Disrupted topological organization of brain connectome in patients with chronic low back-related leg pain and correlations with clinical characteristics

Chronic pain is associated with persistent alterations in brain structure and function. However, existing research has not fully explored the relationship between brain network topological properties and clinical symptoms in patients with chronic low back-related leg pain (cLBLP). In this study, we collected resting-state functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data, along with clinical symptom evaluation data, from 32 cLBLP patients and 31 healthy controls. A large-scale complex network analysis was conducted to evaluate the global and nodal topological properties of functional and structural brain networks. Statistical analyses were performed to determine the associations between network properties and clinical variables. The results showed significant alterations in both global and nodal topological properties of functional and structural brain networks in cLBLP patients compared to healthy controls. Notably, nodal properties of functional brain networks were also altered in patients. Additionally, a direct correlation was found between structural network properties and spatial discrimination ability, measured by two-point tactile discrimination (2-PD) values, while no significant association was observed between functional connectivity and spatial discrimination. This study demonstrates that alterations in the structural connectome, rather than the functional connectome, play a more significant role in deterioration of foot tactile spatial acuity in cLBLP patients.