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Increased regional cerebral blood flow in the contralateral thalamus after successful motor cortex stimulation in a patient with poststroke pain.
- Source :
-
Journal of neurosurgery [J Neurosurg] 2004 May; Vol. 100 (5), pp. 935-9. - Publication Year :
- 2004
-
Abstract
- The mechanisms underlying poststroke pain have not been clearly identified. Although motor cortex stimulation (MCS) sometimes reduces poststroke pain successfully, the exact mechanism is not yet known. For further investigation of the neural pathways involved in the processing of poststroke pain and in pain reduction by MCS, the authors used positron emission tomography (PET) scanning to determine significant changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). This 58-year-old right-handed man suffered from right-sided poststroke pain for which he underwent implantation of a stimulation electrode in the right motor cortex. After 30 minutes of stimulation, his pain was remarkably reduced (Visual Analog Scale scores decreased 8 to 1) and he felt warmth in his left arm. The rCBF was studied using PET scanning with 15O-labeled water when the patient was in the following states: before MCS (painful condition, no stimulation) and after successful MCS (painless condition, no stimulation). The images were analyzed using statistical parametric mapping software. State-dependent differences in global blood flow were covaried using analysis of covariance. Comparisons of the patient's rCBF in the painful condition with that in the painless condition revealed significant rCBF increases in the left rectus gyrus (BA11), left superior frontal lobe (BA9), left anterior cingulate gyms (BA32), and the left thalamus (p < 0.05, corrected). On the other hand, there were significant decreases in rCBF in the right superior temporal gyrus (BA22, p < 0.01, corrected) and the left middle occipital gyrus (BA19, p < 0.05, corrected). The efficacy of MCS was mainly related to increased synaptic activity in the thalamus, whereas the activations in the rectus gyrus, anterior cingulate gyrus, and superior frontal cortex as well as the inactivation of the superior temporal lobe may be related to emotional processes. This is the first report in which the contralateral thalamus was significantly activated and pain relief was achieved using MCS.
- Subjects :
- Cerebral Hemorrhage physiopathology
Electrodes, Implanted
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Pain Measurement
Pain, Intractable physiopathology
Regional Blood Flow physiology
Thalamic Diseases physiopathology
Thalamus pathology
Tomography, Emission-Computed
Treatment Outcome
Cerebral Hemorrhage therapy
Dominance, Cerebral physiology
Electric Stimulation Therapy
Motor Cortex physiopathology
Pain, Intractable therapy
Thalamic Diseases therapy
Thalamus blood supply
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0022-3085
- Volume :
- 100
- Issue :
- 5
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Journal of neurosurgery
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 15137612
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3171/jns.2004.100.5.0935