Abstract:Functional anorectal pain refers to pain, abnormal sensation, and discomfort with a heavy pressure in the anorectal region caused by non-organic factors. Characterized by a protracted and refractory clinical course, it is frequently associated with psychological abnormalities such as anxiety and depression, significantly impairing patients' quality of life. Currently, there is a lack of consensus regarding the pathogenesis of FAP, and pharmacological treatment options are limited. In recent years, refined anatomical-functional studies have progressively revealed that FAP is closely associated with gut-brain interaction abnormalities, peripheral and central sensitization, as well as dysregulation of emotional processing networks. Focusing on the neuronal pathologies underlying pain generation, non-invasive neuromodulation techniques have shown potential in alleviating chronic pain through multi-target effects by regulating neural plasticity. However, current research on non-invasive neuromodulation for FAP remains at a preliminary stage, with limited clinical evidence available. This review systematically summarizes the neuroanatomical pathogenesis of FAP and explores multi-level, non-invasive neuromodulation techniques based on gut-brain interactions dysfunction. Future efforts should focus on clarifying therapeutic targets, optimizing stimulation parameters, and validating long-term efficacy through high-quality clinical studies, aiming to provide further guidance for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of FAP.
