Enhanced recovery of human spinothalamic function is associated with central neuropathic pain after SCI

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Abstract

Spinothalamic tract (STT) dysfunction seems to be crucially involved in the development of central neuropathic pain (NP) after spinal cord injury (SCI). However, previous attempts to identify differences in the extent or location of STT damage between subjects with and without NP failed. Here we show that the spontaneous recovery of human STT function (within the first year after SCI) in subjects suffering NP is enhanced compared to those not affected. Furthermore, the correlation between current pain intensity (assessed on average 5 years after SCI) and extent of functional recovery substantiates the close relationship between recovery of STT function and the occurrence of NP. These findings contribute to a better understanding of mechanisms involved in the generation of NP after SCI.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Martina Spiess for providing support in data analyses and the “European Multicenter Study about Spinal Cord Injury” for support in data collection. This study was financially supported by the Swiss National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR) “Neural Plasticity and Repair” and the Foundation for Research at the Medical Faculty, University of Zurich.

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