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Differential inhibitory effect on human nociceptive skin senses induced by local stimulation of thin cutaneous fibers

Nilsson, Hans-Jörgen LU and Schouenborg, Jens LU orcid (1999) In Pain 80(1-2). p.103-112
Abstract
It is known that stimulation of thin cutaneous nerve fibers can induce long lasting analgesia through both supraspinal and segmental mechanisms, the latter often exhibiting restricted receptive fields. On this basis, we recently developed a new method, termed cutaneous field stimulation (CFS), for localized stimulation of A delta and C fibers in the superficial part of the skin. In the present study, we have evaluated the effects of CFS on non-nociceptive and nociceptive skin senses. We compared the effects of CFS with those of conventional transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), known to preferentially activate coarse myelinated fibers. A battery of sensory tests were made on the right volar forearm of 20 healthy subjects. CFS... (More)
It is known that stimulation of thin cutaneous nerve fibers can induce long lasting analgesia through both supraspinal and segmental mechanisms, the latter often exhibiting restricted receptive fields. On this basis, we recently developed a new method, termed cutaneous field stimulation (CFS), for localized stimulation of A delta and C fibers in the superficial part of the skin. In the present study, we have evaluated the effects of CFS on non-nociceptive and nociceptive skin senses. We compared the effects of CFS with those of conventional transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), known to preferentially activate coarse myelinated fibers. A battery of sensory tests were made on the right volar forearm of 20 healthy subjects. CFS (16 electrodes, 4 Hz per electrode, 1 ms, up to 0.8 mA) and TENS (100 Hz, 0.2 ms, up to 26 mA) applied either on the right volar forearm (homotopically), or on the lower right leg (heterotopically) were used as conditioning stimulation for 25 min. The tactile threshold was not affected by either homo- or heterotopical CFS or TENS. The mean thresholds for detecting warming or cooling of the skin were increased by 0.4-0.9 degrees C after homo- but not heterotopical CFS and TENS. Regarding nociceptive skin senses, homo- but not heterotopical CFS, markedly reduced CO2-laser evoked A delta- and C fiber mediated heat pain to 75 and 48% of control, respectively, and mechanically evoked pain to 73% of control. Fabric evoked prickle, was not affected by CFS. Neither homo- nor heterotopical TENS induced any marked analgesic effects. It is concluded that different qualities of nociception can be differentially controlled by CFS. (Less)
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Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Analgesia, Nociception, Pain, Pruritus, Somatosensory, Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
in
Pain
volume
80
issue
1-2
pages
10 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:0033065511
  • pmid:10204722
ISSN
1872-6623
DOI
10.1016/S0304-3959(98)00205-X
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
f0f75007-a8aa-4c41-bbea-4e596090be3d
date added to LUP
2019-06-24 15:19:23
date last changed
2024-04-04 09:10:58
@article{f0f75007-a8aa-4c41-bbea-4e596090be3d,
  abstract     = {{It is known that stimulation of thin cutaneous nerve fibers can induce long lasting analgesia through both supraspinal and segmental mechanisms, the latter often exhibiting restricted receptive fields. On this basis, we recently developed a new method, termed cutaneous field stimulation (CFS), for localized stimulation of A delta and C fibers in the superficial part of the skin. In the present study, we have evaluated the effects of CFS on non-nociceptive and nociceptive skin senses. We compared the effects of CFS with those of conventional transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), known to preferentially activate coarse myelinated fibers. A battery of sensory tests were made on the right volar forearm of 20 healthy subjects. CFS (16 electrodes, 4 Hz per electrode, 1 ms, up to 0.8 mA) and TENS (100 Hz, 0.2 ms, up to 26 mA) applied either on the right volar forearm (homotopically), or on the lower right leg (heterotopically) were used as conditioning stimulation for 25 min. The tactile threshold was not affected by either homo- or heterotopical CFS or TENS. The mean thresholds for detecting warming or cooling of the skin were increased by 0.4-0.9 degrees C after homo- but not heterotopical CFS and TENS. Regarding nociceptive skin senses, homo- but not heterotopical CFS, markedly reduced CO2-laser evoked A delta- and C fiber mediated heat pain to 75 and 48% of control, respectively, and mechanically evoked pain to 73% of control. Fabric evoked prickle, was not affected by CFS. Neither homo- nor heterotopical TENS induced any marked analgesic effects. It is concluded that different qualities of nociception can be differentially controlled by CFS.}},
  author       = {{Nilsson, Hans-Jörgen and Schouenborg, Jens}},
  issn         = {{1872-6623}},
  keywords     = {{Analgesia; Nociception; Pain; Pruritus; Somatosensory; Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1-2}},
  pages        = {{103--112}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Pain}},
  title        = {{Differential inhibitory effect on human nociceptive skin senses induced by local stimulation of thin cutaneous fibers}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3959(98)00205-X}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/S0304-3959(98)00205-X}},
  volume       = {{80}},
  year         = {{1999}},
}