Regional Homogeneity and Multivariate Pattern Analysis of Cervical Spondylosis Neck Pain and the Modulation Effect of Treatment.

Objects: We investigated brain functional alteration in patients with chronic cervical spondylosis neck pain (CSNP) compared to healthy controls (HCs) and the effect of intervention.

Methods

104 CSNP patients and 96 matched HCs were recruited. Patients received 4 weeks of treatment. Resting-state fMRI and Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPQ) were collected before and after treatment. Resting state regional homogeneity (rs-ReHo) and multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) were applied to (1) investigate rs-ReHo differences between CSNP patients and controls and the effect of longitudinal treatment and (2) classify CSNP patients from HCs and predict clinical outcomes before treatment using MVPA.

Results

We found that (1) CSNP patients showed decreased rs-ReHo in the left sensorimotor cortex and right temporo-parietal junction (rTPJ), and rs-ReHo at the rTPJ significantly increased after treatment; (2) rs-ReHo at rTPJ was associated with NPQ at baseline, and pre- and post-treatment rs-ReHo changes at rTPJ were associated with NPQ changes in CSNP patients; and (3) MVPA could discriminate CSNP patients from HCs with 72% accuracy and predict clinical outcomes with a mean absolute error of 19.6%.

Conclusion

CSNP patients are associated with dysfunction of the rTPJ and sensorimotor area. Significance: rTPJ plays on important role in the pathophysiology and development of CSNP.