Analysis of Electroencephalography Oscillation Characteristics in Spinal Cord Injury Patients with Neuropathic Pain

Dezheng Wang; Xinting Zhang; Shouwei Yue; Dongju Guo; Lei Jiang; Chao Feng; Jiancai Leng; Shaolei Huang; Yang Zhang; Fangzhou Xu

doi:10.1016/j.brainresbull.2025.111438

Analysis of Electroencephalography Oscillation Characteristics in Spinal Cord Injury Patients with Neuropathic Pain

Brain Res Bull. 2025 Jun 26:111438. doi: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2025.111438. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Dezheng Wang¹, Xinting Zhang², Shouwei Yue³, Dongju Guo³, Lei Jiang⁴, Chao Feng⁵, Jiancai Leng⁵, Shaolei Huang⁶, Yang Zhang⁷, Fangzhou Xu⁸

Affiliations

¹ Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy Department, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital, NO.42, Wenhuaxi Road, Jinan, Shandong, China; Rehabilitation Center, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
² Department of Pediatrics, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
³ Rehabilitation Center, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
⁴ Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy Department, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital, NO.42, Wenhuaxi Road, Jinan, Shandong, China.
⁵ International School for Optoelectronic Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, China.
⁶ Acupuncture and Moxibustion Department, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China.
⁷ Rehabilitation and Physical Therapy Department, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated Hospital, NO.42, Wenhuaxi Road, Jinan, Shandong, China. Electronic address: zhangyang982003@163.com.
⁸ International School for Optoelectronic Engineering, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan, China. Electronic address: xfz@qlu.edu.cn.

PMID: 40581333
DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2025.111438

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the electroencephalography (EEG) features in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) experiencing neuropathic pain (NP) by analyzing the γ (30-80Hz) frequency band.

Methods: Participants were divided into three groups: the PWP group (SCI patients with pain), the PNP group (SCI patients without pain) and AB group (able-bodied). Then we recorded and preprocessed the EEG data and calculated the power spectral density (PSD).

Results: In the PWP group, early γ band oscillation (GBO) was observed in the FPZ channel in the resting state, and the main effect was concentrated in the 55-60Hz range. In the high-frequency γ band (55-80Hz) of the FPZ channel, the PWP group showed a higher GBO than the other groups. Moreover, during motor imagination (MI), the PWP group showed significantly stronger functional connectivity than the AB group, but significantly weaker than the PNP group.

Conclusion: The GBO related to NP is highly consistent with the frequency domain manifestations of chronic pain. NP causes persistent abnormal increases in the γ-band PSD in multiple brain regions and the GBO changes in the prefrontal cortex have the strongest correlation with NP symptoms.

Keywords: biomarker; brain network connections; electroencephalography (EEG) detection; motor imagination; neuropathic pain; power spectral density (PSD); spinal cord injury; γ band oscillation.