Author/Editor     Meh, D; Denišlič, M
Title     Quantitative assessment of thermal and pain sensitivity
Type     članek
Source     J Neurol Sci
Vol. and No.     Letnik 127
Publication year     1994
Volume     str. 164-9
Language     eng
Abstract     Values for thermal specific and thermal pain thresholds were determined in 150 healthy volunteers, 67 women and 83 men, aged from 10 to 73 years. Werm-cold difference limen, heat pain and cold pain thresholds were assessed at the face, thenar, medial surface of the upper- and forearm, lateral mammary, lateral umbilical, anterior thigh and lateral leg regions, and lateral aspect of the dorsum of the foot. Temperature and pain sensitivity were assessed by the Marstock method. Temperature sensivity was found obviously age-dependent. The correlation is linear. Women showed greater sensitivity for small temperature changes, reflected as warm-cold difference limen, and for heat pain and cold pain. Great variation of thermal and pain sensitivity of different body parts was significant in all volunteers, irrespective of age and sex. Interindividual variation was also considerable. Small intraindividual variability was found in measurements repeated in 4 consecutive days and after 4 weeks. Body lenght did not influence thermal and pain perception thresholds. There were no differences found in thermal and pain sensitivity between the left and the right side of the body.
Descriptors     TEMPERATURE SENSE
PAIN THRESHOLD
PAIN MEASUREMENT
DIFFERENTIAL THRESHOLD
CHILD
ADOLESCENCE
ADULT
MIDDLE AGE
AGED
SEX CHARACTERISTICS
AGING
INDIVIDUALITY
SKIN
COLD
HEAT