Neurophysiology and Pharmacology of Cough Reflex Hypersensitivity
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2009-07-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
A cough lasting more than 2 months is known as a chronic cough, affecting 12-23% of the adult
non-smoking population. Chronic cough has many associated complications including
incontinence, muscular chest pains, blackouts and depression. Current treatment is often
ineffective in these patients. To develop new medications the investigators need to
understand more about the mechanisms that can lead to excessive coughing.
This study plans to compare a group of 12 healthy volunteers and 12 patients with a chronic
cough. The investigators hypothesise that that chronic cough patients have a more sensitive
cough reflex as a result central nervous system hyper-excitability (central sensitisation).
The investigators will measure cough reflex sensitivity before and after administration of
ketamine, a medication that blocks an important receptor in the central nervous system.