Human brain mapping
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Human brain mapping · May 2010
Distinct and shared cerebral activations in processing innocuous versus noxious contact heat revealed by functional magnetic resonance imaging.
Whether innocuous heat (IH)-exclusive brain regions exist and whether patterns of cerebral responses to IH and noxious heat (NH) stimulations are similar remain elusive. We hypothesized that distinct and shared cerebral networks were evoked by each type of stimulus. Twelve normal subjects participated in a functional MRI study with rapidly ramped IH (38 degrees C) and NH (44 degrees C) applied to the foot. ⋯ The IFG, thalamus, ACC, and LN responded differently during different phases of IH versus NH stimulation, and the NH-responsive-only S1 responded transiently during the early phase of IH stimulation. BOLD signals in bilateral IPLs were specifically correlated with the ratings of IH sensation, while responses in the contralateral S1 and S2 were correlated with pain intensity. These results suggest that distinct and shared spatial and temporal patterns of cerebral networks are responsible for the perception of IH and NH.