Edward S. Hui1, Shiliang Huang2, Yen-Yu Shih2, Timothy Q. Duong2
1Dept of Radiology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States; 2Research Imaging Institute, UTHSCSA, San Antonio, TX, United States
Somatosensory responses to nociceptive and non-nociceptive stimuli were altered in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) of diabetic rats (first month after STZ injection) and patients. However, more evidences suggested that the central nervous system (CNS) was also involved. For instance, the evoked potential amplitude in S1 was reduced at 8 weeks of diabetes. Furthermore, a resting state fMRI, which examines neuronal connectivity, study showed impairment of the attention network to external stimuli in diabetic patientm. The goal of the current study was therefore to examine the longitudinal and chronic effect of diabetes on CNS using fMRI and CO2 challenge.