Elucidation of pain modifying mechanism for Burning Mouth Syndrome

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K11897
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Social dentistry
• Research Institution: Nihon University
• Principal Investigator: SHINOZAKI Takahiro 日本大学, 歯学部, 講師 (50339230)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 雫石 崇 日本大学, 医学部, 研究医員 (30570741) ; 今村 佳樹 日本大学, 歯学部, 教授 (90176503)
• Research Collaborator: SHIIZUKUISHI Takashi
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: MRI / Burning mouth Syndrome / 疼痛

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a chronic intraoral pain syndrome featuring idiopathic oral pain and burning discomfort. The etiology of BMS is still unclear, although our preliminary neuroimaging research has suggested the alteration in modulation of brain activity in various pain related brain regions. In BMS patients, changes in grey matter volume are seen in these regions and the alteration of pain-related networks is also reported. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the changes in grey matter volume and alteration in the brain network of BMS patients utilizing resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI).The current study using VBM and rs-fMRI revealed a consistent finding with our previous studies suggesting that the medial pain pathway that is also associated with emotional function is strongly involved in pain modulation in BMS patients.

Free Research Field

口腔診断学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

舌痛症は、舌に疼痛を主徴とする慢性疼痛疾患である。BMS患者は、島皮質、扁桃体、海馬、帯状皮質といった疼痛に関連する脳部位に萎縮が見られた。さらにこれら部位のネットワークは、帯状皮質と島皮質、帯状皮質と紡錘状回、後帯状皮質と紡錘状回、後帯状皮質と淡蒼球、補足運動野と視床のネットワークによる神経回路的な結びつきが減少した。これらから、舌痛症患者は疼痛修飾に関連する経路や感覚・認知に関する部位およびネットワークに変化が起こり、慢性的な疼痛発現が生じていると考えられる。
このことから、今研究から従来原因が不明と言われた舌痛症患者の治療の礎が築かれた意義がある。