title: Somatotosensory evoked potentials during baroreceptor stimulation in chronic low back pain patients and normal controls.
abstract: Nineteen chronic low back pain patients (aged 19-63) and 17 controls (aged 20-41) received electrical pain stimuli during manipulation of their carotid baroreceptors. The non-invasive mechanical manipulation of baroreceptors, using the PRES technique (Phase Related External Suction), simulates the end-effects of phasic blood pressure changes. This technique was developed to assess pain responses induced by changes in blood pressure without the typical shortcomings of pharmacological manipulation or lack of a control condition. During maximum baroreceptor activity, there was an unexpected increase in the amplitude of the somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) elicited by the electrical pain stimuli condition (N150-P260 peak-to-peak). In most other studies the opposite effect was found, with decreased pain responses during maximum baroreceptor activity. The chronic pain group reported greater pain during highest baroreceptor activation than did the controls. In addition, the chronic pain group showed lower diastolic blood pressure. To determine whether pain and baroreceptor responses observed in the chronic pain group depended on lower blood pressure levels, a second experiment with a non-clinical sample was performed. Results showed that lower tonic blood pressures are associated with greater baroreceptor activity amplifying pain, while higher blood pressure is associated with pain dampening during high baroreceptor activity. Data suggested that the differences in pain responses found in low back pain patients were associated with their lower tonic blood pressure levels. It is proposed that in general, lower blood pressures may be associated with greater pain during baroreceptor activation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, Eberhard-Karls University of Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brody
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Angrilli
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Birbaumer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mini
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Veit
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rau
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D011311:Pressoreceptors / Q000502:physiology*