Association Between Neural Plasticity and Pain-Related Fear in Chronic Ankle Instability: A Structural Neuroimaging Study.

ABSTRACT:

Context

Pain-related movement fear is a contributing factor to residual pain and functional deficits in chronic ankle instability (CAI), but its underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear.

Objective

We aimed to (1) delineate whether participants with CAI exhibit discernible differences in specific emotion- and pain-related brain regions compared with a healthy control (HC) cohort and (2) explore potential neural mechanisms underlying pain and fear in participants with CAI, with an emphasis on investigating possible associations with pain-related neural plasticity.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

University research laboratory.

Patients or other participants

Twenty-eight participants with CAI (17 men and 11 women; age = 31.28 ± 6.31 years) and 28 H

SUBMITTER: Zhang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11935306 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature