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BMC Anesthesiology
Published in: BMC Anesthesiology 1/2008

Open Access 01-12-2008 | Technical advance

Contact heat evoked potentials using simultaneous EEG and fMRI and their correlation with evoked pain

Authors: Katherine Roberts, Anastasia Papadaki, Carla Gonçalves, Mary Tighe, Duncan Atherton, Ravikiran Shenoy, Donald McRobbie, Praveen Anand

Published in: BMC Anesthesiology | Issue 1/2008

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Abstract

Background

The Contact Heat Evoked Potential Stimulator (CHEPS) utilises rapidly delivered heat pulses with adjustable peak temperatures to stimulate the differential warm/heat thresholds of receptors expressed by Aδ and C fibres. The resulting evoked potentials can be recorded and measured, providing a useful clinical tool for the study of thermal and nociceptive pathways. Concurrent recording of contact heat evoked potentials using electroencephalogram (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has not previously been reported with CHEPS. Developing simultaneous EEG and fMRI with CHEPS is highly desirable, as it provides an opportunity to exploit the high temporal resolution of EEG and the high spatial resolution of fMRI to study the reaction of the human brain to thermal and nociceptive stimuli.

Methods

In this study we have recorded evoked potentials stimulated by 51°C contact heat pulses from CHEPS using EEG, under normal conditions (baseline), and during continuous and simultaneous acquisition of fMRI images in ten healthy volunteers, during two sessions. The pain evoked by CHEPS was recorded on a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).

Results

Analysis of EEG data revealed that the latencies and amplitudes of evoked potentials recorded during continuous fMRI did not differ significantly from baseline recordings. fMRI results were consistent with previous thermal pain studies, and showed Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) changes in the insula, post-central gyrus, supplementary motor area (SMA), middle cingulate cortex and pre-central gyrus. There was a significant positive correlation between the evoked potential amplitude (EEG) and the psychophysical perception of pain on the VAS.

Conclusion

The results of this study demonstrate the feasibility of recording contact heat evoked potentials with EEG during continuous and simultaneous fMRI. The combined use of the two methods can lead to identification of distinct patterns of brain activity indicative of pain and pro-nociceptive sensitisation in healthy subjects and chronic pain patients. Further studies are required for the technique to progress as a useful tool in clinical trials of novel analgesics.
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Metadata
Title
Contact heat evoked potentials using simultaneous EEG and fMRI and their correlation with evoked pain
Authors
Katherine Roberts
Anastasia Papadaki
Carla Gonçalves
Mary Tighe
Duncan Atherton
Ravikiran Shenoy
Donald McRobbie
Praveen Anand
Publication date
01-12-2008
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Anesthesiology / Issue 1/2008
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2253
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2253-8-8

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