Trigeminal activation using chemical, electrical, and mechanical stimuli

Tactile, propproprioceptive, and nociceptive information, including also expressed in the trigeminal nerve sensory response. To study differences in the processing of different stimulus qualities, we performed a study based on functional magnetic resonance imaging. The first trigeminal branch (opththalmic nerve) was activated by (a) intranasal chemical stimulatio with gaseous CO2 which produces stinging and burning sensations, but is virtually odorless, (b) painful, but not nociceptive specific cutaneous electrical stimulation, and (c) cutaneous mechanical stimulation using air puffs. Eighteen healthy subjects participated (eight men. 10 women, mean age 31 years). Painful stimuli produced patterns of activation similar to what has been reported for other noxious stimuli, namely activation in the primary and secondary somatosensory cortices, anterior cingulate cortex, insular cortex, and thalamus. In addition, analyses indicated intensity-related activation in the prefrontal cortex which has specifically involved in the evaluation of stimulus intensity. Importantly, the results also indicated similarities between activation patterns after intranasal chemosensory trigeminal stimulation and patterns usually found following intranasal odorous stimulation, indicating the intimate connection between these two systems in the processing of sensory information. (C) 2008 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.