Resting-state functional connectivity patterns are associated with worst pain duration in community-dwelling older adults

Abstract

Introduction: An individual's chronic pain history is associated with brain morphometric alterations; but little is known about the association between pain history and brain function. Objectives: This cross-sectional study aimed at determining how worst musculoskeletal pain intensity (WPINT) moderated the association between worst musculoskeletal pain duration (WPDUR) and brain resting-state magnetic resonance imaging functional connectivity (RSFC) in community-dwelling older adults (60-94 years, 75% females, 97% right-handed). Methods: Resting-state magnetic resonance imaging functional connectivity between region of interests was linearly regressed on WPDUR and WPINT. Predictions were compared with a control group's average RSFC (61-85 years, 47% females, 95% right-handed). Results: Three significant patterns emerged: (1) the positive association between WPDUR and RSFC between the medial prefrontal cortex, in the anterior salience network (SN), and bilateral lateral Brodmann area 6, in the visuospatial network (VSN), in participants with more severe chronic pain, resulting in abnormally lower RSFC for shorter WPDUR; (2) the negative association between WPDUR and RSFC between right VSN occipitotemporal cortex (lateral BA37 and visual V5) and bilateral VSN lateral Brodmann area 6, independently of WPINT, resulting in abnormally higher and lower RSFC for shorter and longer WPDUR, respectively; and (3) the positive association between WPDUR and the left hemisphere's salience network-default mode network connectivity (between the hippocampus and both dorsal insula and ventral or opercular BA44), independently of WPINT, resulting in abnormally higher RSFC for longer WPDUR. Conclusion: Musculoskeletal effects on brain functional networks of general healthy individuals could accumulate until being observable at older ages. Results invite to examinations of these effects' impact on function and memory.

Brain-predicted age difference estimated using DeepBrainNet is significantly associated with pain and function—a multi-institutional and multiscanner study

“…Recently, we have also reported this type of behavior between pain durations and brain functional connectivity. 58 Accelerated brain aging was not generally significantly associated with any experimental pain measure, suggesting that brain alterations associated with accelerated brain aging might not occur in primary areas implicated in experimental pain sensitivity. Conversely, older-appearing brains were associated with greater pain catastrophizing, passive coping, NA, depressive symptomology, anxiety, sleep impairments, severity of insomnia, and worse physical function, suggesting that accelerated brain aging could owe to alterations in areas implicated in the person's general functioning, in tandem with his/her clinical pain characterization.…”

“…Recently, we have also reported this type of behavior between pain durations and brain functional connectivity. 58…”

Altered resting-state functional connectivity within corticostriatal and subcortical-striatal circuits in chronic pain

“…1 A,B). Since the duration of pain can impact the heterogeneity of functional connectivity 20 and these datasets were collected across two study sites, we included pain duration and study site as covariates. In addition, due to a significant difference in patients’ age between the two sites (Stanford: M = 48.11, SD = 7.47; Duke: M = 34.86, SD = 11.65; t(26) = 3.34, p = 0.002), we also included age as covariate.…”

“…We also included three covariates in the group-level analyses. As the duration of pain can affect the heterogeneity of functional connectivity 20 and the datasets were collected at different sites, we included pain duration and study site as covariates. Additionally, due to a significant difference in patients’ age between the two sites, we also included age as covariate (see the “ Results ” section for details).…”