Chronic myofascial temporomandibular pain is associated with neural abnormalities in the trigeminal and limbic systems
- 1 May 2010
- journal article
- Published by Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) in Pain
- Vol. 149 (2), 222-228
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2010.01.006
Abstract
Ology of 15 women with M-TMD to that of 15 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. High-resolution structural brain and brainstem scans were carried out using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and data were analyzed using a voxel-based morphometry approach. The M-TMD group evidenced decreased or increased gray matter volume compared to controls in several areas of the trigeminothalamocortical pathway, including brainstem trigeminal sensory nuclei, the thalamus, and the primary somatosensory cortex. In addition, M-TMD individuals showed increased gray matter volume compared to controls in limbic regions such as the posterior putamen, globus pallidus, and anterior insula. Within the M-TMD group, jaw pain, pain tolerance, and pain duration were differentially associated with brain and brainstem gray matter volume. Self-reported pain severity was associated with increased gray matter in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex and posterior cingulate. Sensitivity to pressure algometry was associated with decreased gray matter in the pons, corresponding to the trigeminal sensory nuclei. Longer pain duration was associated with greater gray matter in the posterior cingulate, hippocampus, midbrain, and cerebellum. The pattern of gray matter abnormality found in M-TMD individuals suggests the involvement of trigeminal and limbic system dysregulation, as well as potential somatotopic reorganization in the putamen, thalamus, and somatosensory cortex....Keywords
Funding Information
- UCSF Osher Center for Alternative and Integrative Medicine
- NIH NINDS (NS053961)
- the John and Dodie Rosekrans Pain Research Endowment
- Chris Redlich Pain Research
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