Language and Cognition Seminar - Clarissa Sorger

Characterising neuropathic pain in children: a multimodal approach

Neuropathic pain, which is a form of chronic pain, can be difficult to diagnose and manage, especially in children. Evidence is largely based on adult research, showing for example changes in brain structure and function in individuals with chronic pain; however, the prevalence and causes of neuropathic pain in children differ significantly from adults. As neuropathic pain is shaped by multiple factors including affective, sociocultural, and cognitive factors, it is important to use a multimodal approach. My PhD research therefore uses MRI neuroimaging, Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST; which can be used to explore the function of nerve fibres carrying information about sensations such as touch and pain, which will help identify what patterns of altered sensitivity are associated with neuropathic pain in children), and patient-reported outcome measures assessing quality of life, mood, sleep, pain coping, and pain catastrophising. Combining information from the above-mentioned three modalities to identify different mechanisms should help improve our ability to provide individualised approaches to the treatment of neuropathic pain in children.