Trigeminal Brainstem Mapping 2: Higher Cortical Strucureas as Well as Subnuclei of the Spinal Trigeminal Nucleus

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Electric Current Stimulation: Electric stimulation with a Digitimer DS7AH HV Current Stimulator delivered with 4 shielded electrodes mounted on the participants head and arm

Study summary

In previous studies clustering of the three branches of the trigeminal nerve in brainstem were shown, cerebellum and periaqueductal gray. To further evaluate higher cortical structures, which were not covered by our previous field of view (FOV) and to further investigate the identified 'subnuclei' of the spinal trigeminal nucleus, here the aim is to scan the whole brain as well as the brainstem and the upper spinal cord during trigeminal nociceptive as well as non-nociceptive electrical stimulation of all three branches of the trigeminal nerve (and the arm as a somatic control site) during acquisition of BOLD-fMRI in humans.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Statistical Parametric Maps calculated from the fMRI data on brainstem level — only 1 visit
  At an small volume corrected threshold of p\<0.05 will be reproduce activation of all previously shown subnuclei of the spinal trigeminal nucleus for all three trigeminal branches using a sphere of 10 mm around previously published (Mehnert et al, 2023) MNI coordinates.
• Statistical Parametric Maps calculated from the fMRI data of higher cortical brain structures — only 1 visit
  Anterior and posterior insula, the cingulate cortex and S1/S2 will show significant activation at an small-volume corrected threshold of p\<0.05

Trial sites (1)

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