scholarly journals Neuroimaging brainstem circuitry supporting cardiovagal response to pain: a combined heart rate variability/ultrahigh-field (7 T) functional magnetic resonance imaging study

2016 ◽  
Vol 374 (2067) ◽  
pp. 20150189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberta Sclocco ◽  
Florian Beissner ◽  
Gaelle Desbordes ◽  
Jonathan R. Polimeni ◽  
Lawrence L. Wald ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Spatial Resolution ◽  
Pain Processing ◽  
Functional Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
Ultrahigh Field ◽  
Brainstem Nuclei

Central autonomic control nuclei in the brainstem have been difficult to evaluate non-invasively in humans. We applied ultrahigh-field (7 T) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and the improved spatial resolution it affords (1.2 mm isotropic), to evaluate putative brainstem nuclei that control and/or sense pain-evoked cardiovagal modulation (high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV) instantaneously estimated through a point-process approach). The time-variant HF-HRV signal was used to guide the general linear model analysis of neuroimaging data. Sustained (6 min) pain stimulation reduced cardiovagal modulation, with the most prominent reduction evident in the first 2 min. Brainstem nuclei associated with pain-evoked HF-HRV reduction were previously implicated in both autonomic regulation and pain processing. Specifically, clusters consistent with the rostral ventromedial medulla, ventral nucleus reticularis (Rt)/nucleus ambiguus (NAmb) and pontine nuclei (Pn) were found when contrasting sustained pain versus rest. Analysis of the initial 2-min period identified Rt/NAmb and Pn, in addition to clusters consistent with the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus/nucleus of the solitary tract and locus coeruleus. Combining high spatial resolution fMRI and high temporal resolution HF-HRV allowed for a non-invasive characterization of brainstem nuclei, suggesting that nociceptive afference induces pain-processing brainstem nuclei to function in concert with known premotor autonomic nuclei in order to affect the cardiovagal response to pain.

scholarly journals Funkciono MR snimanje u detekciji elokventnih mozdanih zona

2007 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 39-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
O.B. Sveljo ◽  
K.M. Koprivek ◽  
M.A. Lucic ◽  
Z. Markovic ◽  
M. Prvulovic
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Spatial Resolution ◽  
Gold Standard ◽  
The Other ◽  
Functional Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
Eloquent Areas ◽  
The Brain

Functional magnetic resonance imaging - fMRI is a relative new magnetic resonance technique that may be used for identification of eloquent cortical areas. Gold standard for detection of eloquent areas that should be preserved subsequent to resection is a direct cortical stimulation, which is invasive and frequently difficult to be performed. On the other hand, fMRI has proved to be a promising alternative with good time and spatial resolution. The paper explains the method of the functional MR imagining, origins of the signal and its relation to the neuronal activation. fMRI technique is illustrated by the example of the motor cortex identification. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging - fMRI is a relatively new MR application that can be used for detection of eloquent areas of the brain. The gold standard for identifying eloquent areas of the brain to be avoided in resections is direct cortical stimulation, which is an invasive and difficult procedure. On the other hand fMRI shows great promise as noninvasive alternative to invasive brain mapping with good temporal and spatial resolution. This paper introduces the technique of fMRI, explain the origin of the signal and his connections with neural activations. An illustrative example of a motor activation study is described.

fMRI: A Modern Cerebrascope? The Case of Pain

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie Gray Hardcastle ◽  
C. Matthew Stewart
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Crucial Role ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Pain Processing ◽  
Functional Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
Imaging Studies ◽  
Magnetic Imaging

This article examines the application of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in neuroscience, particularly in the imaging of pain. It provides a brief primer on functional magnetic imaging techniques and describes pain processing and pain inhibiting systems. It discusses experiments where fMRI has illustrated what has gone wrong in the pain network's response to stimuli and suggests that imaging studies of pain have a crucial role to play in diagnosing pain disorders as well as advancing a theoretical framework for explaining them. It also offers suggestions for how to improve fMRI experiments and their theoretical implications.

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