RE: Chronic LBP causes Brain Atrophy

[Guest guest]

This report doesn't surprise me a bit.

Anytime CBP shows up in my office, they can be found to have cranial

distortion as part of the picture, anytime. With the SI joints, it will be

frontal-occipital and with the lumbar spine/facets/discs, it will be

sagittal compression with parietal and/or temporal components. That's gonna

mean cranial compression. Gray matter will pull into itself secondary to

that physical compression and then, when you factor in the time that puts

the 'chronic' into it, tend to atrophy due to the chronic warp of the dura

resulting in a chronic warp of the CSF and primary respiratory mechanism.

With the whole nervous system now involved, it is any wonder these people

tend to get so sick?

Sunny

Sunny Kierstyn, RN DC

Fibromyalgia Care Center of Oregon

59 Santa Clara St.,

Eugene, Oregon, 97404

541-689-0935

>From: " Dr. Freeman " <drmfreeman@...>

> " Oregon DCs (E-mail) " < >

>Subject: Chronic LBP causes Brain Atrophy

>Date: Wed, 8 Dec 2004 14:28:04 -0800

>

>Docs,

>This is an e-mail from Centeno MD that I thought it was important to

>pass on.

>

> D Freeman

>Mailing address: 205 Liberty Street NE, Suite B

>Salem, OR 97301

>503 586-0127

>fax 503 586-0192

>cell 503 871-0715

>drmfreeman@...

>

>Subject: Chronic LBP causes Brain Atrophy

>

>

>For those of you who haven't seen this article from Apkarian, it's a

>shocker. He is a professor from Northwestern who has several articles on

>changes in brain chemistry in chronic LBP on functional imaging. However,

>this one demonstrates prefrontal cortex and thalamic atrophy equivalent to

>10-20 years of normal aging for every year with chronic LBP. This begs the

>question, why are the national guidelines for LBP used by insurers heading

>in the opposite direction? Namely, if you have a patient with chronic LBP,

>use supportive care and reassurance instead of aggressive intervention to

>try and solve the problem? While we have specialty societies such as

>ASIPP,

>ISIS, and IASP who agree with an aggressive intervention based approach,

>our

>national and insurance policy is lagging behind.

>

>

>

>Please pass this on to you e-mail list as the more docs that know about

>this

>sooner we will all see insurers get in line that this condition is no

>different than rheumatoid arthritis or other diseases. Reassurance is

>great, we would all tell a patient with RA to live their life and make the

>best of it, but that doesn't change the reality of the underlying organic

>disease.

>

>

>

>

>

>The Journal of Neuroscience, November 17, 2004, 24(46):10410-10415;

>doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2541-04.2004

>

> This Article

>

>

>

>

> Full Text

>

>

> Full Text (PDF)

>

>

> Supplemental data

>

>

> Alert me when this article is cited

>

>

> Alert me if a correction is posted

>

>

> Citation Map

>

>

>

> Services

>

>

>

>

> Email this article to a friend

>

>

> Similar articles in this journal

>

>

> Similar articles in PubMed

>

>

> Alert me to new issues of the journal

>

>

> Download to citation manager

>

>

>

> PubMed

>

>

>

>

> PubMed Citation

>

>

> Articles by Apkarian, A. V.

>

>

> Articles by Gitelman, D. R.

>

>

>

> Previous Article | Next Article

>

>Behavioral/Systems/Cognitive

>Chronic Back Pain Is Associated with Decreased Prefrontal and Thalamic Gray

>Matter Density

>

>A. Vania Apkarian,1 Yamaya Sosa,1 Sreepadma Sonty,2 M. Levy,3 R.

>Norman Harden,5 Todd B. Parrish,4 and Darren R. Gitelman2,4

>

>1Department of Physiology and Institute of Neuroscience, and Departments of

>2Neurology, 3Neurosurgery, and 4Radiology, and 5Rehabilitation Institute of

>Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago,

>Illinois 60611

>

>The role of the brain in chronic pain conditions remains speculative. We

>compared brain morphology of 26 chronic back pain (CBP) patients to matched

>control subjects, using magnetic resonance imaging brain scan data and

>automated analysis techniques. CBP patients were divided into neuropathic,

>exhibiting pain because of sciatic nerve damage, and non-neuropathic

>groups.

>Pain-related characteristics were correlated to morphometric measures.

>Neocortical gray matter volume was compared after skull normalization.

>Patients with CBP showed 5-11% less neocortical gray matter volume than

>control subjects. The magnitude of this decrease is equivalent to the gray

>matter volume lost in 10-20 years of normal aging. The decreased volume was

>related to pain duration, indicating a 1.3 cm3 loss of gray matter for

>every

>year of chronic pain. Regional gray matter density in 17 CBP patients was

>compared with matched controls using voxel-based morphometry and

>nonparametric statistics. Gray matter density was reduced in bilateral

>dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and right thalamus and was strongly related

>to pain characteristics in a pattern distinct for neuropathic and

>non-neuropathic CBP. Our results imply that CBP is accompanied by brain

>atrophy and suggest that the pathophysiology of chronic pain includes

>thalamocortical processes.

>

>Key words: chronic pain; morphometry; frontal cortex; thalamus; neuropathic

>back pain; aging

>

>

>

>

_________________________________________________________________

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[Guest guest]

Sunny, Do you know of any literature, including imaging/pathologic analysis, to back this up ?

sharron fuchs dc

Chronic LBP causes Brain Atrophy>>>For those of you who haven't seen this article from Apkarian, it's a>shocker. He is a professor from Northwestern who has several articles on>changes in brain chemistry in chronic LBP on functional imaging. However,>this one demonstrates prefrontal cortex and thalamic atrophy equivalent to>10-20 years of normal aging for every year with chronic LBP. This begs the>question, why are the national guidelines for LBP used by insurers heading>in the opposite direction? Namely, if you have a patient with chronic LBP,>use supportive care and reassurance instead of aggressive intervention to>try and solve the problem? While we have specialty societies such as >ASIPP,>ISIS, and IASP who agree with an aggressive intervention based approach, >our>national and insurance policy is lagging behind.>>>>Please pass this on to you e-mail list as the more docs that know about >this>sooner we will all see insurers get in line that this condition is no>different than rheumatoid arthritis or other diseases. Reassurance is>great, we would all tell a patient with RA to live their life and make the>best of it, but that doesn't change the reality of the underlying organic>disease.>>>>>>The Journal of Neuroscience, November 17, 2004, 24(46):10410-10415;>doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2541-04.2004>> This Article>>>>> Full Text>>> Full Text (PDF)>>> Supplemental data>>> Alert me when this article is cited>>> Alert me if a correction is posted>>> Citation Map>>>> Services>>>>> Email this article to a friend>>> Similar articles in this journal>>> Similar articles in PubMed>>> Alert me to new issues of the journal>>> Download to citation manager>>>> PubMed>>>>> PubMed Citation>>> Articles by Apkarian, A. V.>>> Articles by Gitelman, D. R.>>>> Previous Article | Next Article>>Behavioral/Systems/Cognitive>Chronic Back Pain Is Associated with Decreased Prefrontal and Thalamic Gray>Matter Density>>A. Vania Apkarian,1 Yamaya Sosa,1 Sreepadma Sonty,2 M. Levy,3 R.>Norman Harden,5 Todd B. Parrish,4 and Darren R. Gitelman2,4>>1Department of Physiology and Institute of Neuroscience, and Departments of>2Neurology, 3Neurosurgery, and 4Radiology, and 5Rehabilitation Institute of>Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago,>Illinois 60611>>The role of the brain in chronic pain conditions remains speculative. We>compared brain morphology of 26 chronic back pain (CBP) patients to matched>control subjects, using magnetic resonance imaging brain scan data and>automated analysis techniques. CBP patients were divided into neuropathic,>exhibiting pain because of sciatic nerve damage, and non-neuropathic >groups.>Pain-related characteristics were correlated to morphometric measures.>Neocortical gray matter volume was compared after skull normalization.>Patients with CBP showed 5-11% less neocortical gray matter volume than>control subjects. The magnitude of this decrease is equivalent to the gray>matter volume lost in 10-20 years of normal aging. The decreased volume was>related to pain duration, indicating a 1.3 cm3 loss of gray matter for >every>year of chronic pain. Regional gray matter density in 17 CBP patients was>compared with matched controls using voxel-based morphometry and>nonparametric statistics. Gray matter density was reduced in bilateral>dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and right thalamus and was strongly related>to pain characteristics in a pattern distinct for neuropathic and>non-neuropathic CBP. Our results imply that CBP is accompanied by brain>atrophy and suggest that the pathophysiology of chronic pain includes>thalamocortical processes.>>Key words: chronic pain; morphometry; frontal cortex; thalamus; neuropathic>back pain; aging>>>>_________________________________________________________________Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! hthttp://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/OregonDCs rules:1. Keep correspondence professional; the purpose of the listserve is to foster communication and collegiality. No personal attacks on listserve members will be tolerated.2. Always sign your e-mails with your first and last name.3. The listserve is not secure; your e-mail could end up anywhere. However, it is against the rules of the listserve to copy, print, forward, or otherwise distribute correspondence written by another member without his or her consent, unless all personal identifiers have been removed.

[Guest guest]

If, do you mean the cranial distortion and dural movement, the answer is

yes, the video-floroscopy of Dr. Mark Pick, done under the auspices of SORSI

in Japan in the 80s. Dr DeJarnette's theories have been found to be pretty

close to the mark through Dr. Pick's disection and research. Sunny

Sunny Kierstyn, RN DC

Fibromyalgia Care Center of Oregon

59 Santa Clara St.,

Eugene, Oregon, 97404

541-689-0935

>From: Sharron Fuchs <sharronf@...>

>

>Subject: RE: Chronic LBP causes Brain Atrophy

>Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2004 11:53:06 -0800

>

>Sunny, Do you know of any literature, including imaging/pathologic

>analysis,

>to back this up ?

>

>sharron fuchs dc

>

> Chronic LBP causes Brain Atrophy

> >

> >

> >For those of you who haven't seen this article from Apkarian, it's a

> >shocker. He is a professor from Northwestern who has several articles on

> >changes in brain chemistry in chronic LBP on functional imaging.

>However,

> >this one demonstrates prefrontal cortex and thalamic atrophy equivalent

>to

> >10-20 years of normal aging for every year with chronic LBP. This begs

>the

> >question, why are the national guidelines for LBP used by insurers

>heading

> >in the opposite direction? Namely, if you have a patient with chronic

>LBP,

> >use supportive care and reassurance instead of aggressive intervention to

> >try and solve the problem? While we have specialty societies such as

> >ASIPP,

> >ISIS, and IASP who agree with an aggressive intervention based approach,

> >our

> >national and insurance policy is lagging behind.

> >

> >

> >

> >Please pass this on to you e-mail list as the more docs that know about

> >this

> >sooner we will all see insurers get in line that this condition is no

> >different than rheumatoid arthritis or other diseases. Reassurance is

> >great, we would all tell a patient with RA to live their life and make

>the

> >best of it, but that doesn't change the reality of the underlying organic

> >disease.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >The Journal of Neuroscience, November 17, 2004, 24(46):10410-10415;

> >doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2541-04.2004

> >

> > This Article

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Full Text

> >

> >

> > Full Text (PDF)

> >

> >

> > Supplemental data

> >

> >

> > Alert me when this article is cited

> >

> >

> > Alert me if a correction is posted

> >

> >

> > Citation Map

> >

> >

> >

> > Services

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Email this article to a friend

> >

> >

> > Similar articles in this journal

> >

> >

> > Similar articles in PubMed

> >

> >

> > Alert me to new issues of the journal

> >

> >

> > Download to citation manager

> >

> >

> >

> > PubMed

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > PubMed Citation

> >

> >

> > Articles by Apkarian, A. V.

> >

> >

> > Articles by Gitelman, D. R.

> >

> >

> >

> > Previous Article | Next Article

> >

> >Behavioral/Systems/Cognitive

> >Chronic Back Pain Is Associated with Decreased Prefrontal and Thalamic

>Gray

> >Matter Density

> >

> >A. Vania Apkarian,1 Yamaya Sosa,1 Sreepadma Sonty,2 M. Levy,3 R.

> >Norman Harden,5 Todd B. Parrish,4 and Darren R. Gitelman2,4

> >

> >1Department of Physiology and Institute of Neuroscience, and Departments

>of

> >2Neurology, 3Neurosurgery, and 4Radiology, and 5Rehabilitation Institute

>of

> >Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago,

> >Illinois 60611

> >

> >The role of the brain in chronic pain conditions remains speculative. We

> >compared brain morphology of 26 chronic back pain (CBP) patients to

>matched

> >control subjects, using magnetic resonance imaging brain scan data and

> >automated analysis techniques. CBP patients were divided into

>neuropathic,

> >exhibiting pain because of sciatic nerve damage, and non-neuropathic

> >groups.

> >Pain-related characteristics were correlated to morphometric measures.

> >Neocortical gray matter volume was compared after skull normalization.

> >Patients with CBP showed 5-11% less neocortical gray matter volume than

> >control subjects. The magnitude of this decrease is equivalent to the

>gray

> >matter volume lost in 10-20 years of normal aging. The decreased volume

>was

> >related to pain duration, indicating a 1.3 cm3 loss of gray matter for

> >every

> >year of chronic pain. Regional gray matter density in 17 CBP patients was

> >compared with matched controls using voxel-based morphometry and

> >nonparametric statistics. Gray matter density was reduced in bilateral

> >dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and right thalamus and was strongly

>related

> >to pain characteristics in a pattern distinct for neuropathic and

> >non-neuropathic CBP. Our results imply that CBP is accompanied by brain

> >atrophy and suggest that the pathophysiology of chronic pain includes

> >thalamocortical processes.

> >

> >Key words: chronic pain; morphometry; frontal cortex; thalamus;

>neuropathic

> >back pain; aging

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

>_________________________________________________________________

>Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE!

>ht http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/

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>

>

>

>OregonDCs rules:

>1. Keep correspondence professional; the purpose of the listserve is to

>foster communication and collegiality. No personal attacks on listserve

>members will be tolerated.

>2. Always sign your e-mails with your first and last name.

>3. The listserve is not secure; your e-mail could end up anywhere. However,

>it is against the rules of the listserve to copy, print, forward, or

>otherwise distribute correspondence written by another member without his

>or

>her consent, unless all personal identifiers have been removed.

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I mean pelvic distortion, cranial distortion, dural torque and brain atrophy

which you connected all together. If you have cites for this mechanism and

documented pathology I would love to see it.

sharron fuchs dc

Chronic LBP causes Brain Atrophy

> >

> >

> >For those of you who haven't seen this article from Apkarian, it's a

> >shocker. He is a professor from Northwestern who has several articles on

> >changes in brain chemistry in chronic LBP on functional imaging.

>However,

> >this one demonstrates prefrontal cortex and thalamic atrophy equivalent

>to

> >10-20 years of normal aging for every year with chronic LBP. This begs

>the

> >question, why are the national guidelines for LBP used by insurers

>heading

> >in the opposite direction? Namely, if you have a patient with chronic

>LBP,

> >use supportive care and reassurance instead of aggressive intervention to

> >try and solve the problem? While we have specialty societies such as

> >ASIPP,

> >ISIS, and IASP who agree with an aggressive intervention based approach,

> >our

> >national and insurance policy is lagging behind.

> >

> >

> >

> >Please pass this on to you e-mail list as the more docs that know about

> >this

> >sooner we will all see insurers get in line that this condition is no

> >different than rheumatoid arthritis or other diseases. Reassurance is

> >great, we would all tell a patient with RA to live their life and make

>the

> >best of it, but that doesn't change the reality of the underlying organic

> >disease.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >The Journal of Neuroscience, November 17, 2004, 24(46):10410-10415;

> >doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2541-04.2004

> >

> > This Article

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Full Text

> >

> >

> > Full Text (PDF)

> >

> >

> > Supplemental data

> >

> >

> > Alert me when this article is cited

> >

> >

> > Alert me if a correction is posted

> >

> >

> > Citation Map

> >

> >

> >

> > Services

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Email this article to a friend

> >

> >

> > Similar articles in this journal

> >

> >

> > Similar articles in PubMed

> >

> >

> > Alert me to new issues of the journal

> >

> >

> > Download to citation manager

> >

> >

> >

> > PubMed

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > PubMed Citation

> >

> >

> > Articles by Apkarian, A. V.

> >

> >

> > Articles by Gitelman, D. R.

> >

> >

> >

> > Previous Article | Next Article

> >

> >Behavioral/Systems/Cognitive

> >Chronic Back Pain Is Associated with Decreased Prefrontal and Thalamic

>Gray

> >Matter Density

> >

> >A. Vania Apkarian,1 Yamaya Sosa,1 Sreepadma Sonty,2 M. Levy,3 R.

> >Norman Harden,5 Todd B. Parrish,4 and Darren R. Gitelman2,4

> >

> >1Department of Physiology and Institute of Neuroscience, and Departments

>of

> >2Neurology, 3Neurosurgery, and 4Radiology, and 5Rehabilitation Institute

>of

> >Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago,

> >Illinois 60611

> >

> >The role of the brain in chronic pain conditions remains speculative. We

> >compared brain morphology of 26 chronic back pain (CBP) patients to

>matched

> >control subjects, using magnetic resonance imaging brain scan data and

> >automated analysis techniques. CBP patients were divided into

>neuropathic,

> >exhibiting pain because of sciatic nerve damage, and non-neuropathic

> >groups.

> >Pain-related characteristics were correlated to morphometric measures.

> >Neocortical gray matter volume was compared after skull normalization.

> >Patients with CBP showed 5-11% less neocortical gray matter volume than

> >control subjects. The magnitude of this decrease is equivalent to the

>gray

> >matter volume lost in 10-20 years of normal aging. The decreased volume

>was

> >related to pain duration, indicating a 1.3 cm3 loss of gray matter for

> >every

> >year of chronic pain. Regional gray matter density in 17 CBP patients was

> >compared with matched controls using voxel-based morphometry and

> >nonparametric statistics. Gray matter density was reduced in bilateral

> >dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and right thalamus and was strongly

>related

> >to pain characteristics in a pattern distinct for neuropathic and

> >non-neuropathic CBP. Our results imply that CBP is accompanied by brain

> >atrophy and suggest that the pathophysiology of chronic pain includes

> >thalamocortical processes.

> >

> >Key words: chronic pain; morphometry; frontal cortex; thalamus;

>neuropathic

> >back pain; aging

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

>_________________________________________________________________

>Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE!

>ht http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/

><http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/>

>

>

>

>OregonDCs rules:

>1. Keep correspondence professional; the purpose of the listserve is to

>foster communication and collegiality. No personal attacks on listserve

>members will be tolerated.

>2. Always sign your e-mails with your first and last name.

>3. The listserve is not secure; your e-mail could end up anywhere. However,

>it is against the rules of the listserve to copy, print, forward, or

>otherwise distribute correspondence written by another member without his

>or

>her consent, unless all personal identifiers have been removed.

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

IF you will search the files at www.sorsi.com you will find recitations for

all but the atrophy ... don't know that that is documented yet .... we know

that, in the aged, the cranium 'locks up' shortly before death, making

cranial motion, or the lack thereof, an indicator in impending death. On my

mom, I have found her cranium locking over the last 3 months and her

behaviors are those of someone losing their brain function. Atrophy

could/would explain thiis. Sunny

Sunny Kierstyn, RN DC

Fibromyalgia Care Center of Oregon

59 Santa Clara St.,

Eugene, Oregon, 97404

541-689-0935

>From: Sharron Fuchs <sharronf@...>

>

>Subject: RE: Chronic LBP causes Brain Atrophy

>Date: Fri, 10 Dec 2004 10:41:44 -0800

>

>

>

>I mean pelvic distortion, cranial distortion, dural torque and brain

>atrophy

>which you connected all together. If you have cites for this mechanism and

>documented pathology I would love to see it.

>

>sharron fuchs dc

>

> Chronic LBP causes Brain Atrophy

> > >

> > >

> > >For those of you who haven't seen this article from Apkarian, it's a

> > >shocker. He is a professor from Northwestern who has several articles

>on

> > >changes in brain chemistry in chronic LBP on functional imaging.

> >However,

> > >this one demonstrates prefrontal cortex and thalamic atrophy equivalent

> >to

> > >10-20 years of normal aging for every year with chronic LBP. This begs

> >the

> > >question, why are the national guidelines for LBP used by insurers

> >heading

> > >in the opposite direction? Namely, if you have a patient with chronic

> >LBP,

> > >use supportive care and reassurance instead of aggressive intervention

>to

> > >try and solve the problem? While we have specialty societies such as

> > >ASIPP,

> > >ISIS, and IASP who agree with an aggressive intervention based

>approach,

> > >our

> > >national and insurance policy is lagging behind.

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >Please pass this on to you e-mail list as the more docs that know about

> > >this

> > >sooner we will all see insurers get in line that this condition is no

> > >different than rheumatoid arthritis or other diseases. Reassurance is

> > >great, we would all tell a patient with RA to live their life and make

> >the

> > >best of it, but that doesn't change the reality of the underlying

>organic

> > >disease.

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >The Journal of Neuroscience, November 17, 2004, 24(46):10410-10415;

> > >doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2541-04.2004

> > >

> > > This Article

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > Full Text

> > >

> > >

> > > Full Text (PDF)

> > >

> > >

> > > Supplemental data

> > >

> > >

> > > Alert me when this article is cited

> > >

> > >

> > > Alert me if a correction is posted

> > >

> > >

> > > Citation Map

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > Services

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > Email this article to a friend

> > >

> > >

> > > Similar articles in this journal

> > >

> > >

> > > Similar articles in PubMed

> > >

> > >

> > > Alert me to new issues of the journal

> > >

> > >

> > > Download to citation manager

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > PubMed

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > PubMed Citation

> > >

> > >

> > > Articles by Apkarian, A. V.

> > >

> > >

> > > Articles by Gitelman, D. R.

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > Previous Article | Next Article

> > >

> > >Behavioral/Systems/Cognitive

> > >Chronic Back Pain Is Associated with Decreased Prefrontal and Thalamic

> >Gray

> > >Matter Density

> > >

> > >A. Vania Apkarian,1 Yamaya Sosa,1 Sreepadma Sonty,2 M. Levy,3 R.

> > >Norman Harden,5 Todd B. Parrish,4 and Darren R. Gitelman2,4

> > >

> > >1Department of Physiology and Institute of Neuroscience, and

>Departments

> >of

> > >2Neurology, 3Neurosurgery, and 4Radiology, and 5Rehabilitation

>Institute

> >of

> > >Chicago, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago,

> > >Illinois 60611

> > >

> > >The role of the brain in chronic pain conditions remains speculative.

>We

> > >compared brain morphology of 26 chronic back pain (CBP) patients to

> >matched

> > >control subjects, using magnetic resonance imaging brain scan data and

> > >automated analysis techniques. CBP patients were divided into

> >neuropathic,

> > >exhibiting pain because of sciatic nerve damage, and non-neuropathic

> > >groups.

> > >Pain-related characteristics were correlated to morphometric measures.

> > >Neocortical gray matter volume was compared after skull normalization.

> > >Patients with CBP showed 5-11% less neocortical gray matter volume than

> > >control subjects. The magnitude of this decrease is equivalent to the

> >gray

> > >matter volume lost in 10-20 years of normal aging. The decreased volume

> >was

> > >related to pain duration, indicating a 1.3 cm3 loss of gray matter for

> > >every

> > >year of chronic pain. Regional gray matter density in 17 CBP patients

>was

> > >compared with matched controls using voxel-based morphometry and

> > >nonparametric statistics. Gray matter density was reduced in bilateral

> > >dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and right thalamus and was strongly

> >related

> > >to pain characteristics in a pattern distinct for neuropathic and

> > >non-neuropathic CBP. Our results imply that CBP is accompanied by brain

> > >atrophy and suggest that the pathophysiology of chronic pain includes

> > >thalamocortical processes.

> > >

> > >Key words: chronic pain; morphometry; frontal cortex; thalamus;

> >neuropathic

> > >back pain; aging

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> >

> >_________________________________________________________________

> >Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's

>FREE!

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