Does Anticipation of Pain Affect Cortical Nociceptive Systems?

• DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.22-08-03206.2002
• Publication Date: 2018-04-05T02:40:46Z
• Authors: Carlo A. Porro; Patrizia Baraldi; Giuseppe Pagnoni; Marco Serafini; Patrizia Facchin; Marta Maieron; Paolo Nichelli
• Keywords: Secondary somatosensory cortex; Cingulate cortex

Anticipation of pain is a complex state that may influence the perception subsequent noxious stimuli. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to study changes activity cortical nociceptive networks in healthy volunteers while they expected somatosensory stimulation one foot, which might be painful (subcutaneous injection ascorbic acid) or not. Subjects had no previous experience stimulus. Mean fMRI signal intensity increased over baseline values during anticipation and actual putative foot representation area contralateral primary cortex (SI). signals decreased other portions ipsilateral SI, as well anteroventral cingulate cortex. The clusters whose time courses showed positive negative correlations with individual psychophysical curve was also significantly affected waiting period. Positively correlated were found SI bilaterally anterior cingulate, insula, medial prefrontal Negatively bilaterally. In all these areas, same sign those observed but less intense (∼30–40% large peak stimulation). These results provide evidence for top-down mechanisms, triggered by anticipation, modulating systems involved sensory affective components even absence input suggest directly influenced cognitive factors.