Dissociation of motor task-induced cortical excitability and pain perception changes in healthy volunteers.

There is evidence that interventions aiming at modulation of the motor cortex activity lead to pain reduction. In order to understand further the role of the motor cortex on pain modulation, we aimed to compare the behavioral (pressure pain threshold) and neurophysiological effects (transcranial mag...

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Main Authors: Magdalena S Volz, Mariana Mendonca, Fernando S Pinheiro, Huashun Cui, Marcus Santana, Felipe Fregni
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2012-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3314609?pdf=render
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author Magdalena S Volz
Mariana Mendonca
Fernando S Pinheiro
Huashun Cui
Marcus Santana
Felipe Fregni
author_facet Magdalena S Volz
Mariana Mendonca
Fernando S Pinheiro
Huashun Cui
Marcus Santana
Felipe Fregni
author_sort Magdalena S Volz
collection DOAJ
description There is evidence that interventions aiming at modulation of the motor cortex activity lead to pain reduction. In order to understand further the role of the motor cortex on pain modulation, we aimed to compare the behavioral (pressure pain threshold) and neurophysiological effects (transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) induced cortical excitability) across three different motor tasks.Fifteen healthy male subjects were enrolled in this randomized, controlled, blinded, cross-over designed study. Three different tasks were tested including motor learning with and without visual feedback, and simple hand movements. Cortical excitability was assessed using single and paired-pulse TMS measures such as resting motor threshold (RMT), motor-evoked potential (MEP), intracortical facilitation (ICF), short intracortical inhibition (SICI), and cortical silent period (CSP). All tasks showed significant reduction in pain perception represented by an increase in pressure pain threshold compared to the control condition (untrained hand). ANOVA indicated a difference among the three tasks regarding motor cortex excitability change. There was a significant increase in motor cortex excitability (as indexed by MEP increase and CSP shortening) for the simple hand movements.Although different motor tasks involving motor learning with and without visual feedback and simple hand movements appear to change pain perception similarly, it is likely that the neural mechanisms might not be the same as evidenced by differential effects in motor cortex excitability induced by these tasks. In addition, TMS-indexed motor excitability measures are not likely good markers to index the effects of motor-based tasks on pain perception in healthy subjects as other neural networks besides primary motor cortex might be involved with pain modulation during motor training.
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spelling doaj.art-d486fc4f37e84c54a4b4fa12ae78979b2022-12-21T20:56:06ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032012-01-0173e3427310.1371/journal.pone.0034273Dissociation of motor task-induced cortical excitability and pain perception changes in healthy volunteers.Magdalena S VolzMariana MendoncaFernando S PinheiroHuashun CuiMarcus SantanaFelipe FregniThere is evidence that interventions aiming at modulation of the motor cortex activity lead to pain reduction. In order to understand further the role of the motor cortex on pain modulation, we aimed to compare the behavioral (pressure pain threshold) and neurophysiological effects (transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) induced cortical excitability) across three different motor tasks.Fifteen healthy male subjects were enrolled in this randomized, controlled, blinded, cross-over designed study. Three different tasks were tested including motor learning with and without visual feedback, and simple hand movements. Cortical excitability was assessed using single and paired-pulse TMS measures such as resting motor threshold (RMT), motor-evoked potential (MEP), intracortical facilitation (ICF), short intracortical inhibition (SICI), and cortical silent period (CSP). All tasks showed significant reduction in pain perception represented by an increase in pressure pain threshold compared to the control condition (untrained hand). ANOVA indicated a difference among the three tasks regarding motor cortex excitability change. There was a significant increase in motor cortex excitability (as indexed by MEP increase and CSP shortening) for the simple hand movements.Although different motor tasks involving motor learning with and without visual feedback and simple hand movements appear to change pain perception similarly, it is likely that the neural mechanisms might not be the same as evidenced by differential effects in motor cortex excitability induced by these tasks. In addition, TMS-indexed motor excitability measures are not likely good markers to index the effects of motor-based tasks on pain perception in healthy subjects as other neural networks besides primary motor cortex might be involved with pain modulation during motor training.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3314609?pdf=render
spellingShingle Magdalena S Volz
Mariana Mendonca
Fernando S Pinheiro
Huashun Cui
Marcus Santana
Felipe Fregni
Dissociation of motor task-induced cortical excitability and pain perception changes in healthy volunteers.
PLoS ONE
title Dissociation of motor task-induced cortical excitability and pain perception changes in healthy volunteers.
title_full Dissociation of motor task-induced cortical excitability and pain perception changes in healthy volunteers.
title_fullStr Dissociation of motor task-induced cortical excitability and pain perception changes in healthy volunteers.
title_full_unstemmed Dissociation of motor task-induced cortical excitability and pain perception changes in healthy volunteers.
title_short Dissociation of motor task-induced cortical excitability and pain perception changes in healthy volunteers.
title_sort dissociation of motor task induced cortical excitability and pain perception changes in healthy volunteers
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3314609?pdf=render
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