Imaging the neural correlates of neuropathic pain and pleasurable relief associated with inherited erythromelalgia in a single subject with quantitative arterial spin labelling

Journal article

We identified a patient with severe inherited erythromelalgia secondary to an L858F mutation in the voltage-gated sodium channel Na(v)1.7. The patient reported severe ongoing foot pain, which was exquisitely sensitive to limb cooling. We confirmed this heat hypersensitivity using quantitative sensory testing. Additionally, we employed a novel perfusion imaging technique in a simple block design to assess her baseline erythromelalgia pain vs cooling relief. Robust activations of key pain, pain-affect, and reward-related centres were observed. This combined approach allowed us to confirm the presence of a temperature-sensitive channelopathy of peripheral neurons and to investigate the neural correlates of tonic neuropathic pain and relief in a single subject.

Authors: Segerdahl, AR; Xie, J; Paterson, K; Ramirez, JD; Tracey, I

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Journal: Pain
• Volume: 153
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 1122-1127
• Publication date: 2012-05-01
• Acceptance date: 2011-12-12
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pain.2011.12.012
• EISSN: 1872-6623
• ISSN: 0304-3959
• Pmid: 22365309
• Language: English