The effect of multiple stimuli on the modulation of the ‘nociceptive’ blink reflex

Abstract

The ‘nociceptive’ blink reflex is a method of examining human trigeminal pain pathways. We explored temporal summation of this reflex by using a train of pulses, rather than a single pulse, and remote activation of diffuse noxious inhibitory control (DNIC), to improve reliability, flexibility and nociceptive specificity of this technique. The R2 component of the nociceptive blink reflex response (nR2) was assessed in 28 healthy volunteers using between 1 and 7 pulses per stimulus train (inter-pulse interval 5 ms). The effect of DNIC on single-, double-, and triple-pulse nR2 was investigated. Compared to single pulses, double and triple pulses increased the sensation of pain, reduced the tactile and pain thresholds, and facilitated the blink reflex responses (reduced onset latency, increased magnitude and persistence of nR2). The maximal reflex facilitation was achieved using a triple pulse. Higher pulse numbers had no additional facilitatory effect. Activation of the DNIC system using heterotopic pain suppressed the nR2 evoked by double and triple stimulation by 16 and 42%, respectively, but not the nR2 from a single pulse. Stimulation with double and triple pulses may be more suitable to study influences on nociceptive pathways than single pulses and may widen the methodological flexibility of the nociceptive blink reflex technique. This technique may be useful in studying the trigeminal nociceptive system with particular reference to primary headache disorders and their neuropharmacology.