Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42319996›Full record

ArticleScandinavian journal of pain2026

Multimodal investigation of neuropathic pain mechanisms in focal spinal lesions.

Paulina S Scheuren, Gergely David, John L K Kramer, Catherine R Jutzeler, Markus Hupp, Patrick Freund, Walter Magerl, Armin Curt, Michèle Hubli, Jan Rosner

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Scandinavian journal of pain, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

10 authors.

Paulina S ScheurenSpinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Gergely DavidSpinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
John L K KramerInternational Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Catherine R JutzelerDepartment of Health Sciences and Technology (D-HEST), ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Markus HuppSpinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Patrick FreundSpinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Walter MagerlDepartment of Neurophysiology, Mannheim Center for Translational Neurosciences, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
Armin CurtSpinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Michèle HubliSpinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Jan RosnerSpinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesFocal spinal cord lesions occur across a variety of neurological diseases including non-traumatic cervical myelopathies which can lead to neuropathic pain. Currently, the degree to which signs and symptoms of neuropathic pain correlate with functional impairments and/or anatomical deficits remains unclear. This study aimed to identify structural and functional determinants associated with neuropathic pain in individuals with focal spinal lesions.

methodsIndividuals fulfilling the diagnostic criteria of neuropathic pain were identified among individuals with cervical myelopathy presenting with focal spinal lesions. Lesion volume and the extent of structural damage affecting the spinothalamic tract, dorsal columns, dorsal horn, and ventral horn were evaluated with tract-specific MRI of the cervical spinal cord. Quantitative sensory testing (QST) (i.e., thermal/mechanical thresholds) was performed at the most affected skin area. Additionally, contact heat-evoked potentials (CHEPs) were acquired following stimulation at the most affected skin area to objectively assess the functional integrity of the spinothalamic tract.

resultsMRI-derived structural damage was similar for individuals with (n=8) and without (n=8) neuropathic pain in all regions of interest (p>0.05). Mechanical hyperalgesia upon QST was observed in both groups. However, functional preservation of the spinothalamic system, measured by CHEPs, was present in 87 % of individuals with neuropathic pain, compared to 38 % of pain-free individuals (p=0.039).

conclusionsThese observations suggest that segmental hyperexcitability resulting from structural spinal cord damage, in combination with residual sparing of spinothalamic afferents, may represent a key pathophysiological constellation contributing to central neuropathic pain following focal spinal lesions.

Indexed as

HyperalgesiaSpinothalamic TractsHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingNeuralgiacontact heat evoked potentialsneuropathic painquantitative sensory testingspinal cord injury

Identifiers

PMID42319996

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.