Investigation of neural mechanism for enthesopathy

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K19385
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59010:Rehabilitation science-related
• Research Institution: Tohoku Fukushi University
• Principal Investigator: Yosuke Sato 東北福祉大学, 健康科学部, 助教 (20704381)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 上腕骨外側上顆炎 / 経頭蓋磁気刺激 / 半球間抑制

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we evaluated the brain function of patients with chronic lateral epicondylitis using a transcranial magnetic stimulation device and investigated its relationship with elbow joint pain. As a result, the Ipsilateral Silent Period (iSP), evaluated as an index of interhemispheric inhibition, particularly from the right hemisphere, was significantly increased in the patient group compared to the healthy group. Furthermore, we observed a significant negative correlation between the normalized iSP from the right hemisphere, used as an index of interhemispheric inhibition balance, and pain. Specifically, in patients with chronic lateral epicondylitis, there was a tendency for pain to increase as interhemispheric inhibition from the right hemisphere, compared to that from the left hemisphere, became stronger.

Free Research Field

リハビリテーション科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

患者群では右半球への磁気刺激で得られたiSP抑制期間が健常群と比較して有意に増加し、右半球から左半球への抑制が増加していることが明らかになった。この変化は更なる痛みを予防するための適応的変化と考えられた。また、半球間抑制バランスの指標として右半球のiSPを用いて左半球のiSPを正規化したものと痛みであった。すなわち、慢性上腕骨外側上顆炎患者では、左半球からの半球間抑制と比較して右半球からの半球間抑制が強くなるほど痛みが強いという傾向を示した。この変化は新たな治療対象となる可能性がある。