The Exteroceptive Suppression of Masseter and Temporalis Muscles and Blink Reflex in Primary Headaches

Abstract

Electrophysiological methods can be useful in evaluation of pathophysiology in patients with primary headache. We evaluated exteroceptive suppression of masseter and temporalis muscles and blink reflex in 29 patients with chronic tensiontype headache (KGB), 21 patients with episodic tension-type headache (EGB) and 32 patients with migraine (26 migraine without aura, 6 migraine with aura). Twelwe patients with migraine were reanalysed during their painful period (ictal). Electrophysiological data obtained from patients were compared with data obtained from 18 healthy controls. The duration of 51 periods was not changed between patients and controls. The durations of 52 periods of exteroceptive suppression were significantly shortened in patients with KGB and in patients with migraine analysed during attack. R1 and R2 waves of blink reflex were not showed significantly difference in patients with primary headache. Our findings demonstrated that the hyperexcitability of trigeminal motor nucleus have an important role in mechanism of pain in patients with primary headaches. Additionally, our findings indicate that migraine and tension-type headaches may have similar mechanism in pathophysiology of pain.