Low-frequency short-time nociceptive stimulation of the greater occipital nerve does not modulate the trigeminal system.

Full Abstract

Occipital stimulation in a small group of refractory chronic migraine and cluster headache patients has been suggested as a novel therapeutic approach with promising results. In an earlier study we have shown that a drug-induced block of the greater occipital nerve (GON) inhibits the nociceptive blink reflex (nBR). Now, we sought to examine the effects of low-frequency (3 Hz) short-time nociceptive stimulation of the GON on the trigeminal system. We recorded the nBR responses before and after stimulation in 34 healthy subjects. Selectivity of GON stimulation was confirmed by eliciting somatosensory evoked potentials of the GON upon stimulation. In contrast to an anaesthetic block of the occipital nerve, no significant changes of the R2-latencies and R2-response areas of the nBR can be elicited following GON stimulation. Various modes of electrical stimulation exist with differences in frequency, stimulus intensity, duration of stimulation and pulse width. One explanation for a missing modulatory effect in our study is the relatively short duration of the stimulation.

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Author information

Author/s: Jürgens, T P (TP); Busch, V (V); Opatz, O (O); Schulte-Mattler, W J (WJ); May, A (A);

Affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, and Department of Systems Neuroscience, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Cephalalgia : an international journal of headache (Cephalalgia), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-Aug; vol 28 (issue 8) : pp 842-6

Dates: Created 2008/07/28; Completed 2008/09/16;

PMID: 18513262, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent
Adult
Blinking - physiology
Cervical Vertebrae
Electric Stimulation - methods
Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory - physiology
Female

Female
Humans
Male
Pain Threshold - physiology
Reaction Time - physiology
Spinal Nerves - physiology
Trigeminal Nerve - physiology

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