Sensorimotor retuning [corrected] in complex regional pain syndrome parallels pain reduction.
Patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and intractable pain showed a shrinkage of cortical maps on primary (SI) and secondary somatosensory cortex (SII) contralateral to the affected limb. This was paralleled by an impairment of the two-point discrimination thresholds. Behavioral treatment over 1 to 6 months consisting of graded sensorimotor retuning led to a persistent decrease in pain intensity, which was accompanied by a restoration of the impaired tactile discrimination and regaining of cortical map size in contralateral SI and SII. This suggests that the reversal of tactile impairment and cortical reorganization in CRPS is associated with a decrease in pain.
Pleger
Burkhard
B
Department of Neurology, BG-Kliniken Bergmannsheil, Ruhr-University Bochum, Buerkle-de-la-Camp-Platz 1, DD-47789 Bochum, Germany.
Tegenthoff
Martin
M
Ragert
Patrick
P
Förster
Ann-Freya
AF
Dinse
Hubert R
HR
Schwenkreis
Peter
P
Nicolas
Volkmar
V
Maier
Christoph
C
D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004056:Differential Threshold; D030141:Feedback, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000523:psychology*; D012019:Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000098:blood supply / Q000503:physiopathology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D010100:Oxygen