Activity, Motor Control & Coordination
Pain - Thermal Allodynia / Hyperalgesia
Pain - Spontaneous Pain - Postural Deficit
Pain - Mechanical Allodynia / Hyperalgesia
Anxiety & Depression Disorder
Learning/Memory - Attention - Addiction
Physiology & Respiratory Research
Metabolism - Food & Drink Intake
Pain
Central Nervous System (CNS)
Neurodegeneration
Sensory system
Motor control
Mood Disorders
Other disorders
Muscular system
Joints
Metabolism
Cross-disciplinary subjects
SFN2024: Meet our team in Chicago on booth #876 Authors
L.C.G. Lopes, R. Galhardoni, S. Silva, F.M.H. Jorge, L.T. Yeng, D. Callegaro, G. Chadi, M.J. Teixeira, D. Ciampi de Andrade
Lab
Pain Center, Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo Octavio Frias de Oliveira, São Paulo, Brazil
Journal
European Journal of Pain
Abstract
Background
Motor neuron diseases (MND) represent a group of disorders that evolve with inexorable muscle weakness and medical management is based on symptom control. However, deeper characterization of non-motor symptoms in these patients have been rarely reported.
MethodsThis cross-sectional study aimed to describe non-motor symptoms in MND and their impact on quality of life and functional status, with a focus on pain and sensory changes. Eighty patients (31 females, 55.7 ± 12.9 years old) with MND underwent a neurological examination, pain, mood, catastrophizing and psychophysics assessments [quantitative sensory testing (QST) and conditioned pain modulation (CPM)], and were compared to sex- and age-matched healthy controls (HC).
Results
Chronic pain was present in 46% of patients (VAS =5.18 ± 2.0). Pain of musculoskeletal origin occurred in 40.5% and was mainly located in the head/neck (51%) and lower back (35%). Neuropathic pain was not present in this sample. Compared to HC, MND patients had a lower cold detection threshold (p < 0.002), and significantly lower CPM scores (4.9 ± 0.2% vs. 22.1 ± 0.2%, p = 0.012). QST/CPM results did not differ between MND patients with and without pain. Pain intensity was statistically correlated with anxiety, depression and catastrophism, and spasticity scores were inversely correlated with CPM (ρ = −0.30, p = 0.026).
Conclusions
Pain is frequently reported by patients with MNDs. Somatosensory and CPM changes exist in MNDs and may be related to the neurodegenerative nature of the disease. Further studies should investigate the most appropriate treatment strategies for these patients.
Significance
We report a comprehensive evaluation of pain and sensory abnormalities in motor neuron disease (MND) patients. We assessed the different pain syndromes present in MND with validated tools, and described the QST and conditioned pain modulation profiles in a controlled design.
BIOSEB Instruments Used:
Von Frey Filaments (Bio-VF-M)
