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Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the primary motor cortex (M1) is increasingly being investigated as a means of alleviating chronic pain. However, rTMS interventions are typically initiated once pain has already become chronic and maladaptive patterns of neural activity are likely to have been established. A critical question is whether M1 rTMS applied soon after pain onset can prevent the development of maladaptive neural activity and promote recovery. This study investigated the effect of 5 consecutive days of excitatory M1 rTMS on pain, functional limitation, mechanical hyperalgesia, descending inhibitory pain control, and M1 organisation in the transition from acute to sustained pain. Thirty healthy participants attended 8 sessions over a 16-day period. On Days 0, 2, and 4, nerve growth factor was injected into the right forearm to induce progressively developing muscle soreness and mechanical hyperalgesia. Active or sham excitatory rTMS was delivered on Days 4-8. Clinical and neurophysiological outcomes were recorded on Days 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 11 and 14. Active rTMS promoted recovery of muscle soreness, pain, and mechanical hyperalgesia when compared to sham rTMS (all between-group p < 0.05). Corticomotor excitability and descending inhibitory pain control did not differ between groups. These findings suggest that active excitatory M1 rTMS promotes recovery of muscle soreness, pain, and mechanical hyperalgesia in the transition from acute to sustained experimental pain. The analgesic effects of M1 rTMS do not appear to be modulated by descending inhibitory pain control or local changes in corticomotor excitability.
The primary objective was to investigate the prevalence of neuropathic-like pain in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Secondary outcomes were to investigate whether mood, fatigue, pain, disease severity and fibromyalgia are associated with neuropathic-like pain in PsA patients.
To identify the differences in overall occurrence, location, and disease burden of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) in patients with sporadic hemiplegic migraine (SHM) and patients with migraine headaches.
The endogenous metabolite methylglyoxal (MG) accumulates in diabetic patients with neuropathic pain. MG could be a mediator of diabetes-induced neuropathic pain via TRPA1 activation and sensitization of the voltage-gated sodium channel subtype 1.8. In this study, we tested the algogenic and sensitizing effect of MG in healthy human subjects using intracutaneous microinjections. The involvement of C-fibers was assessed via selective A-fiber nerve block, axon-reflex-erythema and via single nerve fiber recordings in humans (microneurography). Involvement of the transduction channels TRPA1 and TRPV1 in MG-induced pain sensation was investigated with specific ion channel blockers. We showed for the first time in healthy humans that MG induces pain, axon-reflex-erythema and long-lasting hyperalgesia via the activation of C-nociceptors. Predominantly the subclass of mechano-insensitive C-fibers is activated by MG. A-fibers contribute only negligibly to the burning pain sensation. Selective harmacological blockade of TRPA1 or TRPV1 showed that TRPA1 is crucially involved in MG-induced chemical pain sensation and heat hyperalgesia. In conclusion, the ctions of MG via TRPA1 activation on predominantly mechanoinsensitive C-fibers might be involved in spontaneously perceived pain in diabetic neuropathy and hyperalgesia as well as allodynia.
To compare adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in women with chronic pelvic pain with a control group, and describe occurrence of specific ACEs in women with chronic pelvic pain.
To compare effectiveness of onabotulinumtoxinA and topiramate for chronic migraine (CM) prevention.
A phase 2, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of erenumab for the prevention of episodic migraine in Japanese patients was conducted.
In this randomized clinical trial, we examined whether the effect of true acupuncture can be differentiated from sham acupuncture (pain and functionality) by analyzing quantitative sensory testing (QST) profiles in chronic pain participants. We recruited 254 healthy or chronic back and neck pain participants. Healthy subjects were included to control for a possible effect of acupuncture on baseline QST changes. Study participants received six sessions (twice weekly) of true acupuncture, sham acupuncture, or no acupuncture treatment (routine care). QST profiles, pain scores and functionality profile were obtained at baseline (visit 1) and after 3 (visit 4) or 6 sessions (visit 7). A total of 204 participants were analyzed. We found no QST profile changes among three groups (P = 0.533 and P = 0.549, Likelihood-ratio tests) in either healthy or chronic pain participants. In chronic back and neck pain participants, true acupuncture reduced pain [visit 4: DIM (difference in mean) = -0.8, 95% CI: -1.4 to -0.1, adjusted P = 0.168; visit 7: DIM = -1.0, 95% CI: -1.7 to -0.3, adjusted P = 0.021) and improved functional status including physical functioning (DIM = 14.21, 95% CI: 5.84 to 22.58, adjusted P = 0.003) and energy/fatigue (DIM = 12.28, 95% CI: 3.46 to 21.11, adjusted P = 0.021) as compared to routine care. Our results indicate that QST was not helpful to differentiate between true acupuncture and sham acupuncture (primary outcome) in this study, although true acupuncture reduced pain and improved functionality (secondary outcomes) when compared with routine care.
The aim of this study was to determine if a preoperative pain neuroscience education program would result in superior outcomes compared to usual preoperative education for total knee arthroplasty.
Fibromyalgia syndrome (FM) represents a great challenge for clinicians and researchers because the efficacy of currently available treatments is limited. The present study examined the efficacy of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for reducing functional impairment as well as the role of mindfulness-related constructs as mediators of treatment outcomes for people with FM. 225 participants with FM were randomized into three study arms: MBSR plus treatment-as-usual (TAU), FibroQoL (multicomponent intervention for FM) plus TAU, and TAU alone. The primary endpoint was functional impact (measured with the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire Revised), and secondary outcomes included "fibromyalginess", anxiety and depression, pain catastrophising, perceived stress and cognitive dysfunction. The differences in outcomes between groups at post-treatment assessment (primary endpoint) and 12-month follow-up were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models and mediational models through path analyses. MBSR was superior to TAU both at post-treatment (large effect sizes) and at follow-up (medium to large effect sizes), and MBSR was also superior to FibroQoL post-treatment (medium to large effect sizes), but long-term it was only modestly better (significant differences only in pain catastrophising and fibromyalginess). Immediately post-treatment, the NNT for 20% improvement in MBSR versus TAU and FibroQoL was 4.0 (95%CI= 2.1-6.5) and 5.0 (95%CI= 2.7-37.3). An unreliable NNT value of 9 (not computable 95%CI) was found for FibroQoL vs. TAU. Changes produced by MBSR in functional impact were mediated by psychological inflexibility and the mindfulness facet Acting with awareness. These findings are discussed in relation to previous studies of psychological treatments for FM.