biostudies-literatureUnknown60(3)Zhang Y<h4>Context</h4>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.<h4>Objective</h4>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.<h4>Design</h4>Cross-sectional study.<h4>Setting</h4>University research laboratory.<h4>Patients or other participants</h4>Twenty-eight participants with CAI (17 men and 11 women; age = 31.28 ± 6.31 years) and 28 HJournal of athletic training210-217https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11935306biostudies-literatureAssociation Between Neural Plasticity and Pain-Related Fear in Chronic Ankle Instability: A Structural Neuroimaging Study.PMC11935306Hua YYu LTao WPan SZhang YGuo GWang HXue XCao RfalseAssociation Between Neural Plasticity and Pain-Related Fear in Chronic Ankle Instability: A Structural Neuroimaging Study.<h4>Context</h4>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.<h4>Objective</h4>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.<h4>Design</h4>Cross-sectional study.<h4>Setting</h4>University research laboratory.<h4>Patients or other participants</h4>Twenty-eight participants with CAI (17 men and 11 women; age = 31.28 ± 6.31 years) and 28 H2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Mar2026-07-16T23:33:17.112Z2026-07-12T03:11:23.92ZS-EPMC119353063928708710.4085/1062-6050-0214.24