Neuroimaging Studies of Primary Dysmenorrhea

Abstract

Primary dysmenorrhea (PDM), cyclic menstrual pain in the absence of pelvic anomalies, is one of the most common gynecological disorders in reproductive females. Classified as chronic pelvic pain syndrome, PDM encompasses recurrent spontaneous painful ("on") and pain-free ("off") states and is thus a good clinical model to study state- and trait-related changes of pain in the brain. In this chapter, we summarize state-of-the-art neuroimaging studies of primary dysmenorrhea from phenotype and endophenotype to genotype facets. Structural and functional brain alterations associated with primary dysmenorrhea are discussed.

Keywords: Chronic pelvic pain; Descending pain modulatory system; Genetic polymorphism; Neuroplasticity; Primary dysmenorrhea; Resting-state.