Neurophysiological assessment of the spinothalamic system currently relies on noxious heat-and warm-mediated evoked potential recordings related to Aδ-and C-fibres, using laser and contact heat stimulation (Iannetti et al., 2003; Wydenkeller, 2008). A new device based on micro-Peltier elements that is able to produce steep cooling ramps up to 300°C/s has been developed to activate selectively cold-mediating fibres (De Keyser, van den Broeke, Courtin, Dufour, & Mouraux, 2018). This tool, which provides rapid and painless skin cooling, elicits cold-evoked potentials at latencies compatible with Aδ-fibres conduction velocity (De Keyser et al., 2018; Leone et al., 2019). Previous studies-using heat and warm laser stimulation of the skin overlying the vertebral spinous processes-have investigated the spinothalamic tract in healthy humans and patients and provided information on nociceptive and warm spinal pathway conduction velocities (
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