Journal of neurology
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Journal of neurology · Oct 2012
Nociceptive pathway function is normal in cervical dystonia: a study using laser-evoked potentials.
Cervical dystonia (CD) is often associated with pain in the neck muscles, though the mechanisms underlying pain in this condition are still largely unknown. The aim of this study was to assess laser pain rating and CO(2) laser-evoked potentials (LEPs) in CD patients with pain in the posterior neck region. We assessed the N2/P2 LEP complex and laser pain rating in a group of 20 CD patients and in 21 normal subjects. ⋯ In group I patients, the N2/P2 LEP amplitude and laser pain rating after stimulation of both shoulders did not differ significantly from those obtained in normal subjects. Similarly, in group II patients, the N2/P2 LEP amplitude and laser pain rating after stimulation of the painful and dystonic splenius capitis muscle did not differ significantly from those obtained from either the contralateral painless, non-dystonic splenius capitis or normal subjects. The results of this study demonstrate that cutaneous nociceptive pathway function in CD patients is normal, thereby indicating that muscle pain in CD is not associated with any central sensitization of nociceptive inputs in either painful (dystonic) or non-painful (non-dystonic) body areas.