[The electrode for selective nociceptive stimulation: use experience and prospect for application in nociception...

Electrode for selective nociception specific stimulation was described by H. Kaube et al. in 2000. The aim of this work was to test this electrode in assessment of nociceptive reactions of the segmental and suprasegmental levels. The method of nociception specific blink reflex based on the use of this electrode was applied in a modified variant for examination of patients with a tension type headache. A decrease in the nociceptive reflex threshold was revealed in patients with episodic headaches (as compared to healthy volunteers). Both the reflex and pain thresholds were decreased in patients with a chronic headache. These results indicate the sensitization of nociceptive structures in patients with a headache. Cerebral evoked potentials elicited by skin stimulation of face and extremities with Kaube electrode were studied in healthy volunteers. The dominance of the late components (100-300 ms) considered to be of nociceptive origin was revealed in the pattern of evoked potentials. Thus, the electrode assures a high degree of selectivity of the pain-specific stimulation. Its adaptation for assessment of various nociceptive reactions can perfect the neurophysiological methods of nociception studies.