Neural dynamics can shape human experience, including pain. Pain has been linked to dynamic functional connectivity within and across brain regions of the dynamic pain connectome (consisting of the ascending nociceptive pathway (Asc), descending antinociceptive pathway (Desc), salience network (SN), and the default mode network (DMN)), and also shows sex differences. These linkages are based on fMRI‐derived slow hemodynamics. Here, we utilized the fine temporal resolution of magnetoencephalography (MEG) to measure resting state functional coupling (FCp) related to individual pain perception and pain interference in 50 healthy individuals (26 women, 24 men). We found that pain sensitivity and pain interference were linked to within‐ and cross‐network broadband FCp across the Asc and SN. We also identified sex differences in these relationships: (a) women exhibited greater within‐network static FCp, whereas men had greater dynamic FCp within the dynamic pain connectome; (b) relationship between pain sensitivity and pain interference with FCp in women was commonly found in theta, whereas in men, these relationships were predominantly in the beta and low gamma bands. These findings indicate that dynamic interactions of brain networks underlying pain involve fast brain communication in men but slower communication in women.

中文翻译：

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与疼痛敏感性和疼痛干扰相关的网络级脑动力学的性别差异

神经动力学可以塑造人类体验，包括疼痛。疼痛与动态疼痛连接组（由上行痛觉通路 (Asc)、下行抗痛觉通路 (Desc)、显着性网络 (SN) 和默认模式网络 (DMN) 组成）的大脑区域内和跨脑区的动态功能连接有关)，并且还显示了性别差异。这些联系基于 fMRI 衍生的慢血流动力学。在这里，我们利用脑磁图 (MEG) 的精细时间分辨率来测量与 50 名健康个体（26 名女性，24 名男性）的个体疼痛感知和疼痛干扰相关的静息状态功能耦合 (FCp)。我们发现疼痛敏感性和疼痛干扰与跨 Asc 和 SN 的网络内和跨网络宽带 FCp 相关。我们还确定了这些关系中的性别差异：(a) 女性表现出更大的网络内静态 FCp，而男性在动态疼痛连接组内表现出更大的动态 FCp；(b) 女性疼痛敏感性和疼痛干扰 FCp 之间的关系在 theta 中很常见，而在男性中，这些关系主要在 beta 和低伽马波段。这些发现表明，疼痛背后的大脑网络的动态相互作用涉及男性的快速大脑交流，但女性的交流速度较慢。