Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
1
pubmed:dateCreated
2009-2-9
pubmed:abstractText
A method for quantifying nociceptive withdrawal reflex receptive fields in human volunteers and patients is described. The reflex receptive field (RRF) for a specific muscle denotes the cutaneous area from which a muscle contraction can be evoked by a nociceptive stimulus. The method is based on random stimulations presented in a blinded sequence to 10 stimulation sites. The sensitivity map is derived by interpolating the reflex responses evoked from the 10 sites. A set of features describing the size and location of the RRF is presented based on statistical analysis of the sensitivity map within every subject. The features include RRF area, volume, peak location and center of gravity. The method was applied to 30 healthy volunteers. Electrical stimuli were applied to the sole of the foot evoking reflexes in the ankle flexor tibialis anterior. The RRF area covered a fraction of 0.57+/-0.06 (S.E.M.) of the foot and was located on the medial, distal part of the sole of the foot. An intramuscular injection into flexor digitorum brevis of capsaicin was performed in one spinal cord injured subject to attempt modulation of the reflex receptive field. The RRF area, RRF volume and location of the peak reflex response appear to be the most sensitive measures for detecting modulation of spinal nociceptive processing. This new method has important potential applications for exploring aspects of central plasticity in volunteers and patients. It may be utilized as a new diagnostic tool for central hypersensitivity and quantification of therapeutic interventions.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Mar
pubmed:issn
0165-0270
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
30
pubmed:volume
178
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
24-30
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed-meshheading:19063920-Adolescent, pubmed-meshheading:19063920-Adult, pubmed-meshheading:19063920-Analysis of Variance, pubmed-meshheading:19063920-Biophysics, pubmed-meshheading:19063920-Capsaicin, pubmed-meshheading:19063920-Electric Stimulation, pubmed-meshheading:19063920-Electromyography, pubmed-meshheading:19063920-Foot, pubmed-meshheading:19063920-Humans, pubmed-meshheading:19063920-Male, pubmed-meshheading:19063920-Models, Statistical, pubmed-meshheading:19063920-Muscle, Skeletal, pubmed-meshheading:19063920-Nociceptors, pubmed-meshheading:19063920-Pain Measurement, pubmed-meshheading:19063920-Pain Threshold, pubmed-meshheading:19063920-Reaction Time, pubmed-meshheading:19063920-Reflex, Abnormal, pubmed-meshheading:19063920-Spinal Cord Injuries, pubmed-meshheading:19063920-Young Adult
pubmed:year
2009
pubmed:articleTitle
New method for quantification and statistical analysis of nociceptive reflex receptive fields in humans.
pubmed:affiliation
University Dept. of Anaesthesiology and Pain Therapy, University Hospital of Berne, Inselspital, Switzerland.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't