Journal
SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF PAIN
Volume 19, Issue 3, Pages 583-596Publisher
WALTER DE GRUYTER GMBH
DOI: 10.1515/sjpain-2018-0341
Keywords
emotional modulation of pain; positive emotion; negative emotion; brain functional magnetic resonance imaging
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Background and aims: Research has shown that negative emotions increase perceived pain whereas positive emotions reduce pain. Here we aim to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying this phenomenon. Methods: While undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging of the brain, 20 healthy adult females were presented with negative, neutral, and positive emotion-evoking visual stimuli in combination with the presentation of a noxious thermal stimulus to the hand. Participants rated the intensity and unpleasantness of the noxious thermal stimulus during each of the valence conditions. General linear model analyses were performed on the imaging data for each valence condition and specific contrasts were run. Results: Significant differences were detected for the emotional modulation of pain (EMP) between the positive and negative conditions. Unique to the positive condition, there was increased activity in the inferior parietal, parahippocampal/perirhinal, precuneus/superior parietal, and the prefrontal cortices. Unique to the negative condition, there was increased activity in anterior and posterior cingulate and angular gyrus. Conclusions: Positive and negative EMP appear to involve different brain regions.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available