Somatosensory temporal discrimination remains intact in tension-type headache whereas it is disrupted in migraine attacks

Abstract

Background and objective: Somatosensory temporal discrimination was recently reported as prolonged during migraine attacks, which is consistent with disrupted sensorial perception in migraine. However, knowledge about central sensory processing in tension-type headache is still lacking. This prospective, controlled study aimed to investigate somatosensory temporal discrimination thresholds in tension-type headache. Methods: The study included 10 tension-type headache patients, 10 migraine patients and 10 healthy volunteers without headache. Somatosensory temporal discrimination thresholds were evaluated during the headache attacks of tension-type headache and migraine patients. Results: Somatosensory temporal discrimination thresholds of tension-type headache patients (39.0 ± 5.5 ms for the right hand and 40.6 ± 4.6 ms for the left hand) were significantly lower than those of episodic migraine patients (137.1 ± 35.8 ms for the right hand and 118.4 ± 34.3 ms for the left hand, p < 0.0001 and p < 0.0001 respectively), and comparable to those of healthy volunteers (38.6 ± 5.3 ms for the right hand and 38.3 ± 7.2 ms for the left hand, p = 0.79 and p = 0.45 respectively). Conclusion: Central sensory processing, as tested by somatosensory temporal discrimination, was remarkably disrupted during the headache attacks in migraineurs, whereas it remained intact in the tension-type headache patients.