title: Organisation and function of the primary motor cortex in chronic pain: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Primary motor cortical (M1) adaptation in the form of altered organisation and function is hypothesised to underpin motor dysfunction observed in chronic pain. The aim of this review is to assess the evidence for altered M1 organisation and function in chronic pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic review and meta-analysis. We will search electronic databases with predetermined search terms to identify relevant studies and evaluate the studies for inclusion and risks of bias. Two independent reviewers will extract data. Any disagreement will be resolved through a third reviewer. Cross-sectional or prospective studies published in English before May 2015 that investigate M1 organisation and function in chronic pain will be included if they meet the eligibility criteria. Primary outcomes will include M1 cortical excitability, spatial cortical representation, the function of inhibitory and facilitatory intracortical networks, cortical reactivity and cortical glucose metabolism. Clinical measures such as pain and disability will be included where the correlation with the primary outcomes of M1 organisation and function were investigated in the included studies.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  This systematic review does not require ethical approval. The results of this review will be submitted for peer-reviewed publication regardless of outcome and will be presented at relevant conferences.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Our systematic review protocol was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; registration number CRD42015014823).
authors.affiliation: University of Western Sydney, School of Science and Health, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Wei-Ju
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Health Economics Research Group, Institute of Environment, Health and Societies, Brunel University, Uxbridge, UK.
authors.forename: Neil E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: O'Connell
authors.affiliation: University of Western Sydney, School of Science and Health, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.affiliation: University of Western Sydney, School of Science and Health, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Lucy S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Chipchase
authors.affiliation: University of Western Sydney, School of Science and Health, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Matthew B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Liston
authors.affiliation: University of Western Sydney, School of Science and Health, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Siobhan M
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9083-3107
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Schabrun
mesh_terms: D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012107:Research Design; D000078202:Systematic Reviews as Topic