PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Foreman, Robert D.
AU  - Qin, Chao
TI  - Neuromodulation of cardiac pain and cerebral vasculature: Neural mechanisms
AID  - 10.3949/ccjm.76.s2.15
DP  - 2009 Feb 01
TA  - Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine
PG  - S75--S79
VI  - 76
IP  - 4 suppl 2
4099  - http://www.ccjm.org/content/76/4_suppl_2/S75.short
4100  - http://www.ccjm.org/content/76/4_suppl_2/S75.full
SO  - Cleve Clin J Med2009 Feb 01; 76
AB  - Research using animal models has helped elucidate the neural mechanisms of angina pectoris, sensitization of cardiac nociceptive stimuli, and neuromodulation of cardiac pain and cardiovascular function. Findings over the last 2 decades include evidence of convergence of visceral-somatic input to spinothalamic cells and a major role for the vagus nerve in spinal cord processing. Stress-related glucocorticoids may manipulate amygdala function, inducing hypersensitivity to nociceptive input from the heart via central sensitization of upper thoracic spinal neuronal activity. Spinal cord stimulation may have therapeutic effects, although the underlying mechanism is unclear.