Structural Brain Alterations in Key Somatosensory and Nociceptive Regions in Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
Authors' conclusion
In this largest neuroimaging study in DPN to date, we demonstrated significant structural alterations in key somatomotor/nociceptive brain regions specific to painless DPN and painful DPN, including the IR and NIR nociceptor phenotypes.
Study context
- Population
- Participants with T1D and T2D with no, painless or painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), and healthy volunteers277 with diabetes
- Participants
- 57 / 77 / 77 / 66
- Exposure
- Painful DPN vs painless DPN vs no DPN vs healthy volunteers
- No DPNn = 57
- Painless DPNn = 77
- Painful DPNn = 77
- Healthy volunteers (HVs)n = 66reference
- Outcome
- Primary somatosensory and motor cortical thickness
Methodological detailsstructural MRI, 3T MRI, FreeSurfer cortical reconstruction, voxel-based morphometry
- Structural MRI
- 3T MRI
- FreeSurfer cortical reconstruction
- Voxel-based morphometry
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Significant reduction in primary somatosensory and motor cortical thickness in both painful and painless DPN vs HVs and no DPN
- Somatomotor cortical thickness correlated with neurophysiological measures of DPN severity
- Reduced ventrobasal thalamic nuclei volume in both painless and painful DPN
- Painful DPN vs HVs: P = 0.02
- Painful DPN vs No DPN: P = 0.01
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Brain volumes by nociceptor phenotype in painful DPN
- NIR nociceptor phenotype had reduced primary somatosensory cortical, posterior cingulate cortical and thalamic volume vs irritable (IR) phenotype
Original publication
Structural Brain Alterations in Key Somatosensory and Nociceptive Regions in Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy. Diabetes Care. Published 7 February 2023. doi:10.
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