Liu Kun, Cheng Jinming, Cao Yungang, Chen Keyang, Li Yan, Zhang Xi, Dong LiPeng, Wang Zhihong, Liu Xiaozheng
Department of Radiology of the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang.
Department of Neurology of the Hebei General Hospital.
Clin J Pain. 2023 Apr 1;39(4):175-179. doi: 10.1097/AJP.0000000000001099.
The periaqueductal gray (PAG) is a key region in the descending pain modulatory system. We applied a Granger causality analysis-based approach to examine resting-state effective connectivity of the bilateral PAG regions in migraine patients without aura (MwoA).
Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were obtained from 28 MwoA patients and 17 healthy controls. The effective connectivity of the bilateral PAG was characterized using a voxel-wised Granger causality analysis method. The resulting effective connectivity measurements were assessed for correlations with other clinical features.
Compared with the healthy controls, MwoA patients showed increased effective connectivity from the left PAG to the left anterior cingulate gyrus and right postcentral gyrus. Meanwhile, MwoA patients also showed increased effective connectivity from the right PAG to the left precentral gyrus and increased effective connectivity from the left caudate and right middle occipital gyrus to the right PAG.
Abnormally increased effective connectivity between PAG and limbic system, primary sensorimotor cortex, and visual cortex may play a key role in neuropathological features, perception, and affection of MwoA. The current study provides further insights into the complex scenario of MwoA mechanisms.
导水管周围灰质（PAG）是下行疼痛调节系统中的关键区域。我们应用基于格兰杰因果分析的方法来研究无先兆偏头痛（MwoA）患者双侧PAG区域的静息态有效连接性。
从28例MwoA患者和17名健康对照者获取静息态功能磁共振成像数据。使用体素-wise格兰杰因果分析方法来表征双侧PAG的有效连接性。评估所得的有效连接性测量值与其他临床特征的相关性。
与健康对照者相比，MwoA患者显示出从左侧PAG到左侧前扣带回和右侧中央后回的有效连接性增加。同时，MwoA患者还显示出从右侧PAG到左侧中央前回的有效连接性增加，以及从左侧尾状核和右侧枕中回至右侧PAG的有效连接性增加。
PAG与边缘系统、初级感觉运动皮层和视觉皮层之间异常增加的有效连接性可能在MwoA的神经病理特征、感知和情感方面起关键作用。本研究为MwoA机制的复杂情况提供了进一步的见解。
