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Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Chronic Post-Ischemia Pain Model for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type-I in Rats
Published on: January 21, 2020
The N13 somatosensory evoked potential in complex regional pain syndrome - A potential marker for central
Florin Allmendinger1, Martin Schubert1, Florian Brunner2
1Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Objective:
The cervical N13 component of upper-limb somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) is thought to arise from segmental, post-synaptic dorsal horn neurons. Recent studies have shown that N13 SEPs were increased after experimentally-induced central sensitization in healthy individuals, suggesting its potential as a readout of spinal hyperexcitability. This study aimed to assess the clinical utility of N13 SEPs in individuals with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), showing pronounced signs of central sensitization.
Methods:
Ten individuals with CRPS and 10 healthy controls (HC) were enrolled in this pilot study. Sensory function was well characterized and multilevel SEPs (i.e., N9, N13 and N20/P25) were recorded bilaterally after electrical stimulation of the median nerve.
Results:
Although the CRPS cohort showed signs of central sensitization (i.e., mechanical hyperalgesia and increased temporal pain summation) there was no difference in N13 amplitudes between the two cohorts (p = 0.53).
Conclusion:
Our findings challenge the use of N13 SEPs as a reliable marker of increased dorsal horn excitability in CRPS. Additional influences, including peripheral sensitization and medication effects may mask potential differences and need to be considered in future applications.
Significance:
This study highlights the obstacles of translating neurophysiological markers of central sensitization from experimental models into clinical pain cohorts.
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