Pain relief induced by repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation of precentral cortex.
Chronic electrical stimulation of the precentral (motor) cortex using surgically implanted electrodes is performed to treat medication-resistant neurogenic pain. The goal of this placebo-controlled study was to obtain such antalgic effects by means of a non-invasive cortical stimulation using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). Eighteen patients with intractable neurogenic pain of various origins were included and underwent a 20 min session of either 10 Hz, 0.5 Hz or* sham rTMS over the motor cortex in a random order. A significant decrease in the mean pain level of the series was obtained only after 10 Hz rTMS. This study shows that a transient pain relief can be induced by 10 Hz rTMS of the motor cortex in some patients suffering from chronic neurogenic pain.
Lefaucheur
J P
JP
Services de Physiologie, Explorations Fonctionnelles, Hopital Henri Mondor, 51 avenue de Lattre de Tassigny, 94010 Creteil, France.
Drouot
X
X
Keravel
Y
Y
Nguyen
J P
JP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004525:Efferent Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D010146:Pain / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D059408:Pain Management; D010147:Pain Measurement; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome