Electroencephalography-based biological and functional characteristics of spinal cord injury patients with neuropathic pain and numbness

This study uses EEG to examine brain activity in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients who experience neuropathic pain (NP) compared to those who experience numbness. The goal is to find differences in brain activity that could be used to better understand and treat NP after SCI. The researchers recorded EEG signals during rest and while the patients imagined moving their hands and feet. They then analyzed the EEG data to identify differences in brainwave patterns and network connections between the two groups. The study found that patients with NP had different brainwave patterns and network connections compared to patients with numbness, particularly in the frontal, premotor, motor, and temporal regions of the brain. These differences may represent potential targets for new treatments for NP.

• 1
  Patients with neuropathic pain (PWP) showed lower θ and α bands PSD values in multiple channels of regions including the frontal, premotor, motor, and temporal regions compared with the patients with numbness (PWN) group.
• 2
  Patients with neuropathic pain had higher β band PSD values in multiple channels of regions including the frontal, premotor, motor, and parietal region compared with the patients with numbness group.
• 3
  During motor imagination, brain network connections in lower frequency bands (θ and α) were weaker in the PWP group than the PWN group, except for the frontal region, while in higher frequency bands (β band), connections were stronger in the PWP group.