CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW ALTERATIONS IN PRIMARY DYSMENORRHEA: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF NEUROIMAGING STUDIES
Keywords:
Primary dysmenorrhea, cerebral blood flow, neuroimaging, functional MRI, menstrual pain, brain functional connectivityAbstract
Primary dysmenorrhea is a common gynecological condition characterized by painful menstrual cramps in the absence of identifiable pelvic pathology. Traditionally, the pathophysiology of primary dysmenorrhea has been attributed to excessive prostaglandin production, leading to uterine hypercontractility, reduced uterine blood flow, and ischemic pain. However, recent evidence suggests that central nervous system mechanisms may also play an important role in the development and perception of menstrual pain.
References
1.
Zhang, Y. N., Huang, Y. R., Liu, J. L., & Zhang, F. Q. (2020). Aberrant resting-state cerebral blood flow and its connectivity in primary dysmenorrhea on arterial spin labeling MRI. Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 71, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mri.2020.03.015
2.
Zhang, Y. N., Huo, J. W., Huang, Y. R., & Hao, Y. (2019). Altered amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation and regional cerebral blood flow in females with primary dysmenorrhea: A resting-state fMRI and arterial spin labeling study. Journal of Pain Research, 12, 1243–1252. https://doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S177502
3.
Liu, N., Huo, J., Li, Y., Hao, Y., Dai, N., & Wu, J. (2022). Changes in brain structure and functional connectivity in women with primary dysmenorrhea. Quantitative Imaging in Medicine and Surgery, 12(2), 1405–1416. https://doi.org/10.21037/qims-21-487
4.
Liu, N., Li, Y., Dai, N., Wu, J., & Huo, J. (2023). Altered brain activities in the mesocorticolimbic pathway in primary dysmenorrhea. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 17, 1098573. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2023.1098573
5.
Yi, S. J., Liu, J., Wang, X., & Zhang, Y. (2022). Effect of long-term menstrual pain on large-scale brain networks in primary dysmenorrhea. Journal of Pain Research, 15, 1803–1814. https://doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S366268
