Pain, No Gain: Acute Pain Interrupts Motor Imagery Processes and Affects Mental Training-Induced Plasticity

Abstract Pain influences both motor behavior and neuroplastic adaptations induced by physical training. Motor imagery (MI) is a promising method to recover motor functions, for instance in clinical populations with limited endurance or concomitant pain. However, the influence of pain on the MI proce...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cerebral cortex (New York, N.Y. 1991) N.Y. 1991), 2022-01, Vol.32 (3), p.640-651
Main Authors: Neige, Cécilia, Lebon, Florent, Mercier, Catherine, Gaveau, Jérémie, Papaxanthis, Charalambos, Ruffino, Célia
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acute Pain
Cognitive science
Electromyography
Evoked Potentials, Motor - physiology
Humans
Imagery, Psychotherapy
Imagination - physiology
Movement - physiology
Muscle, Skeletal - physiology
Neuroscience
Psychology
Pyramidal Tracts - physiology
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
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Summary:Abstract Pain influences both motor behavior and neuroplastic adaptations induced by physical training. Motor imagery (MI) is a promising method to recover motor functions, for instance in clinical populations with limited endurance or concomitant pain. However, the influence of pain on the MI processes is not well established. This study investigated whether acute experimental pain could modulate corticospinal excitability assessed at rest and during MI (Exp. 1) and limit the use-dependent plasticity induced by MI practice (Exp. 2). Participants imagined thumb movements without pain or with painful electrical stimulations applied either on digit V or over the knee. We used transcranial magnetic stimulation to measure corticospinal excitability at rest and during MI (Exp. 1) and to evoke involuntary thumb movements before and after MI practice (Exp. 2). Regardless of its location, pain prevented the increase of corticospinal excitability that is classically observed during MI. In addition, pain blocked use-dependent plasticity following MI practice, as testified by a lack of significant posttraining deviations. These findings suggest that pain interferes with MI processes, preventing the corticospinal excitability facilitation needed to induce use-dependent plasticity. Pain should be carefully considered for rehabilitation programs using MI to restore motor function.
ISSN:1047-3211
1460-2199
DOI:10.1093/cercor/bhab246