title: Transient decrease of sensory perception after thermoalgesic stimuli for quantitative sensory testing.
abstract: Transient decrease in the excitability of a reflex circuit following its activation by appropriate stimuli is a well-recognized phenomenon, but it is unclear how this applies to thermoalgesic stimuli during quantitative sensory testing (QST). We examined the effects induced by a thermoalgesic (conditioning) stimulus on the response to a subsequent (test) stimulus of the same characteristics. All tests were done using a Peltier thermode with a surface area of 12.5 cm(2) using ramp rates of 2 degrees C/s and variable interstimulus intervals (ISIs) ranging from 10 to 60 s. Perception was measured with an electronic visual analog scale. No changes were observed in latency of pain perception. However, latency of warm perception was significantly delayed and pain perception intensity was significantly reduced with respect to conditioning stimuli at ISIs below 60 s. Our results indicate a transient saturation of warm and heat pain perception systems after a thermoalgesic stimulus. We therefore recommend that time intervals of >1 min be used between two consecutive thermoalgesic stimuli when examining QST.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Villarroel 170, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schestatsky
authors.forename: Rebeca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Algaba
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Casanova-Molla
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: León
authors.forename: Joao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Valls-Solé
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D010812:Physical Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology*; D013696:Temperature; D013697:Thermosensing / Q000502:physiology*