High- and low-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation does not reduce experimental pain in elderly individuals

Bergeron-Vézina, Kayla; Corriveau, Hélène; Martel, Marylie; Harvey, Marie-Philippe; Léonard, Guillaume

doi:10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000276

Cited by 31 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…The frequency of stimulation may be a key factor. Although there are different studies of nerve stimulation for neuropathic pain showing good results in reducing hyperalgesia by applying different frequencies , we focused in 50 Hz because is the most commonly used for pain therapies in the clinic and has been validated in preclinical models of neuropathic pain (see ) and supported by our preliminary assays. Alternating the frequencies of stimulation induces a variation in the pain thresholds and high frequencies are known to be able to block conduction in C‐fibers .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Chronic electrical stimulation reduces hyperalgesia and associated spinal changes induced by peripheral nerve injury

López-Alvarez

Cobianchi

Navarro

2019

Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface

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Objectives We aimed to investigate if different protocols of electrical stimulation following nerve injury might improve neuropathic pain outcomes and modify associated plastic changes at the spinal cord level. Materials and Methods Adult rats were subjected to sciatic nerve transection and repair, and distributed in four groups: untreated (SNTR, n = 12), repeated acute electrical stimulation (rAES, 50 Hz, one hour, n = 12), chronic electrical stimulation (CES, 50 Hz, one hour, n = 12), and increasing‐frequency chronic electrical stimulation (iCES, one hour, n = 12) delivered during two weeks following the lesion. The threshold of nociceptive withdrawal to mechanical stimuli was evaluated by means of a Von Frey algesimeter during three weeks postlesion. Spinal cord samples were processed by immunohistochemistry for labeling glial cells, adrenergic receptors, K+‐Cl− cotransporter 2 (KCC2) and GABA. Results Acute electrical stimulation (50 Hz, one hour) delivered at 3, 7, and 14 days induced an immediate increase of mechanical pain threshold that disappeared after a few days. Chronic electrical stimulation given daily reduced mechanical hyperalgesia until the end of follow‐up, being more sustained with the iCES than with constant 50 Hz stimulation (CES). Chronic stimulation protocols restored the expression of β2 adrenergic receptor and of KCC2 in the dorsal horn, which were significantly reduced by nerve injury. These treatments decreased also the activation of microglia and astrocytes in the dorsal horn. Conclusion Daily electrical stimulation, especially if frequency‐patterned, was effective in ameliorating hyperalgesia after nerve injury, and partially preventing the proinflammatory and hyperalgesic changes in the dorsal horn associated to neuropathic pain.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Chronic electrical stimulation reduces hyperalgesia and associated spinal changes induced by peripheral nerve injury

López-Alvarez

Cobianchi

Navarro

2019

Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface

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“…There are some difficulties due to multiple comorbidities and polypharmacy in the treatment of pain in elderly individuals. Previous studies have reported that TENS application, which is given in different current intensities (low-intensity and highintensity) decreased pain (Bjordal, Johnson & Ljunggreen, 2003;Johnson & Martinson, 2007;Claydon et al, 2011;Bergeron-Vézina et al, 2015). This beneficial effect of TENS was important in the nonpharmacological treatment of the pain in the elderly subjects who prone to pharmacological side-effects (Chabal et al, 1998;Elvir-Lazo & White, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

EEG alpha activity increased in response to transcutaneous electrical nervous stimulation in young healthy subjects but not in the healthy elderly

Yıldırım

Güntekin

Hanoğlu

et al. 2020

PeerJ

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Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) is used not only in the treatment of pain but also in the examination of sensory functions. With aging, there is decreased sensitivity to somatosensory stimuli. It is essential to examine the effect of TENS application on the sensory functions in the brain by recording the spontaneous electroencephalogram (EEG) activity and the effect of aging on the sensory functions of the brain during the application. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of the application of TENS on the brain's electrical activity and the effect of aging on the sensory functions of the brain during application of TENS. A total of 15 young (24.2 ± 3.59) and 14 elderly (65.64 ± 4.92) subjects were included in the study. Spontaneous EEG was recorded from 32 channels during TENS application. Power spectrum analysis was performed by Fast Fourier Transform in the alpha frequency band (8-13 Hz) for all subjects. Repeated measures of analysis of variance was used for statistical analysis (p < 0.05). Young subjects had increased alpha power during the TENS application and had gradually increased alpha power by increasing the current intensity of TENS (p = 0.035). Young subjects had higher alpha power than elderly subjects in the occipital and parietal locations (p = 0.073). We can, therefore, conclude that TENS indicated increased alpha activity in young subjects. Young subjects had higher alpha activity than elderly subjects in the occipital and somatosensory areas. To our knowledge, the present study is one of the first studies examining the effect of TENS on spontaneous EEG in healthy subjects. Based on the results of the present study, TENS may be used as an objective method for the examination of sensory impairments, and in the evaluative efficiency of the treatment of pain conditions. How to cite this article Yıldırım E, Güntekin B, Hanoğlu L, Algun C. 2020. EEG alpha activity increased in response to transcutaneous electrical nervous stimulation in young healthy subjects but not in the healthy elderly. PeerJ 8:e8330

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“…A TENS at 80 pulses per second (80 Hz) has been shown to increase the pain threshold related to pressure algometry in healthy participants [10]. Furthermore, a recent randomized, double-blind crossover study also indicated that 100 Hz and 3 Hz TENSs all increased the pain thresholds of young individuals [11]. All the abovementioned results demonstrated that a higher-frequency TENS is better than a conventional low-frequency TENS.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator of 5000 Hz frequency provides better analgesia than that of 100 Hz frequency in mice muscle pain model

Hsiao

Chien

Lin

et al. 2017

The Kaohsiung J of Med Scie

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Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulators (TENSs) have been proved to be effective in muscle pain management for several decades. However, there is no consensus for the optimal TENS program. Previous research demonstrated that a 100 Hz TENS (L-TENS) provided better analgesia than a conventional TENS (< 5 Hz). However, no research compared a higher-frequency (> 100 Hz) TENS with a 100 Hz TENS. We used a 5000 Hz (5 kHz) frequency TENS (M-TENS) and an L-TENS to compare analgesic effect on a mice skin/muscle incision retraction model. Three groups of mice were used (sham, L-TENS, and M-TENS) and applied with different TENS programs on Day 4 after the mice skin/muscle incision retraction model; TENS therapy was continued as 20 min/d for 3 days. Mice analgesic effects were measured via Von Frey microfilaments with the up-down method. After therapy, mice spinal cord dorsal horn and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) were harvested for cytokine evaluation (tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β) with the Western blotting method. Our data demonstrated that the M-TENS produced better analgesia than the L-TENS. Cytokine in the spinal cord or DRG all expressed lower than that of the sham group. However, there is no difference in both cytokine levels between TENSs of different frequencies in the spinal cord and DRG. We concluded that the M-TENS produced faster and better mechanical analgesia than the L-TENS in the mice skin/muscle incision retraction model. Those behavior differences were not in accordance with cytokine changes in the spinal cord or DRG.

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High- and low-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation does not reduce experimental pain in elderly individuals

Abstract: High- and low-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation is effective for reducing experimental heat pain in young individuals but not in older individuals.

Cited by 31 publications

References 53 publications

Chronic electrical stimulation reduces hyperalgesia and associated spinal changes induced by peripheral nerve injury

Chronic electrical stimulation reduces hyperalgesia and associated spinal changes induced by peripheral nerve injury

EEG alpha activity increased in response to transcutaneous electrical nervous stimulation in young healthy subjects but not in the healthy elderly

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator of 5000 Hz frequency provides better analgesia than that of 100 Hz frequency in mice muscle pain model

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