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The neural basis of induced phantom limb pain relief

Kikkert, S; Mezue, M; O’Shea, J; Henderson-Slater, D; Johansen-Berg, H; Tracey, I; Makin, TR; (2018) The neural basis of induced phantom limb pain relief. Annals of Neurology , 85 (1) pp. 59-73. 10.1002/ana.25371. Green open access

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Abstract

Objective: Phantom limb pain (PLP) is notoriously difficult to treat, partly due to an incomplete understanding of PLP‐related disease mechanisms. Non‐invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) is used to modulate plasticity in various neuropathological diseases, including chronic pain. While NIBS can alleviate neuropathic pain (including PLP), both disease and treatment mechanisms remain tenuous. Insight into the mechanisms underlying both PLP and NIBS‐induced PLP relief is needed for future implementation of such treatment and generalisation to related conditions. Methods: We used a within‐participants, double‐blind, and sham‐controlled design to alleviate PLP via task‐concurrent NIBS over the primary sensorimotor missing hand cortex (S1/M1). To specifically influence missing hand signal processing, amputees performed phantom hand movements during anodal transcranial direct current stimulation. Brain activity was monitored using neuroimaging during and after NIBS. PLP ratings were obtained throughout the week after stimulation. Results: A single session of intervention NIBS significantly relieved PLP, with effects lasting at least one week. PLP relief associated with reduced activity in the S1/M1 missing hand cortex after stimulation. Critically, PLP relief and reduced S1/M1 activity correlated with preceding activity changes during stimulation in the mid‐ and posterior insula and secondary somatosensory cortex (S2). Interpretation: The observed correlation between PLP relief and decreased S1/M1 activity confirms our previous findings linking PLP with increased S1/M1 activity. Our results further highlight the driving role of the mid‐ and posterior insula, as well as S2, in modulating PLP. Lastly, our novel PLP intervention using task‐concurrent NIBS opens new avenues for developing treatment for PLP and related pain conditions.

Type: Article
Title: The neural basis of induced phantom limb pain relief
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1002/ana.25371
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.25371
Language: English
Additional information: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Keywords: Neuropathic pain, plasticity, amputation
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences > Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10061495
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