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Differences between episodic and chronic tension-type headaches in nociceptive-specific trigeminal pathways.
Jong Hee Sohn1, Hui Chul Choi, Chul Ho Kim
1Department of Neurology, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea. deepfoci@hallym.or.kr
Cephalalgia : an International Journal of Headache
|January 9, 2013
Summary
Chronic tension-type headache (CTTH) patients show reduced brainstem excitability, indicated by suppressed nociceptive blink reflex (nBR) R2 components. This suggests increased descending inhibitory control in CTTH.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurology
- Headache Medicine
Background:
- The trigeminal nociceptive system is crucial in tension-type headaches (TTH).
- Understanding differences in TTH pathophysiology is vital for effective treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare nociceptive trigeminal pathways in episodic TTH (ETTH) and chronic TTH (CTTH) patients.
- To investigate the nociceptive blink reflex (nBR) and nociceptive trigeminocervical reflex (nTCR) in TTH subtypes.
Main Methods:
- Recorded nBR and nTCR in ETTH, CTTH patients, and controls.
- Analyzed reflex thresholds and parameters, including nBR R2 component and nTCR late responses.
Main Results:
- CTTH patients exhibited significantly lower nBR R2 amplitude and area under the curve (AUC) compared to ETTH patients and controls.
- nBR R2 amplitude and AUC negatively correlated with headache frequency; R2 latency positively correlated with headache frequency and duration in TTH groups.
- No significant differences in nTCR parameters were observed between groups.
Conclusions:
- Suppressed nBR R2 component in CTTH suggests reduced brainstem excitability.
- This may be attributed to heightened descending inhibitory pathways in CTTH patients.
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