TY - JOUR
T1 - The N13 spinal component of somatosensory evoked potentials is modulated by heterotopic noxious conditioning stimulation suggesting an involvement of spinal wide dynamic range neurons
AU - Pietro, Giuseppe Di
AU - Stefano, Giulia Di
AU - Leone, Caterina
AU - Lionardo, Andrea Di
AU - Sgrò, Emanuele
AU - Blockeel, Anthony James
AU - Caspani, Ombretta
AU - Garcia-Larrea, Luis
AU - Mouraux, André
AU - Phillips, Keith Geoffrey
AU - Treede, Rolf-Detlef
AU - Valeriani, Massimiliano
AU - Truini, Andrea
N1 - An Erratum to this article has been published: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neucli.2022.09.001
Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.
PY - 2021/12
Y1 - 2021/12
N2 - OBJECTIVES: Although somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) after median nerve stimulation are widely used in clinical practice, the dorsal horn generator of the N13 SEP spinal component is not clearly understood. To verify whether wide dynamic range neurons in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord are involved in the generation of the N13 SEP, we tested the effect of heterotopic noxious conditioning stimulation, which modulates wide dynamic range neurons, on N13 SEP in healthy humans.METHODS: In 12 healthy subjects, we performed the cold pressor test on the left foot as a heterotopic noxious conditioning stimulus to modulate wide dynamic range neurons. To verify the effectiveness of heterotopic noxious conditioning stimulation, we tested the pressure pain threshold at the thenar muscles of the right hand and recorded SEPs after right median nerve stimulation before, during and after the cold pressor test.RESULTS: The cold pressor test increased pressure pain threshold by 15% (p = 0.04). During the cold pressor test, the amplitude of the N13 component was significantly lower than that recorded at baseline (by 25%, p = 0.04).DISCUSSION: In this neurophysiological study in healthy humans, we showed that a heterotopic noxious conditioning stimulus significantly reduced N13 SEP amplitude. This finding suggests that the N13 SEP might be generated by the segmental postsynaptic response of dorsal horn wide dynamic range neurons.
AB - OBJECTIVES: Although somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) after median nerve stimulation are widely used in clinical practice, the dorsal horn generator of the N13 SEP spinal component is not clearly understood. To verify whether wide dynamic range neurons in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord are involved in the generation of the N13 SEP, we tested the effect of heterotopic noxious conditioning stimulation, which modulates wide dynamic range neurons, on N13 SEP in healthy humans.METHODS: In 12 healthy subjects, we performed the cold pressor test on the left foot as a heterotopic noxious conditioning stimulus to modulate wide dynamic range neurons. To verify the effectiveness of heterotopic noxious conditioning stimulation, we tested the pressure pain threshold at the thenar muscles of the right hand and recorded SEPs after right median nerve stimulation before, during and after the cold pressor test.RESULTS: The cold pressor test increased pressure pain threshold by 15% (p = 0.04). During the cold pressor test, the amplitude of the N13 component was significantly lower than that recorded at baseline (by 25%, p = 0.04).DISCUSSION: In this neurophysiological study in healthy humans, we showed that a heterotopic noxious conditioning stimulus significantly reduced N13 SEP amplitude. This finding suggests that the N13 SEP might be generated by the segmental postsynaptic response of dorsal horn wide dynamic range neurons.
KW - Experimental pain
KW - Pain
KW - Spinal cord
KW - Wide dynamic range neurons
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85118355958&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neucli.2022.09.001
U2 - 10.1016/j.neucli.2021.09.001
DO - 10.1016/j.neucli.2021.09.001
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 34756635
SN - 0987-7053
VL - 51
SP - 517
EP - 523
JO - Neurophysiologie Clinique
JF - Neurophysiologie Clinique
IS - 6
ER -