• Geoffrey Gerstner, Eric Ichesco, Andres Quintero, and Tobias Schmidt-Wilcke.
• Department of Biologic and Materials Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1078, USA.
• J Orofac Pain. 2011 Jan 1; 25 (2): 99-106.

AimsTo use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to search for evidence of altered brain morphology in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD).MethodsUsing VBM, regional gray and white matter volume was investigated in nine TMD patients and nine carefully matched healthy controls.ResultsA decrease in gray matter volume occurred in the left anterior cingulate gyrus, in the right posterior cingulate gyrus, the right anterior insular cortex, left inferior frontal gyrus, as well as the superior temporal gyrus bilaterally in the TMD patients. Also, white matter analyses revealed decreases in regional white matter volume in the medial prefrontal cortex bilaterally in TMD patients.ConclusionThese data support previous findings by showing that TMD, like other chronic pain states, is associated with changes in brain morphology in brain regions known to be part of the central pain system.

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