Han Shuting, Wu Guanzuan, Wei Xiang, Meng Xiaowen, Zang Fengchao, Shen Lan, Dai Hui, Wang Lina, Li Yonggang
Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.
Institute of Medical Imaging, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.
Brain Sci. 2022 Aug 3;12(8):1029. doi: 10.3390/brainsci12081029.
Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a chronic neuropathic pain syndrome, similar to other chronic pains, the mechanisms of which are not fully understood. To further understand the neural mechanism of this chronic pain and its transition, we performed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans on PHN rat models. Twelve PHN rat models were established by intraperitoneal injection of resiniferatoxin, with an additional 12 rats serving as controls. Nociceptive behavioral tests were performed on these rats and fMRI scans were performed on days 7 and 14 after modeling. Functional connection (FC) analysis was used to investigate the brain FC alterations associated with chronic pain in PHN rats, with the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) as a seed. Nociceptive behavioral tests showed that PHN rats presented symptoms similar to those of PHN patients. FC analysis showed that compared to the control group, the PHN group showed different FC patterns on days 7 and 14. As can be seen, the brain FC alterations in the rat model of PHN changed dynamically, shifting from brain regions processing sensory information to regions processing emotions and motives.
带状疱疹后神经痛（PHN）是一种慢性神经病理性疼痛综合征，与其他慢性疼痛类似，其发病机制尚未完全明确。为进一步了解这种慢性疼痛及其转变的神经机制，我们对PHN大鼠模型进行了功能磁共振成像（fMRI）扫描。通过腹腔注射树脂毒素建立了12只PHN大鼠模型，另外12只大鼠作为对照。对这些大鼠进行了伤害性感受行为测试，并在建模后第7天和第14天进行了fMRI扫描。以扣带回前部（ACC）为种子，采用功能连接（FC）分析来研究与PHN大鼠慢性疼痛相关的脑功能连接改变。伤害性感受行为测试表明，PHN大鼠表现出与PHN患者相似的症状。FC分析显示，与对照组相比，PHN组在第7天和第14天表现出不同的FC模式。由此可见，PHN大鼠模型中的脑功能连接改变是动态变化的，从处理感觉信息的脑区转移到处理情绪和动机的脑区。
