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This week we talked with Anton Rogachov, a 5th year PhD student in Dr. Karen Davis\\u2019s Lab at the University of Toronto. \\xa0The Davis Lab focuses on using brain imaging like resting-state fMRI to understand functional abnormalities in the brains of chronic pain patients. \\xa0The majority of Dr. Davis\\u2019s work looks at the functional communication between different brain regions and networks in order to understand how these\\xa0communications break down in chronic pain. \\xa0In comparison, Anton\'s research looks at regional brain oscillation and fluctuations an alternative approach to studying mechanistic brain function.

Listen in to hear us discuss Anton\'s recent paper, Abnormal Low-Frequency Oscillations Reflect Trait-Like Pain Ratings in Chronic Pain Patients Revealed through a Machine Learning Approach.\\xa0 This research discovered that chronic pain patients do indeed have functional abnormalities in pain-related brain networks, but more importantly it showed that these abnormalities can be used to make inferences about the degree of pain the patients experience on a weekly basis. \\xa0We cover what it\'s like to work directly with patients and to both administer and be tested via fMRI. \\xa0We also talk about important caveats and considerations with work such as ours.

More information

Read\\xa0Anton\\u2019s recent paper on abnormal low-frequency oscillations

Learn more in another publication by Anton on regional brain signal variability

Check out a related episode on the molecular side of pain research,\\xa0Ep. 30: Breaking the Vicious Cycle of Pain and Addiction with Waylin Yu.

Listen to the Raw Talk Podcast run by scientists and medical students at the University of Toronto.

Watch the\\xa0TED Ed. video\\xa0from Anton\'s supervisor Dr. Karen Davis on how your brain responds to pain.

Thanks to Leigh at BrainPost for connecting us with Anton!

Any other questions?\\xa0\\xa0Let us know!\\xa0 We appreciate your feedback.

You can now support the podcast at\\xa0https://www.patreon.com/sfspodcast.\\xa0 Many thanks to our past and present supporters!\\xa0

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