Mechanism of Analgesic Effect on Prolonged Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation

This study comprised 3 parallel arms corresponding to 3 types of stimulation: active stimulation of M1, active stimulation of DLPFC-pcTBS, and sham stimulation (of M1 or DLPFC). Volunteers were randomly assigned to the 3 arms. In the first part, these volunteers participated in 2 experimental sessions 1 weeks apart, in which we compared the effects of naloxone and placebo (saline), administered according to a randomized, double-blind crossover design, on pcTBS-induced analgesia. Each experimental session started with the determination of baseline pain intensity and cortical excitability as well as plasma opioid peptide concentrations. Ten minutes before pcTBS (of M1, DLPFC, or sham), the volunteer received an intravenous bolus followed by a continuous infusion of either placebo (ie, saline) or naloxone, which was continued throughout the rTMS session (2 minutes). The participant was then allowed to rest for 60 minutes. Posttreatment pain intensity, cortical excitability and plasma opioid peptide concentrations will be determined by the same procedure used at baseline.In the second part, ketamine will be delivered the same as the first part.