Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Endometriosis is a common cause of pain in the pelvic region in women. Endometriosis pain has often been considered to be a homogeneous condition. However, multiple mechanisms have been shown to contribute making it a therapeutic... more
Endometriosis is a common cause of pain in the pelvic region in women. Endometriosis pain has often been considered to be a homogeneous condition. However, multiple mechanisms have been shown to contribute making it a therapeutic challenge. Many of the current medical treatments for it include oral drugs like non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, contraceptives, progestogens, androgenic agents, gonadotrophin releasing hormone analogues, as well as laparoscopic surgical excision of the endometrio-sis lesions. In many patients these treatments are insufficient or associated with side-effects. Three studies have described the application of different needle stimulation techniques (acupuncture) and the results suggest that acupuncture may be a valuable treatment option to some.
Pain is a personal subjective multidimensional experience influenced by a number of factors with different origin like biological and socio-cultural. In women, painful experimental stimuli are generally reported to have a greater... more
Pain is a personal subjective multidimensional experience influenced by a number of factors with different origin like biological and socio-cultural. In women, painful experimental stimuli are generally reported to have a greater intensity in comparison with men. Clinical pain is often reported with higher severity and frequency, longer duration, and present in a greater number of body regions in women
Research Interests:
This study was carried out to explore the pain-alleviating effect of pulsed ultrasound in lateral epicondylalgia. Forty-five patients were consecutively assigned at random to two groups for pulsed ultrasound or placebo. The parameters for... more
This study was carried out to explore the pain-alleviating effect of pulsed ultrasound in lateral epicondylalgia. Forty-five patients were consecutively assigned at random to two groups for pulsed ultrasound or placebo. The parameters for ultrasound were 1 MHz; 1:4; 1 W/cm2. Each session was for 10 min, two to three times weekly, ten treatments in all. Follow-ups were done after three and twelve months. The statistical analysis showed no significant differences in relation to subjective or objective outcomes between the groups after the treatment period or at the follow-ups. Our results do not support the use of pulsed ultrasound treatment with the chosen parameters in lateral epicondylalgia.
Research Interests: Pain, Humans, Female, Male, Follow-up studies, and 6 moreUltrasonic therapy, Clinical Sciences, Aged, Middle Aged, Adult, and Tennis Elbow
Studies have shown that 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) plays an important role in the descending pathway of pain modulation from brainstem to the spinal cord. Using selective 5-HT receptor antagonists, the present study investigated which... more
Studies have shown that 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) plays an important role in the descending pathway of pain modulation from brainstem to the spinal cord. Using selective 5-HT receptor antagonists, the present study investigated which type of 5-HT receptor(s) in the spinal cord was involved in the morphine-induced anti-nociception in intact rats, in rats with nerve injury and in rats with inflammation. The hindpaw withdrawal latencies decreased significantly after sciatic nerve injury and hindpaw inflammation compared with intact rats. Intrathecal administration of 25 or 10 microg of the selective 5-HT(1A) recepter antagonist spiroxatrine, but not 1 microg of spiroxatrine, significantly blocked the increased hindpaw withdrawal latencies to thermal and mechanical stimulation induced by intra-periaqueductal gray injection of 1 microg of morphine in intact rats. Intrathecal injection of the 5-HT(2) receptor antagonist RS 102221 and the 5-HT(3) receptor antagonist MDL 72222 had no signi...
Research Interests:
To study the interaction between human recombinant interleukin-1 alpha and the nervous system, substance P-, neurokinin A-, calcitonin gene-related peptide-, and neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity in the cerebrospinal fluid, plasma, and... more
To study the interaction between human recombinant interleukin-1 alpha and the nervous system, substance P-, neurokinin A-, calcitonin gene-related peptide-, and neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity in the cerebrospinal fluid, plasma, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) perfusates of rats during acute experimental monarthritis were examined. The right TMJs of the experimental rats were injected with 0.01 mL of human recombinant interleukin-1 alpha. The right TMJs of control rats were injected with 0.01 mL of saline. Cerebrospinal fluid, plasma, and perfusates from the right TMJs were obtained at 2, 6, and 24 hours following injection, and neuropeptide-like immunoreactivity was analyzed by specific radioimmunoassays. Values of neuropeptide-like immunoreactivity for the experimental rats were compared with those of the control rats. In the experimental group, substance P-, neurokinin A-, and calcitonin gene-related peptide-like immunoreactivities were increased in cerebrospinal fluid co...
Research Interests:
Substance P(SP)-, neurokinin A (NKA)-, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)- and neuropeptide Y (NPY)-like immunoreactivity (-LI) was studied in rats' cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), plasma and perfusates (PF) from the temporomandibular... more
Substance P(SP)-, neurokinin A (NKA)-, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)- and neuropeptide Y (NPY)-like immunoreactivity (-LI) was studied in rats' cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), plasma and perfusates (PF) from the temporomandibular joints (TMJs) at 2, 6 and 24 h following 0.01 ml injection of 2% carrageenan (CAR) into the right TMJ. SP-, NKA-, CGRP- and NPY-LI were significantly increased in both TMJ perfusates of the treated groups compared to controls. Generally an injection with CAR into the right TMJ induced a similar influence of the concentration of SP-, NKA-, CGRP- and NPY-LI in the CSF, plasma and PF at 2, 6 and 24 h following injection. However, the most pronounced changes in neuropeptide-LI occurred intra-articularly in the joint fluid, which indicates that both the sensory and sympathetic nervous system are activated in this joint following osteoarthritis induction by carrageenan.
Research Interests:
The pain relieving effect of vibratory stimulation was studied in 731 patients suffering from acute pain (135 patients) or chronic pain (596 patients). Most of the patients had previously undergone treatments of various kinds without... more
The pain relieving effect of vibratory stimulation was studied in 731 patients suffering from acute pain (135 patients) or chronic pain (596 patients). Most of the patients had previously undergone treatments of various kinds without sufficient pain relief. The effect of vibratory stimulation was assessed before, during and after stimulation using different rating scales. About 70% of the patients reported reduction of pain during vibratory stimulation. In many patients there was a clear relation between the degree of reduction of pain and the intensity of pain before the beginning of stimulation. In general, relief of pain by more than 50% during stimulation was obtained in the patients who reported light, light to moderate, or moderate pain. The patients with moderate to severe, or severe pain before stimulation generally reported a reduction of pain of 50% or less. The best pain reducing site was found to be either the area of pain or close to it, the antagonistic muscle or a tri...
Research Interests: Adolescent, Vibration, Pain Management, Cryotherapy, Humans, and 9 moreChronic Disease, Female, Male, Aspirin, Aged, Middle Aged, Adult, Time Factors, and Naloxone
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
In this study the pain alleviating effects of continuous ultrasound treatment in epicondylalgia has been compared to placebo ultrasound and to rest. Of 99 patients 33 were randomly allocated to receive continuous ultrasound treatment, 33... more
In this study the pain alleviating effects of continuous ultrasound treatment in epicondylalgia has been compared to placebo ultrasound and to rest. Of 99 patients 33 were randomly allocated to receive continuous ultrasound treatment, 33 to placebo ultrasound treatment and 33 were recommended only rest. The 66 patients treated were each given 10 treatments over 5 to 6 weeks. The condition was significantly improved in the group treated with continuous ultrasound in 36%, in 30% given placebo, and in 24% of those recommended rest. A significant improvement was noted when the effect of continuous ultrasound was compared with rest, but continuous ultrasound treatment was not significantly better than placebo ultrasound.
Research Interests: Humans, Female, Male, Ultrasonic therapy, Clinical Sciences, and 6 moreAged, Middle Aged, Rest, Adult, Tennis Elbow, and Pain Measurement
Research Interests:
To examine the reliability, validity, sensitivity, and practicality of various outcome measures for pain after spinal cord injury (SCI), and to provide recommendations for specific measures for use in clinical trials. Relevant articles... more
To examine the reliability, validity, sensitivity, and practicality of various outcome measures for pain after spinal cord injury (SCI), and to provide recommendations for specific measures for use in clinical trials. Relevant articles were obtained through a search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PubMed databases from inception through 2006. The authors performed literature searches to find articles containing data relevant to the reliability and validity of each pain outcome measure in SCI and selected non-SCI populations. After reviewing the articles, an investigator extracted information utilizing a standard template. A second investigator reviewed the chosen articles and the extracted pertinent information to confirm the findings of the first investigator. Taking into consideration both the quantity and quality of the studies analyzed, judgments on reliability and validity of the measures were made by the two investigators. Based upon these judgments, recommendations were formu...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
In previous studies we found indications of stress reduction in saline-injected rats when exposed to an oxytocin (OT)-injected cage mate. Olfactory impairment and OT antagonist treatment abolished the effects. This suggested an... more
In previous studies we found indications of stress reduction in saline-injected rats when exposed to an oxytocin (OT)-injected cage mate. Olfactory impairment and OT antagonist treatment abolished the effects. This suggested an olfactorily mediated oxytocinergic stress-inhibitory mechanism. To test this hypothesis bodyweight, tail skin temperatures, food-intake and plasma ACTH and corticosterone concentrations were analysed. Suppressed weight loss and decreased stress-hormone release was found in saline-injected rats exposed to an OT-injected cage mate, but not in OT antagonist-injected rats, supporting the hypothesis. Our results suggest that OT in a stressed animal can inhibit the olfactory stress cues emitted, and that the olfactory cues from the stressed animal can influence an OT in pathway in the odour recipient animals to reduce stress effects.
Research Interests:
We previously found stress-reduction in rats exposed to an oxytocin-injected cage-mate. Olfactory impairment and oxytocin antagonist treatment blocked the effect. Here, we investigated effects of social stress on the exposure-induced... more
We previously found stress-reduction in rats exposed to an oxytocin-injected cage-mate. Olfactory impairment and oxytocin antagonist treatment blocked the effect. Here, we investigated effects of social stress on the exposure-induced response and exposure on amygdaloid oxytocin concentrations. CT concentrations in exposed olfactorily impaired, CT antagonist-treated and saline-injected unexposed rats were reduced, compared to the significantly higher level in untreated and exposed saline-injected rats. Saline injections and group mixing enhanced heat dissipation. Exposure abolished the injection-induced, but not mixing-induced stress response, most likely via a social stress induced effect on the oxytocin-injected rat. The difference in exposure responsivity may relate to recognition, stress type and intensity affecting different stress-response systems. The mechanism could reinforce social attachment.
Research Interests:
There is evidence for an altered endothelial function in established hypertension but little is known about endothelial function in borderline hypertension. It has also been suggested that the early stages of hypertension are... more
There is evidence for an altered endothelial function in established hypertension but little is known about endothelial function in borderline hypertension. It has also been suggested that the early stages of hypertension are characterized by an increased sympathetic drive. To investigate whether alterations in endothelin, neuropeptide Y (NPY) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) are already present in the borderline hypertensive stage. A case-control study of age-matched men recruited from a population screening programme. Seventy-five men with stable borderline hypertension [diastolic blood pressure (DBP), 85-94 mmHg] and 75 age- and sex-matched normotensive controls (DBP < or = 80 mmHg) were investigated. Plasma samples were drawn in a standardized fashion, and extracted and analysed using competitive radio immunoassays. Basal concentrations of NPY and CGRP were similar in the two groups (28.4 versus 26.7 pmol/l and 24.2 versus 21.7 pmol/l, respectively). Basal concentrations of endothelin were significantly higher in the borderline hypertensive group (2.0 versus 1.5 pmol/l, P < 0.0001). These results suggest that a disturbed endothelial function, represented by endothelin, could be involved in the early hypertensive processes. They also suggest that these changes could be present before the basal sympathetic/parasympathetic drive alters, warranting further research into this area.