| 1. |
- Foerster, Bradley R., et al.
(författare)
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Reduced insular gamma-aminobutyric acid in fibromyalgia
- 2012
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Ingår i: Arthritis and Rheumatism. - : Wiley. - 1529-0131 .- 0004-3591. ; 64:2, s. 579-583
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective Recent scientific findings have reinvigorated interest in examining the role of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the major inhibitory central nervous system neurotransmitter, in chronic pain conditions. Decreased inhibitory neurotransmission is a proposed mechanism in the pathophysiology of chronic pain syndromes such as fibromyalgia (FM). The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that decreased levels of insular and anterior cingulate GABA would be present in FM patients, and that the concentration of this neurotransmitter would be correlated with pressurepain thresholds. Methods. Sixteen FM patients and 17 age-and sex-matched healthy controls underwent pressure-pain testing and a 3T proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy session in which the right anterior insula, right posterior insula, anterior cingulate, and occipital cortex were examined in subjects at rest. Results. GABA levels in the right anterior insula were significantly lower in FM patients compared with healthy controls (mean +/- SD 1.17 +/- 0.24 arbitrary institutional units versus 1.42 +/- 0.32 arbitrary institutional units; P = 0.016). There was a trend toward increased GABA levels in the anterior cingulate of FM patients compared with healthy controls (P = 0.06). No significant differences between groups were detected in the posterior insula or occipital cortex (P > 0.05 for all comparisons). Within the right posterior insula, higher levels of GABA were positively correlated with pressurepain thresholds in the FM patients (Spearman's rho = 0.63; P = 0.02). Conclusion. Diminished inhibitory neurotransmission resulting from lower concentrations of GABA within the right anterior insula may play a role in the pathophysiology of FM and other central pain syndromes.
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| 2. |
- Foerster, Bradley R., et al.
(författare)
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Value of gadolinium in brain MRI examinations for developmental delay
- 2006
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Ingår i: Pediatric Neurology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0887-8994. ; 35:2, s. 126-130
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study was to evaluate the added utility of gadolinium administration in the magnetic resonance imaging evaluation of developmental delay in children less than 2 years of age. A computerized retrospective study identified all brain magnetic resonance imaging examinations using gadolinium performed at our institution from 1995-2002 for children under the age of 2 years. Review of the clinical records and magnetic resonance imaging reports identified 170 brain magnetic resonance imaging examinations that were performed for developmental delay. Magnetic resonance imaging studies with enhancing lesions were reviewed by two staff neuroradiologists and two radiology residents. Contrast administration was rated as essential, helpful, or not helpful for each study. In the 107 patients in whom developmental delay was the primary concern, there were no cases in which the findings would have been missed without gadolinium administration. In the 63 patients in whom developmental delay was a secondary concern, there were several cases (11%) where contrast was helpful but not essential in reaching a radiologic diagnosis. In conclusion, intravenous gadolinium has an extremely low yield in children under the age of 2 where developmental delay is the primary concern. In young children for whom developmental delay is a secondary concern, we advocate the use of gadolinium particularly where tumor or infection is clinically suspected. (c) 2006 by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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| 3. |
- Harris, Richard E, et al.
(författare)
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Pregabalin rectifies aberrant brain chemistry, connectivity, and functional response in chronic pain patients.
- 2013
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Ingår i: Anesthesiology. - 1528-1175. ; 119:6, s. 1453-1464
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Chronic pain remains a significant challenge for modern health care as its pathologic mechanisms are largely unknown and preclinical animal models suffer from limitations in assessing this complex subjective experience. However, human brain neuroimaging techniques enable the assessment of functional and neurochemical alterations in patients experiencing chronic pain and how these factors may dynamically change with pharmacologic treatment.
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