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Research Report

Changes in cortical oscillations linked to multisensory modulation of nociception

  1. Flavia Mancini1,*,
  2. Matthew R. Longo2,
  3. Elisa Canzoneri1,3,
  4. Giuseppe Vallar4,5,
  5. Patrick Haggard1

Article first published online: 6 DEC 2012

DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12080

Issue

European Journal of Neuroscience

European Journal of Neuroscience

Volume 37, Issue 5, pages 768–776, March 2013

Additional Information

How to Cite

Mancini, F., Longo, M. R., Canzoneri, E., Vallar, G. and Haggard, P. (2013), Changes in cortical oscillations linked to multisensory modulation of nociception. European Journal of Neuroscience, 37: 768–776. doi: 10.1111/ejn.12080

Author Information

  1. 1

    Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK

  2. 2

    Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, UK

  3. 3

    CsrNC, Centre for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Bologna, Cesena, Italy

  4. 4

    Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy

  5. 5

    Neuropsychological Laboratory, IRCCS Italian Auxological Institute, Milano, Italy

* Correspondence: Flavia Mancini, as above.
E-mail: f.mancini@ucl.ac.uk

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 4 MAR 2013
  2. Article first published online: 6 DEC 2012
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 5 NOV 2012
  4. Manuscript Revised: 18 OCT 2012
  5. Manuscript Received: 17 SEP 2012

Funded by

  • doctoral program of the University of Milano-Bicocca.
  • PRIN and FAR grants.
  • Research Fellowship from the Leverhulme Trust, and by EU FP7 project VERE.

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Keywords:

  • body representation;
  • electroencephalography;
  • human;
  • multisensory integration;
  • pain;
  • somatosensory

Abstract

Pain can be modulated by several contextual factors. For example, simply viewing one's own body can reduce pain, suggesting that the visual context may influence the processing of nociceptive stimuli. We studied changes in electroencephalographic (EEG) oscillatory activity related to visual modulation of nociception, comparing cortical oscillations during innocuous or noxious contact heat, while participants viewed either their own hand or a neutral object at the same location. Viewing the body compared with viewing the object reduced the intensity ratings of noxious stimuli, but not of innocuous heat. Time–frequency analysis of EEG data revealed that noxious, as opposed to warm, stimulation was associated with reduced beta (15–25 Hz) power. Classically, such decreases in oscillatory power indicate increases in sensory cortical activation. These event-related oscillatory changes were moreover modulated by the visual context; viewing one's own body increased noxious stimulation-induced beta oscillatory activity bilaterally, relative to viewing a neutral object, possibly indicating inhibition of cortical nociceptive processing. These results demonstrate that visual–nociceptive interactions involve changes in sensorimotor EEG rhythms.

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