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Complex mechanisms of chronic pain in knee osteoarthritis identified by neuroimaging technology

GUO Guang-Xin¹, ZHU Qing-Guang^2,3, CHEN Zi-Ying¹, GU Yuan-Jia¹, YAO Fei^1,2, FANG Min^1,2,3,*

¹School of Acupuncture-moxibustion and Tuina, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China；²Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China；³Research Institute of Tuina, Shanghai Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China

Abstract

Chronic pain of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) greatly affects the quality of life and functional activities of patients. It is important to clarify the underlying mechanisms of KOA pain and the analgesic effect of different therapies. Neuroimaging technology has been widely used in the basic and clinical research of pain. In the recent years, neuroimaging technology has played an important role in the basic and clinical research of KOA pain. Increasing evidence demonstrates that chronic pain in KOA includes both nociceptive and neuropathic pain. The neuropathic mechanism involved in KOA pain is complex, which may be caused by peripheral or central sensitization. In this paper, we review the regional changes of brain pathophysiology caused by KOA pain based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electroencephalogram (EEG), magnetoencephalogram (MEG), near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and other neuroimaging techniques. We also discuss the central analgesic mechanism of different KOA therapies, with a focus on the latest achievements in the evaluation and prediction of pain. We hope to provide new thoughts for the treatment of KOA pain, especially in the early and middle stages of KOA.

Key words: neuroimaging technology; knee osteoarthritis; chronic pain; neuropathic pain; nociceptive pain

Received: 2021-01-15　　Accepted: 2021-05-31

Corresponding author: 房敏　　E-mail: fangmin19650510@163.com

DOI: 10.13294/j.aps.2021.0044

Citing This Article：

GUO Guang-Xin, ZHU Qing-Guang, CHEN Zi-Ying, GU Yuan-Jia, YAO Fei, FANG Min. Complex mechanisms of chronic pain in knee osteoarthritis identified by neuroimaging technology. Acta Physiol Sin 2021; 73 (3): 423-432 (in Chinese with English abstract).