relatively small sample size was used in this study.
3
the majority of the subjects in this study were girls, and most of them had a clear traumatic history after backbend during dance practice

Your Feedback

Was this summary helpful?

Back to Spinal Cord Injury