News Finding: "By relating these advanced neuroimaging measures back to the patient experience, we provide evidence that the future targeting of central inflammatory pathways may greatly enhance the quality of life of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and potentially other chronic inflammatory disorders."
Paper Finding: These regions may play a critical role in transducing peripheral inflammatory signals to the central changes seen in rheumatoid arthritis.
News Context: "This intriguing data supports the idea that rheumatoid arthritis inflammation targets the brain and not just the joints," Basu says. "By relating these advanced neuroimaging measures back to the patient experience, we provide evidence that the future targeting of central inflammatory pathways may greatly enhance the quality of life of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and potentially other chronic inflammatory disorders." Because this is one of the first studies to examine brain inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis, Schrepf says, additional research is needed on the correlation.
Paper Context: A graph theoretical analysis of whole-brain functional connectivity revealed a pattern of connections spanning 49 regions, including the IPL and medial frontal cortex, that are associated with peripheral inflammation. These regions may play a critical role in transducing peripheral inflammatory signals to the central changes seen in rheumatoid arthritis. These changes tend to be conserved across mammalian species and include increased sensitivity to pain, fatigue and cognitive dysfunction.