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The influence of the descending pain modulatory system on infant pain-related brain activity

Sezgi Goksan1,2, Luke Baxter1,2, Fiona Moultrie1,2

  • 1Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.

Elife
|September 12, 2018
PubMed

Insights

In newborn infants, stronger functional network connectivity within the descending pain modulatory system (DPMS) is linked to reduced brain activity when experiencing pain. This suggests the DPMS regulates pain responses even in early development.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Neuroscience
  • Pain Research

Background:

  • The descending pain modulatory system (DPMS) is crucial for modulating pain perception.
  • While animal studies show an immature DPMS in young rodents, this has not been studied in human infants.
  • Previous research indicated similar pain-related brain activity in newborn infants and adults.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if functional network connectivity strength within the infant DPMS influences the magnitude of pain-evoked brain activity.
  • To explore the regulatory role of the DPMS in early human pain processing.

Main Methods:

  • Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to scan newborn infants.
  • Mild mechanical noxious stimulation was applied to the infant's foot during fMRI.
  • Pre-stimulus functional network connectivity across the DPMS was analyzed in relation to brain activity.

Main Results:

  • Greater pre-stimulus functional network connectivity across the DPMS was significantly associated with lower noxious-evoked brain activity.
  • A strong negative correlation (p = 0.0004, r = -0.86, n = 13) was observed.
  • This suggests a regulatory role for the DPMS in modulating pain responses in newborns.

Conclusions:

  • The findings suggest that the descending pain modulatory system (DPMS) is functionally active in newborn infants.
  • Infant DPMS functional connectivity strength appears to regulate the magnitude of brain activity evoked by noxious stimuli.
  • This research provides insight into the developmental trajectory of pain modulation in humans.

Keywords:
braindescending pain modulationhumaninfantneurosciencepain

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