Salience, central executive, and sensorimotor network functional connectivity alterations in failed back surgery...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Radiology
• Pain Medicine

Background:

• Failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) is a complex condition characterized by persistent pain after spinal surgery.
• Previous research has identified alterations in the default mode network in FBSS patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate altered functional connectivity in task-positive resting state networks in FBSS patients compared to healthy controls.
• To examine the salience network (SN), central executive network (CEN), and sensorimotor network (SeN) in FBSS.

Main Methods:

• Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed on 11 FBSS patients and 11 matched controls.
• Independent component analysis (ICA) was used to analyze resting state fMRI data.
• Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) contrasts compared functional connectivity between groups.

Main Results:

• FBSS patients showed altered functional connectivity in the SN, CEN, and SeN compared to controls.
• Increased connectivity was observed in specific regions within each network (e.g., anterior cingulate cortex in SN).
• Decreased connectivity was noted in the medial frontal gyrus within the SeN, and internetwork connectivity was observed between SN and SeN.

Conclusions:

• FBSS is associated with widespread disruptions in functional connectivity across multiple resting state networks.
• These alterations in SN, CEN, and SeN connectivity may underlie chronic pain and associated comorbidities.
• Observed functional alterations might be reversible, as suggested by previous research on experimentally induced pain.