Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39975971›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in neuroscience2025

Multimodal abnormalities of brain function in chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies.

Xingyao Chen, Nuo Chen, Peng Lai, Yiqi Sun, Jie Yu, Ming Xin, Deliang Zhu, Fanrong Liang, Qian Song, Shirui Cheng and 1 more

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in neuroscience, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
12citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

12 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Xingyao Chen *The Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
Nuo Chen *The Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
Peng LaiThe Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
Yiqi SunThe Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
Jie YuDepartment of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu Fifth People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Affiliated Fifth People's Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Geriatric Diseases Institute of Chengdu/Cancer Prevention and Treatment Institute of Chengdu, Chengdu, China.
Ming XinDepartment of Rehabilitation, Chengdu Fifth People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Affiliated Fifth People's Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Geriatric Diseases Institute of Chengdu/Cancer Prevention and Treatment Institute of Chengdu, Chengdu, China.
Deliang ZhuDepartment of Rehabilitation, Chengdu Fifth People's Hospital (The Second Clinical Medical College, Affiliated Fifth People's Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine), Geriatric Diseases Institute of Chengdu/Cancer Prevention and Treatment Institute of Chengdu, Chengdu, China.
Fanrong LiangThe Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
Qian SongNational Clinical Research Center for Chinese Medicine Acupuncture and Moxibustion, First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.
Shirui ChengThe Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
Zhengjie LiThe Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objectives: Neuroimaging investigations into chronic low back pain (CLBP) have detected functional abnormalities across a spectrum of brain regions, yet the findings have often been inconsistent. In this meta-analysis, we integrated the existing data, delineating a pattern of coherent results from the encompassed studies. Methods: A systematic search of neuroimaging studies investigating the brain activity differences between CLBP and Healthy controls (HCs) was conducted in seven databases up to December 22, 2024. An anisotropic effect-size signed differential mapping (AES-SDM)-based meta-analysis was carried out to report the results and perform a multimodal analysis. Results: A total of 20 publications reporting on 24 experiments in this meta-analysis. The ReHo meta-analysis showed abnormal spontaneous activity of left inferior temporal gyrus (ITG), left superior frontal gyrus (SFG), right middle frontal gyrus (MFG), right precuneus, right fusiform gyrus and bilateral postcentral gyrus (PoCG) in CLBP patients. The ALFF meta-analysis demonstrated functional alterations in the right rolandic operculum (extending to the right insula and right IFG), left ITG, left middle occipital gyrus (MOG), left paracentral lobule, left PoCG and bilateral cuneus cortex in CLBP patients. The results of the functional group meta-analysis revealed that patients with CLBP displayed new decreased functional activity in the right thalamus, right precentral gyrus (PreCG) and right lingual gyrus. Conclusion: Patients with CLBP exhibit extensive multimodal functional neuroimaging abnormalities, involving brain regions related to pain perception, emotional processing, cognitive functions, and both the visual and motor cortices. These meta-analysis findings might provide a valuable reference for the identification of potential therapeutic targets for CLBP in the brain.

Indexed as

chronic low back painfunctional magnetic resonance imagingmeta-analysisresting-statespontaneous brain activity

Identifiers

PMID39975971
PMCPMC11836031

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.