Slow depolarizing stimuli differentially activate mechanosensitive and silent C nociceptors in human and pig skin
High-threshold mechanosensitive and mechanoinsensitive (“silent”) nociceptors have similar electrical thresholds for transcutaneous sine wave stimulation at 4 Hz that selectively activates cutaneous C nociceptors in human skin. Their fundamentally different functions particularly in chronic pain war...
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| Hauptverfasser: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Dokumenttyp: | Article (Journal) |
| Sprache: | Englisch |
| Veröffentlicht: |
September 2020
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| In: |
Pain
Year: 2020, Jahrgang: 161, Heft: 9, Pages: 2119-2128 |
| ISSN: | 1872-6623 |
| DOI: | 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001912 |
| Online-Zugang: | Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001912 Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://journals.lww.com/pain/fulltext/2020/09000/slow_depolarizing_stimuli_differentially_activate.18.aspx 
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| Verfasserangaben: | Roman Rukwied, Christian Thomas, Otilia Obreja, Fiona Werland, Inge Petter Kleggetveit, Ellen Jorum, Richard W. Carr, Barbara Namer, Martin Schmelz |
| Zusammenfassung: | High-threshold mechanosensitive and mechanoinsensitive (“silent”) nociceptors have similar electrical thresholds for transcutaneous sine wave stimulation at 4 Hz that selectively activates cutaneous C nociceptors in human skin. Their fundamentally different functions particularly in chronic pain warrant differential stimulation protocols. We used transcutaneously delivered slow depolarizing stimuli (half-sine, 500 ms duration, 0.01-1 mA) in humans to assess intensity-response relations for the induction of pain psychophysically and recorded activation of mechanosensitive and silent nociceptors in healthy volunteers by microneurography. Differential C-fiber activation was confirmed in single-fiber recordings in pig allowing for stimulation amplitudes up to 10 mA. Perception and pain thresholds to half-sine wave pulses were 0.06 ± 0.03 mA and 0.18 ± 0.1 mA, respectively, and caused pain in an amplitude-dependent manner (n = 24). When matched for pain intensity, only sine wave stimulation induced an instant widespread axon reflex erythema (n = 10). In human microneurography, half-sine stimulation activated mechanosensitive nociceptors (n = 13), but only one of 11 silent nociceptors. In pig skin, the amplitude-dependent activation of mechanosensitive nociceptors was confirmed (0.2-1 mA, n = 28), and activation thresholds for most silent nociceptors (n = 13) were found above 10 mA. Non-nociceptive low-threshold mechanosensitive C fibers (n = 14) displayed lower activation thresholds for half-sine wave stimuli with an amplitude-dependent discharge increase between 0.01 and 0.1 mA. We conclude that transcutaneous electrical stimulation with 500-ms half-sine wave pulses between 0.2 and 1 mA causes amplitude-dependent pain by preferential activation of mechanosensitive C nociceptors. |
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| Beschreibung: | Gesehen am 15.12.2025 |
| Beschreibung: | Online Resource |
| ISSN: | 1872-6623 |
| DOI: | 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001912 |