International journal of psychophysiology : official journal of the International Organization of Psychophysiology
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Int J Psychophysiol · Nov 2016
Randomized Controlled TrialExpectation of nocebo hyperalgesia affects EEG alpha-activity.
Changes in EEG activity have been related to clinical and experimental pain. Expectation of a negative outcome can lead to pain enhancement (nocebo hyperalgesia) and can alter the response to therapeutic interventions. The present study characterizes EEG alteration related to pain facilitation by nocebo. ⋯ Five-minute EEG was recorded under: resting state, tonic innocuous heat and tonic noxious heat before and after the application of a sham inert cream to the non-dominant volar forearm combined with cognitive manipulation. The intensity and unpleasantness of heat-induced pain increased after cognitive manipulation in the nocebo group compared to control and was associated with enhanced low alpha (8-10Hz) activity. However, changes in alpha activity were predicted by catastrophizing but not by pain intensity or unpleasantness, which suggest that low alpha power might reflect brain activity related to negative cognitive-affective responses to pain.