Chronic Pain and the Emotional Brain: Specific Brain Activity Associated with Spontaneous Fluctuations of Intensity of Chronic Back Pain
Northwestern University · Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Physiology · +4 more institutions
Abstract
Living with unrelenting pain (chronic pain) is maladaptive and is thought to be associated with physiological and psychological modifications, yet there is a lack of knowledge regarding brain elements involved in such conditions. Here, we identify brain regions involved in spontaneous pain of chronic back pain (CBP) in two separate groups of patients (n = 13 and n = 11), and contrast brain activity between spontaneous pain and thermal pain (CBP and healthy subjects, n = 11 each). Continuous ratings of fluctuations of spontaneous pain during functional magnetic resonance imaging were separated into two components: high sustained pain and increasing pain. Sustained high pain of CBP resulted in increased activity…
Citation impact
- FWCI
- 14.45
- Percentile
- 100%
- References
- 57
Authors
7- MNMarwan N. BalikiCorresponding
Northwestern University
- DRDante R. Chialvo
Northwestern University, Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Physiology
- PGPaul Geha
Northwestern University, Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Physiology
- RMRobert M. Levy
Northwestern University, Neurology, Inc
- RNR. Norman Harden
Northwestern University, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Pain and Rehabilitation Medicine
Topics & keywords
- Chronic pain
- Insula
- Psychology
- Anterior cingulate cortex
- Neuroscience
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging
- Prefrontal cortex
- Brain activity and meditation
- Good health and well-being