The impact of baroreflex function on endogenous pain control: a microneurography study
Gothje Lautenschläger1, Kathrin Habig1, Christoph Best2
1Department of Neurology, Justus-Liebig-University, Klinikstraße 33, Giessen, 35392, Germany.
The European Journal of Neuroscience
|October 11, 2015
Summary
Sympathetic nerve activity increases with pain and mental stress. This central sympathetic drive influences pain perception and pain control, with higher blood pressure linked to lower pain intensity.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Physiology
- Pain Research
Background:
- The relationship between sympathetic vasoconstrictor activity to muscles (muscle sympathetic nerve activity - MSNA) and various stress/somatosensory stimuli remains incompletely understood.
- Understanding this interaction is crucial for comprehending pain modulation mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of different pain stimuli (heat pain, cold pain) and mental stress tasks on MSNA in healthy individuals.
- To explore the influence of a control task (thermal pain with music) on MSNA to assess attentional effects.
- To examine the correlation between MSNA, pain intensity, analgesia, and blood pressure.
Main Methods:
- Microneurography recordings of MSNA from the peroneal nerve in healthy men.
- Stimulation with heat pain (HP) and cold pain (CP), both individually and combined with mental stress tasks (mental arithmetic, singing, speech).
- Inclusion of a control condition (thermal pain + music) to evaluate attentional confounders.
Main Results:
- Both CP and HP significantly increased MSNA, with CP responses being less pronounced.
- Diastolic blood pressure mirrored MSNA changes; heart rate remained stable.
- Mental stress tasks further elevated MSNA and were associated with reduced pain perception.
- MSNA showed a negative correlation with pain intensity and a positive correlation with analgesia.
- Higher blood pressure values correlated with lower pain intensity.
Conclusions:
- Central sympathetic drive significantly impacts pain perception and pain control mechanisms.
- Mental stress can modulate pain through its effect on sympathetic activity.
- Blood pressure may play a role in modulating pain intensity.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Neural Regulation of Blood Pressure
8.7K
The neural regulation of blood pressure involves intricate interactions between the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and cardiovascular system, ensuring adequate perfusion of tissues. This regulation primarily occurs through baroreceptor and chemoreceptor reflexes, involving both short-term and long-term mechanisms.
Baroreceptor Reflex
Baroreceptors, located in the carotid sinuses and aortic arch, detect changes in blood pressure. When blood pressure rises, these stretch-sensitive receptors...
Baroreceptor Reflex
Baroreceptors, located in the carotid sinuses and aortic arch, detect changes in blood pressure. When blood pressure rises, these stretch-sensitive receptors...
8.7K
01:25Analgesia and Pain Management
3.0K
Pain is critical to various clinical pathologies, provoking an urgent need for effective management. Pain, whether acute or chronic, is a complex neurochemical process. Its alleviation depends on the type, with nonopioid analgesics effective for mild to moderate pain, such as musculoskeletal or inflammatory pain, while neuropathic pain responds best to anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, or serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. For severe acute or chronic pain, opioids may be...
3.0K
01:44Nociception
34.7K
Nociception—the ability to feel pain—is essential for an organism’s survival and overall well-being. Noxious stimuli such as piercing pain from a sharp object, heat from an open flame, or contact with corrosive chemicals are first detected by sensory receptors, called nociceptors, located on nerve endings. Nociceptors express ion channels that convert noxious stimuli into electrical signals. When these signals reach the brain via sensory neurons, they are perceived as pain.
34.7K
01:20Pain
1.8K
Pain serves as a critical warning signal that alerts the body to potential or actual harm. When mechanical pressure on the skin is intense, such as from a sharp pinch, the sensation transitions from touch to pain. Similarly, extreme temperatures, like a hot pot handle, convert the sensation of heat into pain. Pain can also result from overstimulation of other senses, such as blinding light, loud noise, or the intense heat from habañero peppers. This ability to sense pain is essential for...
1.8K
01:22Opioid Receptors: Overview
6.5K
Opioid receptors, including the mu (μ, MOR), delta (δ, DOR), and kappa (κ, KOR) types, belong to the rhodopsin family of G protein-coupled receptors. These receptors are located throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems and in non-neuronal tissues such as macrophages and astrocytes. Opioid receptor ligands can be categorized into agonists or antagonists. Highly selective agonists include [d-Ala2, MePhe4, Gly(ol)5]-enkephalin or DAMGO for MOR, [D-Pen2,...
6.5K
01:17Autoregulation of Blood Flow
9.0K
Autoregulation mechanisms are characterized by their inherent capacity for self-regulation without necessitating specific nervous stimulation or endocrine control. These mechanisms facilitate the adjustment of blood flow and, therefore, perfusion specific to each tissue region. This self-regulation encompasses chemical signals and myogenic controls.
Chemical Signaling in Autoregulation
Chemical signaling operates at the precapillary sphincter level, inciting either contraction or relaxation....
Chemical Signaling in Autoregulation
Chemical signaling operates at the precapillary sphincter level, inciting either contraction or relaxation....
9.0K