Methodological considerations on the use of the blink reflex R3 component in the assessment of pain in man |
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Authors: | B Rossi and M G Vignocchi |
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Institution: | (1) Istituto di Clinica Neurologica, Università di Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56100 Pisa |
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Abstract: | We define the principal physiological properties of the nociceptive component R3 of the blink reflex (b.r.) on electrical
stimulation of the supraorbital nerve, with the aim of supplying some rules for its use in the analysis of pain in man. We
explore the relationship between the threshold (th) of R3 and that of pain on stimulation of the trigeminal nerve and the
extent to which R3 is modulated by habituation and attentional levels. Both pain th and R3 th correlate significantly with
age. The R3 th was always higher than the R2 th. Habituation definitely decreases the amplitude of R3, which easily disappears.
Focusing of attention on the stimulus sharply inhibits R3 while distraction increases it. Our findings emphasize the need
to take all these aspects into account when designing protocols for the study of pain mechanisms based on the R3 reflex component.
This work was partly supported by a grant from the Italian Ministry for the Universities and for Scientific and Technological
Research |
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Keywords: | Pain blink reflex habituation attention |
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