Papers of the Week

Chronic pain is associated with persistent alterations in brain structure and function. However, existing research has not fully explored the relationship between brain network topological properties and clinical symptoms in patients with chronic low back-related leg pain (cLBLP). In this study, we collected resting-state functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging data, along with clinical symptom evaluation data, from 32 cLBLP patients and 31 healthy controls. A large-scale complex network analysis was conducted to evaluate the global and nodal topological properties of functional and structural brain networks. Statistical analyses were performed to determine the associations between network properties and clinical variables. The results showed significant alterations in both global and nodal topological properties of functional and structural brain networks in cLBLP patients compared to healthy controls. Additionally, a direct correlation was found between structural network properties and spatial discrimination ability, measured by two-point tactile discrimination values, while no significant association was observed between functional connectivity and spatial discrimination. This study demonstrates that cLBLP patients exbibit a decreased local efficiency of functional connectivity network and increased compensatory global efficiency of structural connectivity network. Notably, alterations in the structural connectome, rather than the functional connectome, play a more significant role in deterioration of foot tactile spatial acuity in cLBLP patients. Trial registration: This trial was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry with the registration number ChiCTR2200055321 on 2022-01-06.