Seminars in arthritis and rheumatism
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Semin. Arthritis Rheum. · Oct 2015
ReviewStructural and functional brain abnormalities in chronic low back pain: A systematic review.
The purpose of this systematic review is to analyze the available literature on structural and functional brain abnormalities in chronic low back pain (CLBP) using several brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques. ⋯ Overall, there is moderate evidence for regional changes in gray and white matter, together with an altered functional connectivity during rest and increased activity in pain-related areas following painful stimulation, evidencing an upregulated pain matrix. More longitudinal research is needed to clarify the temporal relationship regarding pain and neuroplastic changes, and integration of different brain imaging techniques is warranted.