Cool-evoked brain potentials (CEPs)
A few studies showed that brisk innocuous cooling of the skin can be used to elicit CEPs related to the activation of cool-sensitive Adelta fibers [34, 41]. However, the responses reported in these previous studies had a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), probably due to the limited cooling ramps achieved by the cooling devices, leading to poor time-locking of the activity generatedin cool-sensitive afferents. Recently, we recorded CEPs using a thermode prototype developed by Pr A. Dufour (Strasbourg University) [42]. The device is able to generate very steep cooling ramps of up to 300°C/s. Brisk innocuous cooling of the skin using such ramps elicit CEPs with a high SNR, opening new possibilities to study cool and cold perception in humans.
Researchers involved