Takeaway
The development of persistent pain following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) may be contributed to a higher grey matter density in brain regions involved in central sensitization and pain-related fear.
Why this matters
A high proportion of patients (15–40%) who have undergone a TKA experience ongoing pain at six months after surgery.
It is thought that different adaptation of the nociceptive system that may occur before or after TKA is a potential factor contributing to the development of persistent pain in these patients.
This study provides new evidence for the association of grey matter density in brain regions involved in nociceptive processing with the development of persistent pain after TKA.