Table 5
Studies suggesting central sensitisation is a cause of WAD
| First Author | Year Published | Study Design | Summary of Findings | Level of Study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Borchgrevink | 1997 | X-sectional case-control | No significant alterations in CNS morphology identified | B |
| Radanov | 1999 | X-sectional cohort | No alterations in CNS perfusion by PET or SPECT scan | C |
| Freitag | 2001 | X-sectional case-control | Significant decrease in BOLD signal in symptomatic patients vs. asymptomatic patients and controls | B |
| Lorberboym | 2002 | X-sectional cohort | Regional CNS perfusion abnormalities by SPECT in 13/20 WAD patients | C |
| Sundstrom | 2006 | X-sectional case-control | No significant changes in WAD group, while non-traumatic neck pain group showed significant altered rCBF pattern compared to controls | B |
| Sturzenegger | 2008 | X-sectional case-control | No difference in ventricle-brain ratio between WAD patients and healthy controls | B |
| Obermann | 2009 | X-sectional case-control | Significant decreases in ACC and dorsolateral DLPFC at 3 mo.; resolved by 1 y | B |
| Linnman | 2009 | X-sectional case-control | Regional CNS perfusion increases & decreases by PET scan | B |
| Linnman | 2010 | X-sectional case-control | Availability of a pain processing (NK1) receptor was decreased in WAD patients | B |
| Bakhtadze | 2012 | X-sectional cohort | Parietal and frontal perfusion decreased with increased levels of pain | C |
Tomography, BOLD: Blood-Oxygen-Level-Dependent imaging, rCBF: regional Cerebral Blood Flow, ACC: Anterior Cingulate Cortex, DLPFC: Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex, NK1: Neurokinin receptor 1, WAD: Whiplash-associated disorder