Key result
Cognitive distraction enlarges reflex receptive field area while cognitive attention reduces it compared to baseline.
Why the study?
The study aimed to investigate supraspinal modulation of human lower limb reflex receptive fields during cognitive tasks involving distraction or attention to foot stimulation.
Do cognitive attention and distraction tasks modulate the area of human lower limb reflex receptive fields in healthy volunteers?
RCT (n=12)
Randomized order
Do cognitive attention and distraction tasks modulate the area of human lower limb reflex receptive fields in healthy volunteers?
Cognitive state modulates the size of the reflex receptive field area, demonstrating a link between cognitive activity and descending control on spinal withdrawal reflex pathways.
Cognitive modulation of reflexes may inform pain mechanisms; hypothesis-generating and should not yet change practice.
OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to investigate supraspinal modulation of human lower limb reflex receptive fields (RRFs) on the plantar side of the foot during cognitive tasks either distracting the subjects or actively directing their attention to the electrical stimuli directed to the sole of the foot. METHODS: Twelve healthy volunteers participated. Nociceptive withdrawal reflexes (NWRs) were recorded in the ankle flexor tibialis anterior. The RRF was acquired by randomized activation of ten stimulation sites on the sole of the foot. The RRF was assessed during baseline, distraction, and attention in randomized order. Distraction was induced by the Stroop test, while attention was induced by requiring the subjects to localize the site of the stimulation and thereby forcing them to focus on the sole of the foot. RESULTS: The area of the RRF was significantly enlarged during the distraction task compared to baseline (P<0.05), whereas the RRF area was significantly reduced during the attention task compared to baseline (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The size of the RRF area was modulated by the cognitive state demonstrating a link between the cognitive activity and the descending control on spinal withdrawal reflex pathways.
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Bjerre et al. (2011) conducted an RCT in Healthy (n=12). Cognitive distraction and attention tasks vs. Baseline was evaluated on Area of the reflex receptive field (RRF) (p=<0.05). Cognitive distraction significantly enlarged the reflex receptive field area compared to baseline (P<0.05), whereas cognitive attention significantly reduced it (P<0.05).
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