Pain-related reorganization in the primary somatosensory cortex of patients with postherpetic neuralgia.

ABSTRACT: Studies on functional and structural changes in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) have provided important insights into neural mechanisms underlying several chronic pain conditions. However, the role of S1 plasticity in postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) remains elusive. Combining psychophysics and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we investigated whether pain in PHN patients is linked to S1 reorganization as compared with healthy controls. Results from voxel-based morphometry showed no structural differences between groups. To characterize functional plasticity, we compared S1 responses to noxious laser stimuli of a fixed intensity between both groups and assessed the relationship between S1 activation and spontaneous pain in PHN patients. Although the intensity of evoked pain was comparabl

SUBMITTER: Li H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9812237 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature