Lumbar tactile acuity associated with S1-thalamic functional connectivity and S1 microstructure in patients with low back pain and pain-free controls.

Summary: Do you have lower back pain? Sometimes, people with back pain have trouble feeling exactly where they are being touched on their back. Doctors wanted to see if this happens because of changes in the brain. They tested 117 people, some with back pain and some without. They used brain scans and touch tests. They found that people who currently had back pain did have a harder time feeling touch details. However, the brain scans showed that these touch problems are likely just how a person's brain is naturally wired, rather than damage caused by the back pain itself. They also discovered that one of the common touch tests they used might not even be a good way to measure this!