A baroreflex mechanism may explain hypertensive hypoalgesia.
At rest, arterial baroreceptors are stimulated during the systolic
upstroke of the pressure pulse wave. This study examined the
effects of naturally occurring variations in baroreceptor activity
during the cardiac cycle on an objective measure of pain, the
nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR). Two interleaved up–down
staircase procedures determined separate NFR thresholds during
systole and diastole in 36 healthy, normotensive young adults.
On odd-numbered trials, the sural nerve was stimulated
electrocutaneously at R + 300 ms whereas on even-numbered trials,
stimulation was delivered at R + 600 ms. The NFR threshold was
higher at R + 300 ms than R + 600 ms. In contrast, stimulus
intensity ratings did not differ between R + 300 ms and R +
600 ms. Stimulation of baroreceptors by natural increases in
blood pressure during the systolic phase of the cardiac cycle
was associated with dampened nociception.