Effects of nicotine compared to placebo gum on sensitivity to pain and mediating effects of peak alpha frequency

• DOI: 10.7554/elife.91933.2
• Publication Date: 2025-03-19T14:28:21Z
• Authors: Samantha K Millard; Alan KI Chiang; Peter Humburg; Nahian Chowdhury; Raafay Rehan; Andrew J Furman; Ali Mazaheri; Siobhan M Schabrun; David A Seminowicz

Recent research has linked individual peak alpha frequency (PAF) to pain sensitivity, but whether PAF alterations can influence pain remains unclear. Our study investigated the effects of nicotine on pain sensitivity and whether pain changes are mediated by PAF changes. In a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled experiment, 62 healthy adults (18–44 years) received either 4 mg nicotine gum (n=29) or placebo (n=33). Resting state EEG and pain ratings during prolonged heat and pressure models were collected before and after nicotine intake. The nicotine group had a decrease in heat pain ratings compared to the placebo group and increased PAF speed across the scalp from pre to post-gum, driven by changes at central-parietal and right-frontal regions. However, mediation analysis did not support the notion that PAF changes mediate nicotine’s effects on pain sensitivity. While a growing body of literature supports a link between PAF and both acute and chronic pain, further work is needed to understand the mechanisms of this link.