Key result
Plasma nicotine concentration following tobacco smoking was positively correlated with the amplitude of C-fiber mediated ultralate laser evoked potentials (r = 0.32, p = 0.04), suggesting an arousal effect on second pain responses.
Why the study?
Does smoking a cigarette alter C-fiber mediated ultralate laser evoked potentials in healthy male smokers?
Does smoking a cigarette alter C-fiber mediated ultralate laser evoked potentials in healthy male smokers?
Effect estimate: r = 0.32
p-value: p=0.04
Tobacco smoking and nicotine potentiate C-fiber mediated ultralate laser evoked potentials, indicating an arousal effect on second pain responses.
Should not yet change clinical pain assessment; hypothesis-generating for nicotine modulation of C-fiber responses.
The effects of smoking and nicotine on ultralate laser evoked potentials (LEPs), the EEG responses to C-fiber stimulation by a laser beam, were investigated in humans. Ultralate LEPs were repeatedly measured in two sessions, one after smoking, and the other in abstinence from smoking. The dominant frequency of the background EEG alpha activity, heart rate and venous plasma nicotine concentration were also measured. The peak-to-peak amplitude of the two major components (N2 and P2) of ultralate LEPs was significantly correlated both with the plasma nicotine concentration and with the background alpha frequency. The results suggest an arousal effect of nicotine on C-fiber mediated pain. The effect of nicotine on C-fiber LEPs was in the opposite direction of that on Aδ fiber LEPs. The difference between C and Aδ fibers might indicate a difference in effects of nicotine on first and second pain responses.
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Miyazaki et al. (2009) studied Healthy volunteers with a smoking habit (n=8). Tobacco smoking vs. Abstinence from smoking was evaluated on Correlation between N2/P2 peak-to-peak amplitude of ultralate laser evoked potentials and plasma nicotine concentration (r = 0.32, p=0.04). Plasma nicotine concentration following tobacco smoking was positively correlated with the amplitude of C-fiber mediated ultralate laser evoked potentials (r = 0.32, p = 0.04), suggesting an arousal effect on second pain responses.
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