Fill in the blanks Research suggest that chronic pain may lead to_______ and loss of ______ in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, thalamus, and temporal cortex.

A. Hypertrophy and grey matter: Hypertrophy refers to an increase in size, which is not typically observed in chronic pain conditions. Chronic pain is associated with neurodegeneration rather than enlargement of cortical structures. B. Atrophy and grey-matter: Chronic pain can cause structural brain changes, including atrophy and loss of grey matter, particularly in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, thalamus, and temporal cortex. These changes are linked to impaired cognitive and emotional processing associated with persistent pain. C. Condensation and white-matter: Condensation is not a standard term used in describing brain changes due to chronic pain. White-matter changes can occur but grey-matter atrophy is more prominent in chronic pain research. D. Malignant and white matter: “Malignant” is not used to describe neuroplastic changes in chronic pain. While white matter may be affected, the primary documented structural change involves grey-matter atrophy.