Increased thalamo-cortical functional connectivity in patients with diabetic painful neuropathy: A resting-state functional MRI study

Functional changes in the brain of patients with painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) have remained largely elusive. The aim of the present study was to explore changes in thalamo-cortical functional connectivity (FC) of patients with PDN using resting-state functional MRI. A total of 20 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with non-painful diabetic neuropathy (Group NDN), 19 patients with T2DM with PDN (Group-PDN) and 13 age-, sex- and education-matched healthy controls were recruited. The differences in thalamo-cortical FC among the three groups were compared. Patients in Group PDN had increased FC in the left thalamus, the right angular gyrus and the occipital gyrus as compared to those in Group NDN. Furthermore, patients in Group PDN had increased FC in the right thalamus and angular gyrus as compared to those in Group NDN. In conclusion, the present results suggested that the thalamo-cortical FC is increased in patients with T2DM and PDN. Furthermore, the increased FC in the thalamic-parietal-occipital connectivity may be a central pathophysiological mechanism for PDN.

Automated summary

The present study explored changes in thalamo-cortical functional connectivity (FC) of patients with painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) using resting-state functional MRI, finding increased FC in the left thalamus, right angular gyrus, and occipital gyrus among PDN patients compared to those without pain. This increased connectivity may be a central pathophysiological mechanism for PDN.