Key result
Electrical stimulation of phrenic afferent fibers excited 74% of cervical spinothalamic tract neurons, providing a physiological substrate for pain referred from the diaphragm to the shoulder.
Population
142 spinothalamic tract (STT) neurons in 44 anesthetized, paralyzed monkeys (Macaca fascicularis)
Design
Preclinical
Authors
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May underlie referred shoulder pain from diaphragm or heart; leaves open translation from animal models to clinical practice.
The convergence of phrenic and cardiopulmonary afferent inputs on cervical spinothalamic tract neurons provides a physiological substrate for referred pain from the diaphragm and heart to the shoulder.
Bolser et al. (1991) studied this question. Electrical and mechanical stimulation of phrenic and cardiopulmonary spinal afferent fibers was evaluated on Excitation of cervical spinothalamic tract neurons by electrical stimulation of phrenic afferent fibers. Electrical stimulation of phrenic afferent fibers excited 74% of cervical spinothalamic tract neurons, providing a physiological substrate for pain referred from the diaphragm to the shoulder.
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