Clinical neurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology
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The aim of the study was to investigate the interaction between glutamate and capsaicin-evoked muscle pain on human jaw motor functions. ⋯ The present findings suggest that peripheral glutamate and capsaicin receptor mechanisms interact to affect some jaw motor as well as sensory (i.e. pain) functions and provide new insights into the complexity of orofacial pain. Management approaches that target the peripheral nervous system and receptor mechanisms may prevent such changes in jaw motor function.
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The nociceptive blink reflex is a trigeminofacial brain-stem reflex which is used in pain research to evaluate the modulation of pain processing. To standardize the analysis of the reflex we investigated which electromyographic parameters show the best correlation with subjective pain ratings and should therefore be used for scoring blink reflex magnitude. Furthermore we investigated which parameters show the highest accuracy and reliability to define the blink reflex threshold. ⋯ The here defined standardized criteria to score blink reflex magnitude and threshold improve the comparability and validity of blink reflex studies.
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To assess the modulation of acute provoked pain by repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the motor cortex in patients with chronic neuropathic pain. ⋯ Previous studies have shown that rTMS delivered to various cortical targets by different protocols could modulate experimental pain, primarily in healthy subjects. The present results demonstrate the ability of motor cortex rTMS to interfere with the processing of acute provoked pain, even if there is an underlying chronic neuropathic pain.
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Transcranial direct current stimulation induces long-lasting changes in cortical excitability in humans depending on the current used. Further, transcutaneous spinal application of direct current (tsDCS) induces plastic changes in spinal conduction properties, tested by somatosensory evoked potentials. To verify this thesis on plastic changes in spinal circuitry, we investigated the effects of tsDCS on H-reflex size and post-activation depression. ⋯ Transcutaneous spinal DC stimulation might be a valuable new tool in modulating spinal motor pathways.