State-of-the-Art Pain Medicine

A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Neurobiology and Clinical Neuroscience".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2025 | Viewed by 3794

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Anesthesiology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53715, USA
Interests: neuromodulation; pain; discogenic pain; knee degenerative disease
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

At various levels, pain medicine is one of the most growing specialties and includes understanding the pathophysiology of different pain conditions, the mechanisms of action of several treatment modalities, and, most importantly, the rapid development of minimally invasive procedures that provide relief for patients without the need for major surgeries.

Our Special Issue aims at presenting the most recent original research articles and review articles in pain medicine, focusing on the pathophysiology, mechanisms of action, and treatments.

Dr. Alaa Abd-Elsayed
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • pain medicine
  • neuromodulation
  • neurostimulators

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 4698 KiB  
Article
Potential Biomarkers of Dysmenorrhea Relief: A MEG Study of Hinoki Aromatherapy and Working Memory
by Pei-Li Chou, Han-Sheng Huang, Chien-An Yao, Li-Min Wang, Jen-Jie Chieh, Bai-Chuang Shyu, Shu-Hsien Liao and Chiang-Ting Chien
Biomedicines 2024, 12(10), 2189; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12102189 - 26 Sep 2024
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Abstract
Background/Objectives: This study explored the potential of Hinoki aromatherapy to induce biomarkers of dysmenorrhea relief through working memory. Structural magnetic resonance imaging and magnetoencephalography (MEG) were used to examine their effects on neurophysiological responses to a visual working memory (VWM) test. Behavioral [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: This study explored the potential of Hinoki aromatherapy to induce biomarkers of dysmenorrhea relief through working memory. Structural magnetic resonance imaging and magnetoencephalography (MEG) were used to examine their effects on neurophysiological responses to a visual working memory (VWM) test. Behavioral performance was measured to understand its effects on the overall working memory. Methods: Twenty-four healthy participants completed the VWM task during nonmenstruation and menstruation. Behavioral (accuracy and reaction time) and neurophysiological (event-related fields, source estimation, and permutation t-test on source data) measures were assessed without and with Hinoki aromatherapy. Results: A significant difference in the ratio of accuracy to reaction time was found without and with aromatherapy in participants with dysmenorrhea, suggesting that aromatherapy may improve working memory performance in this population. MEG analysis revealed high temporal resolution of evoked latency and intensity during the VWM task. Source localization of the activation aimed to identify brain areas involved in dysmenorrhea. Aromatherapy reduced signals in these areas, which may also contribute to reducing dysmenorrhea-related visual signals. Conclusions: Based on these findings, Hinoki aromatherapy may be a promising treatment option for alleviating dysmenorrhea and improving related symptoms by reducing activity in brain pain processing regions. These regions include the left entorhinal cortex, inferior temporal gyrus, primary visual cortex, retrosplenial cortex, and presubiculum. Furthermore, decreased activity in these areas with aromatherapy suggests that they could be used as biomarkers of dysmenorrhea relief. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Pain Medicine)
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13 pages, 541 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Impact of Affinity and Unpleasantness on Conditioned Pain Modulation among Healthy Individuals
by María del Rocío Ibancos-Losada, Ángeles Díaz-Fernández, Irene Cortés-Pérez, Esteban Obrero-Gaitán, Virginia López-Moreno and María Catalina Osuna-Pérez
Biomedicines 2024, 12(6), 1172; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12061172 - 25 May 2024
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Abstract
The variability of the Conditioned Pain Modulation (CPM) effect can be attributed to conditioning stimulus (CS) characteristics, such as intensity, duration, unpleasantness, or affinity. This study investigates the impact of affinity and unpleasantness variables on the CPM effect using two protocols (cold water [...] Read more.
The variability of the Conditioned Pain Modulation (CPM) effect can be attributed to conditioning stimulus (CS) characteristics, such as intensity, duration, unpleasantness, or affinity. This study investigates the impact of affinity and unpleasantness variables on the CPM effect using two protocols (cold water and ischemia) in the same healthy individuals (n = 54). Additional variables were also examined for their potential influence on the CPM effect. The main results are as follows: (1) a higher level of affinity and a lower level of unpleasantness for the stimuli used resulted in a stronger CPM effect; (2) significant differences were observed in the extreme categories (high and low) of both variables, whereas the ‘indifferent’ group did not show a clear trend; (3) within-subject analysis demonstrated that affinity for the CS had a clear impact on the CPM effect; (4) no correlations were found between the CPM effect and the additional variables, except for the extraversion variable with the CPM effect of the ischemia protocol, and CS duration variable with CPM effect in the cold water protocol; and (5) only the affinity variable explained the CPM effect in both protocols in the multiple linear regression analysis. The affinity variable was found to influence the CPM effects significantly, indicating its important role in our perception and response to pain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Pain Medicine)
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Review

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10 pages, 523 KiB  
Review
Neuromodulation’s Role in Functional Restoration in Paraplegic and Quadriplegic Patients
by Alaa Abd-Elsayed, Christopher L. Robinson, Peter Shehata, Yerin Koh, Milan Patel and Kenneth J. Fiala
Biomedicines 2024, 12(4), 720; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12040720 - 24 Mar 2024
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Abstract
Neuromodulation is an alternative, minimally invasive treatment option that, at times, is used as a last resort for chronic pain conditions that are often refractory to other treatment modalities. Moreover, it offers promising prospects for individuals grappling with the formidable challenges posed by [...] Read more.
Neuromodulation is an alternative, minimally invasive treatment option that, at times, is used as a last resort for chronic pain conditions that are often refractory to other treatment modalities. Moreover, it offers promising prospects for individuals grappling with the formidable challenges posed by paraplegia and quadriplegia resulting from spinal cord injuries. This review article provides a comprehensive assessment of current treatment modalities specifically tailored for paraplegic and quadriplegic patients. We aim to evaluate the existing surgical and non-surgical interventions while delving into the role of neuromodulation in the restoration of function for individuals afflicted with these debilitating conditions. Additionally, we review the efficacy, limitations, and comparative outcomes of diverse treatment strategies available for the management of paraplegia and quadriplegia. Emphasizing the critical need for effective interventions beyond the initial 24 h surgical window, we elucidate the challenges associated with conventional therapies and their limited success in achieving comprehensive functional restoration. Central to this review is an in-depth exploration of neuromodulation’s transformative potential in ameliorating the deficits caused by spinal cord injuries. With a particular focus on spinal cord stimulation (SCS), we analyze and compare the outcomes of neuromodulation modalities and traditional treatment regimens, shedding light on the promising strides made in fostering sensory perception, motor function, and patient satisfaction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Pain Medicine)
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