Effect of transcutaneous electrotherapy on CSF beta-endorphin content in patients without pain problems

Abstract

To test the hypothesis of opiate-like peptide release after transcutaneous electrotherapy we measured beta-endorphin cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) content in 13 patients without pain problems. The results indicate a time dependent increase of CSF beta-endorphin in the group of patients studied. This fact suggests that the analgesic properties of the treatment may be ascribed to an involvement of the endogenous opiates system, independently from the basal clinical conditions of the patients.