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Coppola G, Abagnale C, Sebastianelli G, Goadsby PJ. Pathophysiology of cluster headache: From the trigeminovascular system to the cerebral networks. Cephalalgia 2024; 44:3331024231209317. [PMID: 38415635 DOI: 10.1177/03331024231209317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite advances in neuroimaging and electrophysiology, cluster headache's pathogenesis remains unclear. This review will examine clinical neurophysiology studies, including electrophysiological and functional neuroimaging, to determine if they might help us construct a neurophysiological model of cluster headache. RESULTS Clinical, biochemical, and electrophysiological research have implicated the trigeminal-parasympathetic system in cluster headache pain generation, although the order in which these two systems are activated, which may be somewhat independent, is unknown. Electrophysiology and neuroimaging have found one or more central factors that may cause seasonal and circadian attacks. The well-known posterior hypothalamus, with its primary circadian pacemaker suprachiasmatic nucleus, the brainstem monoaminergic systems, the midbrain, with an emphasis on the dopaminergic system, especially when cluster headache is chronic, and the descending pain control systems appear to be involved. Functional connection investigations have verified electrophysiological evidence of functional changes in distant brain regions connecting to wide cerebral networks other than pain. CONCLUSION We propose that under the impact of external time, an inherited misalignment between the primary circadian pacemaker suprachiasmatic nucleus and other secondary extra- suprachiasmatic nucleus clocks may promote disturbance of the body's internal physiological clock, lowering the threshold for bout recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Coppola
- Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome Polo Pontino ICOT, Latina, Italy
| | - Chiara Abagnale
- Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome Polo Pontino ICOT, Latina, Italy
| | - Gabriele Sebastianelli
- Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome Polo Pontino ICOT, Latina, Italy
| | - Peter J Goadsby
- NIHR King's Clinical Research Facility, and Wolfson Sensory, Pain and Regeneration Research Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London UK
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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Cluster Headache Pathophysiology—A Disorder of Network Excitability? CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL NEUROSCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/ctn5020016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients’ accounts of cluster headache attacks, ictal restlessness, and electrophysiological studies suggest that the pathophysiology involves Aδ-fibre nociceptors and the network processing their input. Continuous activity of the trigeminal autonomic reflex throughout the in-bout period results in central sensitization of these networks in many patients. It is likely that several factors force circadian rhythmicity upon the disease. In addition to sensitization, circadian changes in pain perception and autonomic innervation might influence the excitability of the trigeminal cervical complex. Summation of several factors influencing pain perception might render neurons vulnerable to spontaneous depolarization, particularly at the beginning of rapid drops of the pain threshold (“summation headache”). In light of studies suggesting an impairment of short-term synaptic plasticity in CH patients, we suggest that the physiologic basis of CH attacks might be network overactivity—similarly to epileptic seizures. Case reports documenting cluster-like attacks support the idea of distinct factors being transiently able to induce attacks and being relevant in the pathophysiology of the disorder. A sustained and recurring proneness to attacks likely requires changes in the activity of other structures among which the hypothalamus is the most probable candidate.
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Amiri M, Esmaili H, Hamad AH, Alavinia M, Masani K, Kumbhare D. Nociceptive Flexion Reflex Threshold in Chronic Pain Patients: A Needed Update for the Current Evidence. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2021; 100:750-759. [PMID: 33065577 DOI: 10.1097/phm.0000000000001626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The nociceptive flexion reflex is a physiological, polysynaptic reflex triggered by a nociceptive stimulus activating a withdrawal response. In chronic musculoskeletal-related pain conditions, a decreased nociceptive flexion reflex threshold has been suggested as a possible recognition evidence for central sensitization that may cause alteration of central nervous system processing. OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to systematically review reported comparisons of the nociceptive flexion reflex threshold in chronic pain patients and healthy individuals. METHODS Electronic databases covering studies published between January 1990 and December 2019 were systematically searched. After application of exclusion criteria, 20 studies including 28 trials were included in this review. For meta-analysis, we used a random-effects model and funnel plot for publication bias. This research was registered at PROSPERO (CRD42019140354). RESULTS Compared with healthy controls, standardized mean differences in nociceptive flexion reflex threshold were significantly lower in the total sample of chronic pain patients. Subgroup analysis indicated a homogenous decreased nociceptive flexion reflex threshold in studies reporting fibromyalgia, chronic pain, and joint pain while heterogeneity existed in other included pain conditions. CONCLUSIONS A lower nociceptive flexion reflex threshold in patients experiencing chronic pain conditions may imply hyperexcitability in central nervous system processing. As a preliminary study, the findings would act as a basis for developing a methodology assisting current clinical practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammadreza Amiri
- From the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (M. Amiri, AHH, M. Alavinia, DK); Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran (HE); Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (KM); and Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (DK)
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Burish MJ, Chen Z, Yoo SH. Emerging relevance of circadian rhythms in headaches and neuropathic pain. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2019; 225:e13161. [PMID: 29969187 DOI: 10.1111/apha.13161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2017] [Accepted: 06/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Circadian rhythms of physiology are the keys to health and fitness, as dysregulation, by genetic mutations or environmental factors, increases disease risk and aggravates progression. Molecular and physiological studies have shed important light on an intrinsic clock that drives circadian rhythms and serves essential roles in metabolic homoeostasis, organ physiology and brain functions. One exciting new area in circadian research is pain, including headache and neuropathic pain for which new mechanistic insights have recently emerged. For example, cluster headache is an intermittent pain disorder with an exceedingly precise circadian timing, and preliminary evidence is emerging linking several circadian components (eg, Clock and Nr1d1) with the disease. In this review, we first discuss the broad metabolic and physiological relevance of the circadian timing system. We then provide a detailed review of the circadian relevance in pain disease and physiology, including cluster headache, migraine, hypnic headache and neuropathic pain. Finally, we describe potential therapeutic implications, including existing pain medicines and novel clock-modulating compounds. The physiological basis for the circadian rhythms in pain is an exciting new area of research with profound basic and translational impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark J. Burish
- Department of Neurosurgery; University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston; Houston Texas
| | - Zheng Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston; Houston Texas
| | - Seung-Hee Yoo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston; Houston Texas
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5
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Abstract
Cluster headache is an excruciating, strictly one-sided pain syndrome with attacks that last between 15 minutes and 180 minutes and that are accompanied by marked ipsilateral cranial autonomic symptoms, such as lacrimation and conjunctival injection. The pain is so severe that female patients describe each attack as worse than childbirth. The past decade has seen remarkable progress in the understanding of the pathophysiological background of cluster headache and has implicated the brain, particularly the hypothalamus, as the generator of both the pain and the autonomic symptoms. Anatomical connections between the hypothalamus and the trigeminovascular system, as well as the parasympathetic nervous system, have also been implicated in cluster headache pathophysiology. The diagnosis of cluster headache involves excluding other primary headaches and secondary headaches and is based primarily on the patient's symptoms. Remarkable progress has been achieved in developing effective treatment options for single cluster attacks and in developing preventive measures, which include pharmacological therapies and neuromodulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arne May
- Department of Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, D-20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Delphine Magis
- University Department of Neurology CHR, CHU de Liege, Belgium
| | - Patricia Pozo-Rosich
- Headache and Craniofacial Pain Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain.,Headache Research Group, VHIR, Universitat Autònoma Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Stefan Evers
- Department of Neurology, Krankenhaus Lindenbrunn, Coppenbrügge, Germany
| | - Shuu-Jiun Wang
- Taipei Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
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Wallwork SB, Grabherr L, O’Connell NE, Catley MJ, Moseley GL. Defensive reflexes in people with pain – a biomarker of the need to protect? A meta-analytical systematic review. Rev Neurosci 2017; 28:381-396. [DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2016-0057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
AbstractUpregulation of defensive reflexes such as the nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR) has been attributed to sensitisation of peripheral and spinal nociceptors and is often considered biomarkers of pain. Experimental modulation of defensive reflexes raises the possibility that they might be better conceptualised as markers of descending cognitive control. Despite strongly held views on both sides and several narrative reviews, there has been no attempt to evaluate the evidence in a systematic manner. We undertook a meta-analytical systematic review of the extant English-language literature from inception. Thirty-six studies satisfied our a priori criteria. Seventeen were included in the meta-analysis. Reflexive threshold was lower in people with clinical pain than it was in pain-free controls, but reflex size, latency, and duration were unaffected. The pattern of difference was not consistent with sensitisation of nociceptive neurones, as these changes were not isolated to the affected body part but was more consistent with top-down cognitive control reflective of heightened protection of body tissue. The pattern of modulation is dependent on potentially complex evaluative mechanisms. We offer recommendations for future investigations and suggest that defensive reflex threshold may reflect a biomarker of a broader psychological construct related to bodily protection, rather than sensitisation of primary nociceptors, spinal nociceptors, or pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah B. Wallwork
- Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5001, SA, Australia
| | - Luzia Grabherr
- Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5001, SA, Australia
| | - Neil E. O’Connell
- Health Economics Research Group, Institute of Environment, Health and Societies, Department of Clinical Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge UB8 3PN, UK
| | - Mark J. Catley
- Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5001, SA, Australia
| | - G. Lorimer Moseley
- Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5001, SA, Australia
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney 2031, NSW, Australia
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Sprenger T, Ruether KV, Boecker H, Valet M, Berthele A, Pfaffenrath V, Wöller A, Tölle TR. Altered Metabolism in Frontal Brain Circuits in Cluster Headache. Cephalalgia 2016; 27:1033-42. [PMID: 17666083 DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-2982.2007.01386.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Neuroimaging studies have explored cerebral activation patterns in patients with cluster headache (CH) during attacks and have revealed activation of multiple brain areas known to belong to the general pain-processing network. However, it is still unclear which changes in brain metabolism are inherent to the shift from the ‘in bout’ to the ‘out of bout’ period. We measured cerebral glucose metabolism in 11 episodic CH patients during the cluster and again during the remission period with 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) and compared these data with 11 healthy controls. ‘In bout’ compared with ‘out of bout’ scans were associated with increases of metabolism in the perigenual anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), posterior cingulate cortex, prefrontal cortex, insula, thalamus and temporal cortex. Decreases in metabolism were observed in the cerebellopontine area. Compared with healthy volunteers, hypometabolism in the patient group (‘in bout’ and ‘out of bout’) was found in the perigenual ACC, prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortex. Thus, FDG-PET in CH patients revealed ‘in bout’ activation of brain structures which are involved in descending pain control. Compared with controls, the regional brain metabolism was constitutively decreased in most of these structures, irrespective of the bout. This finding indicates a deficient top-down modulation of antinociceptive circuits in CH patients. We suggest that trigger mechanisms of CH are insufficiently controlled and thus promote the initiation of the bout period and acute attack.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Sprenger
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum rechts der Isaar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
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Busch V, Jakob W, Juergens T, Schulte-Mattler W, Kaube H, May A. Occipital Nerve Blockade in Chronic Cluster Headache Patients and Functional Connectivity Between Trigeminal and Occipital Nerves. Cephalalgia 2016; 27:1206-14. [PMID: 17850348 DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-2982.2007.01424.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Headache syndromes often involve occipital and neck symptoms, suggesting a functional connectivity between nociceptive trigeminal and cervical afferents. Although reports regarding effective occipital nerve blockades in cluster headache exist, the reason for the improvement of the clinical symptoms is not known. Using occipital nerve blockade and nociceptive blink reflexes, we were able to demonstrate functional connectivity between trigeminal and occipital nerves in healthy volunteers. The R2 components of the nociceptive blink reflex and the clinical outcome in 15 chronic cluster headache patients were examined before and after unilateral nerve blockade of the greater occipital nerve with 5 ml prilocain (1%) on the headache side. In contrast to recent placebo-controlled studies, only nine of the 15 cluster patients reported some minor improvement in their headache. Six patients did not report any clinical change. Exclusively on the injection side, the R2 response areas decreased and R2 latencies increased significantly after the nerve blockade. These neurophysiological and clinical data provide further evidence for functional connectivity between cervical and trigeminal nerves in humans. The trigeminocervical complex does not seem to be primarily facilitated in cluster headache, suggesting a more centrally located pathology of the disease. However, the significant changes of trigeminal function as a consequence of inhibition of the greater occipital nerve were not mirrored by a significant clinical effect, suggesting that the clinical improvement of occipital nerve blockades is not due to a direct inhibitory effect on trigeminal transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Busch
- Department of Neurology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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Neural Plasticity in Common Forms of Chronic Headaches. Neural Plast 2015; 2015:205985. [PMID: 26366304 PMCID: PMC4558449 DOI: 10.1155/2015/205985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2015] [Accepted: 08/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Headaches are universal experiences and among the most common disorders. While headache may be physiological in the acute setting, it can become a pathological and persistent condition. The mechanisms underlying the transition from episodic to chronic pain have been the subject of intense study. Using physiological and imaging methods, researchers have identified a number of different forms of neural plasticity associated with migraine and other headaches, including peripheral and central sensitization, and alterations in the endogenous mechanisms of pain modulation. While these changes have been proposed to contribute to headache and pain chronification, some findings are likely the results of repetitive noxious stimulation, such as atrophy of brain areas involved in pain perception and modulation. In this review, we provide a narrative overview of recent advances on the neuroimaging, electrophysiological and genetic aspects of neural plasticity associated with the most common forms of chronic headaches, including migraine, cluster headache, tension-type headache, and medication overuse headache.
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Fang L, Jingjing L, Ying S, Lan M, Tao W, Nan J. Computerized tomography-guided sphenopalatine ganglion pulsed radiofrequency treatment in 16 patients with refractory cluster headaches: Twelve- to 30-month follow-up evaluations. Cephalalgia 2015; 36:106-12. [PMID: 25896484 DOI: 10.1177/0333102415580113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2014] [Accepted: 02/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sphenopalatine ganglion percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation treatment can improve the symptoms of cluster headaches to some extent. However, as an ablation treatment, radiofrequency thermocoagulation treatment also has side effects. OBJECTIVE To preliminarily evaluate the efficacy and safety of a non-ablative computerized tomography-guided pulsed radiofrequency treatment of sphenopalatine ganglion in patients with refractory cluster headaches. METHODS We included and analysed 16 consecutive cluster headache patients who failed to respond to conservative therapy from the Pain Management Center at the Beijing Tiantan Hospital between April 2012 and September 2013 treated with pulsed radiofrequency treatment of sphenopalatine ganglion. RESULTS Eleven of 13 episodic cluster headaches patients and one of three chronic cluster headaches patient were completely relieved of the headache within an average of 6.3 ± 6.0 days following the treatment. Two episodic cluster headache patients and two chronic cluster headache patients showed no pain relief following the treatment. The mean follow-up time was 17.0 ± 5.5 months. All patients enrolled in this study showed no treatment-related side effects or complications. CONCLUSION Our data show that patients with refractory episodic cluster headaches were quickly, effectively and safely relieved from the cluster period after computerized tomography-guided pulsed radiofrequency treatment of sphenopalatine ganglion, suggesting that it may be a therapeutic option if conservative treatments fail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luo Fang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, China
| | - Lu Jingjing
- Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, China
| | - Shen Ying
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, China
| | - Meng Lan
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, China
| | - Wang Tao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, China
| | - Ji Nan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, China
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Coppola G, Di Lorenzo C, Bracaglia M, Di Lenola D, Parisi V, Perrotta A, Serrao M, Pierelli F. Lateralized nociceptive blink reflex habituation deficit in episodic cluster headache: Correlations with clinical features. Cephalalgia 2014; 35:600-7. [PMID: 25228682 DOI: 10.1177/0333102414550418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2014] [Accepted: 08/15/2014] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We previously observed impaired habituation mechanisms of the conventional blink reflex (BR) in patients with episodic cluster headache (ECH) during the bout, studying only the affected side. Here, we have studied the nociceptive-specific BR (nBR) both on the affected and non-affected sides, and in relation to clinical features. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS We recorded nBR in 18 ECH patients during the bout, and in 18 healthy volunteers (HVs). We compared pain threshold, area, and habituation of the nBR, recorded both for the affected and non-affected sides. RESULTS In patients, the pain threshold on the affected side was lower than that of the non-affected side (p = 0.009), and lower than in HVs (p = 0.038). Reflex area was decreased on both sides (p < 0.05) compared with HVs, whereas habituation was significantly impaired only on the affected side (p = 0.025 vs. HVs; p = 0.003 vs. non-affected). The habituation slope was positively correlated with the number of days since the onset of the bout and the daily attack frequency. CONCLUSIONS Our data reflect lateralized pathological variations in craniofacial nociception in ECH patients over the course of the cluster period. We hypothesized that this is due to malfunctioning of mechanisms that regulate hypothalamic activity and descending aminergic controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Coppola
- Department of Neurophysiology of Vision and Neurophthalmology, G.B. Bietti Foundation-IRCCS, Italy
| | | | - Martina Bracaglia
- Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, "Sapienza" University of Rome Polo Pontino, Italy
| | - Davide Di Lenola
- Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, "Sapienza" University of Rome Polo Pontino, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Parisi
- Department of Neurophysiology of Vision and Neurophthalmology, G.B. Bietti Foundation-IRCCS, Italy
| | | | - Mariano Serrao
- Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, "Sapienza" University of Rome Polo Pontino, Italy
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Magis D, Vigano A, Sava S, d'Elia TS, Schoenen J, Coppola G. Pearls and pitfalls: electrophysiology for primary headaches. Cephalalgia 2014; 33:526-39. [PMID: 23671250 DOI: 10.1177/0333102413477739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Primary headaches are functional neurological diseases characterized by a dynamic cyclic pattern over time (ictal/pre-/interictal). Electrophysiological recordings can non-invasively assess the activity of an underlying nervous structure or measure its response to various stimuli, and are therefore particularly appropriate for the study of primary headaches. Their interest, however, is chiefly pathophysiological, as interindividual, and to some extent intraindividual, variations preclude their use as diagnostic tools. AIM OF THE WORK This article will review the most important findings of electrophysiological studies in primary headache pathophysiology, especially migraine on which numerous studies have been published. RESULTS In migraine, the most reproducible hallmark is the interictal lack of neuronal habituation to the repetition of various types of sensory stimulations. The mechanism subtending this phenomenon remains uncertain, but it could be the consequence of a thalamocortical dysrythmia that results in a reduced cortical preactivation level. In tension-type headache as well as in cluster headache, there seems to be an impairment of central pain-controlling mechanisms but the studies are scarce and their outcomes are contradictory. The discrepancies between studies might be as a result of methodological differences as well as patients' dissimilarities, which are also discussed. CONCLUSIONS AND PERSPECTIVES Electrophysiology is complementary to functional neuroimaging and will undoubtedly remain an important tool in headache research. One of its upcoming applications is to help select neurostimulation techniques and protocols that correct best the functional abnormalities detectable in certain headache disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delphine Magis
- Headache Research Unit, University Department of Neurology, CHR Citadelle, Liege 4000, Belgium.
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de Tommaso M, Vecchio E. Primary headaches and trigeminal neuralgia: neuropathic pain yes or not? Evidences from neurophysiological procedures. Expert Rev Neurother 2013; 13:1031-9. [PMID: 23952254 DOI: 10.1586/14737175.2013.827475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Despite the fact that neurophysiological evaluation is not useful for primary headache diagnosis, the nociceptive system exploration through reflexes and evoked potentials procedures may give an aid in understanding the pathophysiological mechanism subtending pain. Neuropathic pain is caused by a lesion or disease of the somatosensory nervous system, which is supported by clinical evaluation and instrumental assessment by trigeminal and nociceptive reflexes and laser evoked potentials. The same methods, applied to migraine and cluster headache, together with evidences coming from structural and functional neuroimaging, excluded the neuropathic origin of pain, which is attaining to symptomatic and idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia, but confirmed a complex dysfunction of pain processing. Tension-type headache fits with a model of non-nociceptive and non-neuropathic pain, subtended by a complex interaction of peripheral muscular and central neuronal factors. The presence of altered modulation of pain concurs with migraine and tension-type headache, and should be taken into account for the choice of the best therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina de Tommaso
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neurophysiopathology of Pain, Neuroscience and Sensory System (SMBNOS) Bari Aldo Moro University, Bari, Italy
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Coppola G, Di Lorenzo C, Schoenen J, Pierelli F. Habituation and sensitization in primary headaches. J Headache Pain 2013; 14:65. [PMID: 23899115 PMCID: PMC3733593 DOI: 10.1186/1129-2377-14-65] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2013] [Accepted: 07/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The phenomena of habituation and sensitization are considered most useful for studying the neuronal substrates of information processing in the CNS. Both were studied in primary headaches, that are functional disorders of the brain characterized by an abnormal responsivity to any kind of incoming innocuous or painful stimuli and it's cycling pattern over time (interictal, pre-ictal, ictal). The present review summarizes available data on stimulus responsivity in primary headaches obtained with clinical neurophysiology. In migraine, the majority of electrophysiological studies between attacks have shown that, for a number of different sensory modalities, the brain is characterised by a lack of habituation of evoked responses to repeated stimuli. This abnormal processing of the incoming information reaches its maximum a few days before the beginning of an attack, and normalizes during the attack, at a time when sensitization may also manifest itself. An abnormal rhythmic activity between thalamus and cortex, namely thalamocortical dysrhythmia, may be the pathophysiological mechanism subtending abnormal information processing in migraine. In tension-type headache (TTH), only few signs of deficient habituation were observed only in subgroups of patients. By contrast, using grand-average responses indirect evidence for sensitization has been found in chronic TTH with increased nociceptive specific reflexes and evoked potentials. Generalized increased sensitivity to pain (lower thresholds and increased pain rating) and a dysfunction in supraspinal descending pain control systems may contribute to the development and/or maintenance of central sensitization in chronic TTH. Cluster headache patients are characterized during the bout and on the headache side by a pronounced lack of habituation of the brainstem blink reflex and a general sensitization of pain processing. A better insight into the nature of these ictal/interictal electrophysiological dysfunctions in primary headaches paves the way for novel therapeutic targets and may allow a better understanding of the mode of action of available therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Coppola
- Department of Neurophysiology of Vision and Neurophthalmology, G.B. Bietti Foundation IRCCS, Via Livenza 3, 00198, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Jean Schoenen
- Headache Research Unit, University Department of Neurology & GIGA-Neurosciences, Liège University, Liège, Belgium
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Lim ECW, Sterling M, Stone A, Vicenzino B. Central hyperexcitability as measured with nociceptive flexor reflex threshold in chronic musculoskeletal pain: A systematic review. Pain 2011; 152:1811-1820. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pain.2011.03.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2010] [Revised: 03/23/2011] [Accepted: 03/24/2011] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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What has functional neuroimaging done for primary headache … and for the clinical neurologist? J Clin Neurosci 2010; 17:547-53. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jocn.2009.09.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2009] [Revised: 09/22/2009] [Accepted: 09/23/2009] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Gori S, Murri L. Chronobiological correlates of primary headaches. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2010; 97:705-716. [PMID: 20816465 DOI: 10.1016/s0072-9752(10)97059-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Gori
- University Centre for Adaptive Disorders and Headache, Institute of Neurology, Department of Neuroscience, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
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Friberg L, Sandrini G, Perrotta A. Neuroimaging and clinical neurophysiology in cluster headache and trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2010; 97:413-420. [PMID: 20816440 DOI: 10.1016/s0072-9752(10)97034-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Clinical neurophysiology and neuroimaging are two non-invasive approaches used to investigate the pathophysiological basis of primary headaches, including cluster headache (CH) and other trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias (TACs). Modern neuroimaging has revolutionized our understanding of the pathophysiology of primary headaches, and of TACs in particular, focusing on a cerebrovascular dysfunction hypothesis toward a central triggering cause. The introduction of single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), and voxel-based morphometry has allowed us new insights into mechanisms underlying TACs and occurring during peripheral and/or central neuromodulation. The specific activation of neural structures that is observed exclusively in migraine and in TACs supports the hypothesis that primary headaches are driven predominantly by central nervous system dysfunction, and this has important implications from a therapeutic perspective. Neurophysiological examinations are of little value in the clinical setting; however, most of these tools offer vast potential for exploring further the pathophysiology of primary headaches and the effects of pharmacological treatments Trigeminofacial reflexes, the nociceptive flexion reflex, and evoked potentials have been used in TACs to explore the functional state of brainstem and spinal structures involved in pain processing, contributing to our understanding of the pathophysiology of these primary headaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Friberg
- Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Bispebjerb Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Perrotta A, Serrao M, Sandrini G, Burstein R, Sances G, Rossi P, Bartolo M, Pierelli F, Nappi G. Sensitisation of spinal cord pain processing in medication overuse headache involves supraspinal pain control. Cephalalgia 2009; 30:272-84. [PMID: 19614707 DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-2982.2009.01914.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Medication overuse could interfere with the activity of critical brain regions involved in the supraspinal control of pain signals at the trigeminal and spinal level, leading to a sensitisation phenomenon responsible for chronic pain. We hypothesised that medication-overuse headache (MOH) patients might display abnormal processing of pain stimuli at the spinal level and defective functioning of the diffuse noxious inhibitory controls. We tested 31 MOH patients before (bWT) and after (aWT) standard inpatient withdrawal treatment, 28 episodic migraine (EM) patients and 23 healthy control subjects. We measured the threshold, the area and the temporal summation threshold (TST) of the nociceptive withdrawal reflex before, during and after activation of the diffuse noxious inhibitory controls by means of the cold pressor test. A significantly lower TST was found in both the MOH (bWT and aWT) and the EM patients compared with the controls, and in the MOH patients bWT compared with both the MOH patients aWT and the EM patients. In the MOH bWT patients the cold pressor test induced a TST increase significantly lower than that found in the MOH aWT, EM and control groups. Abnormal spinal cord pain processing and a decrease of the antinociceptive activity of the supraspinal structures in MOH patients can be hypothesised. These abnormalities could, in part, be related to the medication overuse, given that the withdrawal treatment was related to an improvement in the neurophysiological findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Perrotta
- University Centre for Adaptive Disorders and Headache, IRCCS ‘C. Mondino Institute of Neurology’ Foundation, University of Pavia, Pavia
- IRCCS ‘Neuromed’, University of Rome ‘La Sapienza’, Headache Clinic, Pozzilli, Isernia
| | - M Serrao
- University Centre for Adaptive Disorders and Headache, University of Rome ‘La Sapienza’, Polo Pontino-ICOT, Latina
- Rehabilitation Centre, Policlinico Italia
| | - G Sandrini
- University Centre for Adaptive Disorders and Headache, IRCCS ‘C. Mondino Institute of Neurology’ Foundation, University of Pavia, Pavia
| | - R Burstein
- Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - G Sances
- University Centre for Adaptive Disorders and Headache, IRCCS ‘C. Mondino Institute of Neurology’ Foundation, University of Pavia, Pavia
| | - P Rossi
- Headache Clinic, INI Grottaferrata, Italy
| | - M Bartolo
- University Centre for Adaptive Disorders and Headache, IRCCS ‘C. Mondino Institute of Neurology’ Foundation, University of Pavia, Pavia
- IRCCS ‘Neuromed’, University of Rome ‘La Sapienza’, Headache Clinic, Pozzilli, Isernia
| | - F Pierelli
- University Centre for Adaptive Disorders and Headache, University of Rome ‘La Sapienza’, Polo Pontino-ICOT, Latina
| | - G Nappi
- University Centre for Adaptive Disorders and Headache, IRCCS ‘C. Mondino Institute of Neurology’ Foundation, University of Pavia, Pavia
- Chair of Neurology, University of Rome ‘La Sapienza’, Rome, Italy
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Rhudy JL, Maynard LJ, Russell JL. Does In Vivo Catastrophizing Engage Descending Modulation of Spinal Nociception? THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2007; 8:325-33. [PMID: 17140855 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2006.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2006] [Revised: 09/18/2006] [Accepted: 10/01/2006] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Prior research has found that pain catastrophizing measured before pain testing is not correlated with the nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR) threshold (a measure of spinal nociception), suggesting that catastrophizing does not alter pain through descending modulatory mechanisms. However, recent evidence suggests that in vivo catastrophizing (measured during or after pain testing) is a better predictor of pain outcomes. In the present study, NFR threshold and pain sensation ratings were assessed in 78 healthy participants by delivering electric stimulations to the sural nerve. After pain testing, participants were asked to rate their affective reaction (displeasure, arousal) to electric stimuli and to report on their pain catastrophizing. Hierarchical regression analyses controlling for participant sex, pre-experiment affect, depressive symptoms, and self-efficacy were used to predict pain-related outcomes (NFR threshold, pain sensation, displeasure ratings, arousal ratings) from in vivo catastrophizing scores. Results indicated that in vivo catastrophizing was related to pain sensation but not to NFR thresholds or arousal reactions. The relation between in vivo catastrophizing and displeasure ratings was not significant after other variables were controlled. These data support prior research suggesting that catastrophizing does not alter pain by engaging descending modulatory mechanisms. PERSPECTIVE Pain catastrophizing is an important psychological predictor of pain and pain-related functioning. The present study confirms prior reports suggesting that catastrophizing does not work by engaging mechanisms that alter pain transmission in the spinal cord before the signal travels to the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie L Rhudy
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74104, USA.
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Felisati G, Arnone F, Lozza P, Leone M, Curone M, Bussone G. Sphenopalatine Endoscopic Ganglion Block: A Revision of a Traditional Technique for Cluster Headache. Laryngoscope 2006; 116:1447-50. [PMID: 16885751 DOI: 10.1097/01.mlg.0000227997.48020.44] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The diagnosis of chronic cluster headache (CH), the most painful form of headache, is based on typical clinical features characterized by strictly unilateral pain with no side shift and ipsilateral oculofacial autonomic phenomena. The attacks occur several times a day for periods of 1 to 2 months in the episodic form of the disease or less frequently on a daily basis in the chronic form. The pathogenesis of CH involves the activation of parasympathetic nerve structures located within the sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG), which explains many of the associated symptoms, whereas the activation of the ipsilateral hypothalamic gray matter may explain its typical circadian and circannual periodicity. A number of surgical approaches have been tried in cases of chronic CH resistant to pharmacologic therapy, of which SPG blockade has been shown to have certain efficacy. We have adopted a new technique based on endoscopic ganglion blockade that approaches the pterigo-palatine fossa by way of the lateral nasal wall and consists of the injection of a mixture of local anesthetics and corticosteroids, which was performed in 20 selected patients with chronic CH, according to the International Headache Society criteria (18 male, 2 female; mean age 40 yr), who were selected for SPG blockade because they were totally drug resistant. The symptoms improved significantly, but always only temporarily, in 11 cases. These results should be considered rather good because, unlike other frequently used techniques, SPG blockade is not invasive and should therefore always be attempted before submitting patients to more invasive surgical approaches.
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Sandrini G, Serrao M, Rossi P, Romaniello A, Cruccu G, Willer JC. The lower limb flexion reflex in humans. Prog Neurobiol 2005; 77:353-95. [PMID: 16386347 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2005.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 371] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2005] [Revised: 11/08/2005] [Accepted: 11/09/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The flexion or flexor reflex (FR) recorded in the lower limbs in humans (LLFR) is a widely investigated neurophysiological tool. It is a polysynaptic and multisegmental spinal response that produces a withdrawal of the stimulated limb and resembles (having several features in common) the hind-paw FR in animals. The FR, in both animals and humans, is mediated by a complex circuitry modulated at spinal and supraspinal level. At rest, the LLFR (usually obtained by stimulating the sural/tibial nerve and by recording from the biceps femoris/tibial anterior muscle) appears as a double burst composed of an early, inconstantly present component, called the RII reflex, and a late, larger and stable component, called the RIII reflex. Numerous studies have shown that the afferents mediating the RII reflex are conveyed by large-diameter, low-threshold, non-nociceptive A-beta fibers, and those mediating the RIII reflex by small-diameter, high-threshold nociceptive A-delta fibers. However, several afferents, including nociceptive and non-nociceptive fibers from skin and muscles, have been found to contribute to LLFR activation. Since the threshold of the RIII reflex has been shown to correspond to the pain threshold and the size of the reflex to be related to the level of pain perception, it has been suggested that the RIII reflex might constitute a useful tool to investigate pain processing at spinal and supraspinal level, pharmacological modulation and pathological pain conditions. As stated in EFNS guidelines, the RIII reflex is the most widely used of all the nociceptive reflexes, and appears to be the most reliable in the assessment of treatment efficacy. However, the RIII reflex use in the clinical evaluation of neuropathic pain is still limited. In addition to its nocifensive function, the LLFR seems to be linked to posture and locomotion. This may be explained by the fact that its neuronal circuitry, made up of a complex pool of interneurons, is interposed in motor control and, during movements, receives both peripheral afferents (flexion reflex afferents, FRAs) and descending commands, forming a multisensorial feedback mechanism and projecting the output to motoneurons. LLFR excitability, mediated by this complex circuitry, is finely modulated in a state- and phase-dependent manner, rather as we observe in the FR in animal models. Several studies have demonstrated that LLFR excitability may be influenced by numerous physiological conditions (menstrual cycle, stress, attention, sleep and so on) and pathological states (spinal lesions, spasticity, Wallenberg's syndrome, fibromyalgia, headaches and so on). Finally, the LLFR is modulated by several drugs and neurotransmitters. In summary, study of the LLFR in humans has proved to be an interesting functional window onto the spinal and supraspinal mechanisms of pain processing and onto the spinal neural control mechanisms operating during posture and locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Sandrini
- University Center for Adaptive Disorders and Headache, IRCCS C. Mondino Institute of Neurology Foundation, University of Pavia, Via Mondino 2, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
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Perissin L, Boccalon S, Scaggiante B, Petrelli L, Ortolani F, Porro CA. Diurnal changes of tonic nociceptive responses in mice: evidence for a proalgesic role of melatonin. Pain 2004; 110:250-8. [PMID: 15275775 DOI: 10.1016/j.pain.2004.03.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2003] [Revised: 03/17/2004] [Accepted: 03/29/2004] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Diurnal variations in tonic pain reactions have been described in mice tested in Spring, but the underlying mechanisms are still unknown. We tested the potential role of melatonin, a key hormone in the control of neuro-endocrine circadian rhythms. The experiments were performed in male CBA/J mice housed under controlled temperature, humidity, and light (12/12 dark/light cycle) conditions, during the Light (7-10a.m.) or Dark (7-10p.m.) phases of the diurnal cycle. In a first group of experiments, animals were either pretreated with i.p. saline (controls) or with the melatonin receptor antagonist, luzindole (30 mg/kg), before the s.c. injection of a dilute formalin solution into a hindpaw. In control animals, pain-related behavioral reactions (licking and flinching) were higher in the evening (Dark) than in the morning (Light), both during the first (0-10 min) and the second (11-55 min) phase of the response to s.c. formalin. In animals pre-treated with luzindole, no diurnal changes occurred, pain reactions in the Dark being similar to those of the Light Control group. In a second group of experiments, artificial pinealectomy, obtained by exposing animals to continuous light for 48 h, also reduced pain reactions in the evening to levels comparable to those in the morning. Receptor autoradiography showed lower binding availability at spinal cord level in mice sacrificed during the Dark, as expected from the circadian pattern of melatonin secretion. A further significant decrease of melatonin receptor binding was induced by noxious stimulation. These results suggest a proalgesic role of endogenous melatonin in tonic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Perissin
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biomediche, Università di Udine, Piazzale Kolbe 4, Udine 33100, Italy.
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