Theta burst stimulation of the motor cortex reduces laser-evoked pain perception.
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation over the primary motor cortex (M1) was recently introduced to modulate pain perception. The aim of this double-blind cross-over study was to investigate the effect of a modified rTMS paradigm, called cTBS on experimentally induced laser-evoked pain applied over the left M1. cTBS inhibits the cortical excitability of the M1 for approximately 1 h. Subjective pain was measured using the verbal analogue scale prior to, immediately after and 30 min post-stimulation. cTBS, and not the sham stimulation resulted in a significant decrease in pain perception on both hands, accentuated on the right hand. Further studies are needed using motor cortex TBS in chronic pain to pave the way towards a therapeutic tool.
Poreisz
Csaba
C
Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Georg-August University, Göttingen, Germany. csaba.poreisz@med.uni-goettingen.de
Csifcsák
Gábor
G
Antal
Andrea
A
Levold
Maik
M
Hillers
Ferdinand
F
Paulus
Walter
W
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000628:therapy; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006225:Hand / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D059408:Pain Management; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000503:physiopathology; D012867:Skin / Q000294:innervation / Q000503:physiopathology; D013826:Theta Rhythm; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome