A M Smith1, A Leeming2, Z Fang2, T Hatchard3, O Mioduszewski2, M A Schneider3, A Ferdossifard3, Y Shergill4, E-L Khoo4, P Poulin5. 1. School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 136 Jean-Jacques Lussier Room 2079, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, Canada. asmith@uottawa.ca. 2. School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, 136 Jean-Jacques Lussier Room 2079, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, Canada. 3. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada. 4. The Ottawa Health Research Institute, Ottawa, Canada. 5. Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Breast cancer continues to be the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Canadian women, with as many as 25-60% of women suffering from chronic neuropathic pain (CNP) as a pervasive consequence of treatment. While pharmacological interventions have shown limited efficacy for the management of CNP to date, psychological interventions, such as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), may be a promising alterative for improving pain-related problems. The purpose of this study was to use brain imaging methods to investigate this potential. METHODS: Resting-state fMRI was used in female breast cancer survivors with CNP before and after an 8-week MBSR course (n = 13) and compared with a waitlist control group (n = 10). RESULTS: Focusing on the default mode network, the most significant results show greater posterior cingulate connectivity with medial prefrontal regions post-MBSR intervention. Moreover, this change in connectivity correlated with reduced pain severity for the MBSR group. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide empirical evidence of a change in the brain following MBSR intervention associated with changes in the subjective experience of pain. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: This study gives hope for a non-invasive method of easing the struggle of CNP in women following breast cancer treatment.
PURPOSE:Breast cancer continues to be the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Canadian women, with as many as 25-60% of women suffering from chronic neuropathic pain (CNP) as a pervasive consequence of treatment. While pharmacological interventions have shown limited efficacy for the management of CNP to date, psychological interventions, such as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), may be a promising alterative for improving pain-related problems. The purpose of this study was to use brain imaging methods to investigate this potential. METHODS: Resting-state fMRI was used in female breast cancer survivors with CNP before and after an 8-week MBSR course (n = 13) and compared with a waitlist control group (n = 10). RESULTS: Focusing on the default mode network, the most significant results show greater posterior cingulate connectivity with medial prefrontal regions post-MBSR intervention. Moreover, this change in connectivity correlated with reduced pain severity for the MBSR group. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide empirical evidence of a change in the brain following MBSR intervention associated with changes in the subjective experience of pain. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: This study gives hope for a non-invasive method of easing the struggle of CNP in women following breast cancer treatment.
Authors: Pierre Gilbert Rossini; Luca Ostacoli; Marco Pagani; Francesca Malandrone; Francesco Oliva; Luca Cominu; Maria Chiara Annetta; Sara Carletto Journal: Integr Cancer Ther Date: 2022 Jan-Dec Impact factor: 3.077