Conditioning pain stimulation does not affect itch induced by intra-epidermal histamine pricks but aggravates neurogenic inflammation in healthy volunteers |
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| Authors: | H H Andersen Y Imai K K Petersen J Koenig J Elberling |
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| Institution: | 1. SMI, Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark;2. Clinical Development Department, Clinical Department Center, Asahi Kasei Pharma Corporation, Tokyo, Japan;3. Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA;4. Section for Translational Psychobiology in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany;5. The Allergy Clinic, Copenhagen University Hospital, Gentofte, Copenhagen, Denmark |
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| Abstract: | This study investigated whether itch induced by intra-epidermal histamine is subjected to modulation by a standardized conditioned pain modulation (CPM) paradigm in 24 healthy volunteers. CPM was induced by computer-controlled cuff pressure algometry and histamine was introduced to the volar forearm by skin prick test punctures. Moreover, neurogenic inflammation and wheal reactions induced by histamine and autonomic nervous system responses (heart rate variability and skin conductance) were monitored. CPM did not modulate the intensity of histamine-induced itch suggesting that pruriceptive signaling is not inhibited by pain-recruited endogenous modulation, however, CPM was found to aggravate histamine-induced neurogenic inflammation, likely facilitated by efferent sympathetic fibers. |
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| Keywords: | Itch neurogenic inflammation conditioned pain modulation histamine heart rate variability cuff algometry skin conductance |
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