White matter microstructure of sensorimotor projection fibers in chronic low back pain
Abstract
Abstract Introduction: Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is linked to altered cortical sensorimotor structure and function, yet white matter microstructure in sensorimotor projection fibers remains poorly characterized. Objective: To address this gap, we used diffusion MRI to comprehensively characterize sensorimotor projection fibers in 44 patients with cLBP and 41 matched healthy controls. Methods: We estimated an array of microstructural measures, including fractional anisotropy (FA), extracellular free water fraction (FW), free water–corrected FA (fwcFA), and neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) metrics. Results: General linear models identified significantly higher FA and fwcFA and lower orientation dispersion index (ODI) in cLBP vs HC within projection fibers emanating from the primary somatosensory and motor cortices (all corrected P -values
Fields of Study & Subjects
Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and Applications
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies
Pain Mechanisms and Treatments
Publication details
- Journal / source
- PAIN Reports
- Publisher
- Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
- Volume
- 11
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- e1435–e1435
- Publication date
- 7 April 2026
- Language
- EN