This study was undertaken to explore whether the neural substrates demonstrated in brain imaging studies on experimentally induced pain are involved perception of chronic neuropathic pain. We investigated cerebral representation lateralised ongoing patients with painful mononeuropathy (PMN, i.e., distribution a nerve, neuralgia) positron emission tomography (PET), using regional blood flow (rCBF) as an index for neuronal activity. Eight (29-53 years) PMN lower extremity (4 right, 4 left)...

PURPOSE: To characterize the central nervous system (CNS) pathway for acupuncture stimulation in human brain by using functional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Functional MR imaging of whole was performed two groups nine healthy subjects during four paradigms: real at acupoints ST.36 (on leg) and LI.4 hand) control stimulations (minimal superficial pricking on leg). Stimulations were semirandomized, balanced order nested within experiments. Psychophysical responses...

Theta-burst transcranial magnetic stimulation could modulate cortical excitability and has the potential to treat refractory depression. However, there been a lack of large randomized studies antidepressant efficacy different forms theta-burst stimulation, such as intermittent continuous stimulation. A sham-controlled study was conducted investigate compare among left-prefrontal right-prefrontal combination them in patients showing levels refractoriness. group 60 treatment-refractory with...

The study was conducted to investigate which areas of the brain respond a painful encounter minor dermal injury (a model clinical pain) elicited by intracutaneous injection minute amount ethanol. Four healthy volunteers (27-46 years) were subjected positron emission tomographic (PET) investigation regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), using [15O]butanol as tracer. ethanol (20 microliters, 70%) and saline 0.9%) injected intracutaneously 3 times in single-blinded, semi-randomised manner for...

1. We used functional positron emission tomography (PET), measuring regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) as an index of neuronal activity, to investigate the central processing itch in 10 healthy volunteers subjected intracutaneous injections histamine. 2. The study has unraveled a representation that depicts motor intention urge scratch contingent on perception unpleasant itch. coactivation anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), supplementary area (SMA), premotor (PM), and inferior parietal lobule...

The Iowa gambling task is a popular test for examining monetary decision behavior under uncertainty. According to Dunn et al. review article, the difficult-to-explain phenomenon of "prominent deck B" was revealed, namely that normal makers prefer bad final-outcome B good decks C or D. This demonstrated especially clearly by Wilder and Toplak inconsistent with basic assumption in IGT; however, most IGT-related studies utilized "summation" A when presenting their data, thereby avoiding...

Primary dysmenorrhea (PDM) is the most prevalent gynecological disorder for women in reproductive age. PDM patients suffer from lower abdominal pain that starts with onset of menstrual flow. Prolonged nociceptive input to central nervous system can induce functional and structural alterations throughout system. In PDM, a chronic viscero-nociceptive drive cyclic nature, indications sensitization altered brain metabolism suggest substantial reorganization. Previously, we hypothesized...

Dysmenorrhea is the most prevalent gynecological disorder in women of child-bearing age. associated with central sensitization and functional structural changes brain. Our recent brain morphometry study disclosed that dysmenorrhea trait-related abnormal gray matter (GM) changes, even absence menstrual pain, indicating adolescent vulnerable to pain. Here we report rapid state-related morphological ie, between pain pain-free states, dysmenorrhea. We used T1-weighted anatomic magnetic resonance...

In Brief Menstrual pain is the most prevalent gynecological complaint, and usually without organic cause (termed primary dysmenorrhea, PDM). The high comorbidity in later life of PDM with many functional disorders (associated central dysfunction inhibition, eg, fibromyalgia) suggests possible maladaptive functionality modulatory systems already occurred young women, making them vulnerable to disorders. Periaqueductal gray (PAG) matter functions as a critical hub neuraxis systems; therefore,...

Recent functional brain imaging studies with positron emission tomography (PET) suggest a preference of the right hemisphere, especially anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), in affective processing clinical pain syndromes. We have investigated central cluster headache (CH) attacks provoked by sublingual nitroglycerin (NTG). In cerebrum, CH activated ACC and temporopolar region hemisphere addition to other regions. The regions (Brodmann area (BA) 24 32) are involved affective/cognitive willed...

The comparatively poor music appreciation in patients with cochlear implants might be ascribed to an inadequate exposure music; however, the effect of training on perception prelingually deafened children remains unknown. This study aimed investigate whether previous musical education improves pitch ability these children.Twenty-seven congenital/prelingual deafness profound degree were studied. Test stimuli consisted 2 sequential piano tones, ranging from C (256 Hz) B (495 Hz). Children...

Low-intensity low-frequency electrostimulation delivered within a myofascial trigger point (MTP) has been used as intervention to deactivate MTPs. The therapeutic effect suggested be due peripheral mechanisms. However, nonpainful stimuli are also known reduce simultaneous pain through central effects. primary objective of the present study was assess if modulation occurs after with low-intensity an MTP. We hypothesized that induces inhibition via periaqueductal gray (PAG).Twenty-four...

Abstract Background The Somatic Marker Hypothesis suggests that normal subjects are "foreseeable" and ventromedial prefrontal patients "myopic" in making decisions, as the behavior shown Iowa Gambling Task. present study questions previous findings because of existing confounding between long-term outcome (expected value, EV) gain-loss frequency variables Task (IGT). A newly symmetrically designed gamble, namely Soochow (SGT), with a high-contrast EV bad (A, B) good (C, D) decks, is...

Summary IBS patients and controls achieve comparable placebo analgesia upon experimentally induced rectal pain. The during the visceral pain involves enhanced brain activities relating to affect/cognition in patients. Placebo is a psychosocial context effect that rarely studied Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) exhibit hyperalgesia heightened affective/cognitive region activation stimuli. Psychological factors alter pattern, these changes are more pronounced Expectation...