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Gamma-Band Oscillations in the Primary Somatosensory Cortex—A Direct and Obligatory Correlate of Subjective Pain Intensity

Year: 2012

Type: article

Abstract: Electroencephalographic gamma band oscillations (GBOs) induced over the human primary somatosensory cortex (SI) by nociceptive stimuli have been hypothesized to reflect cortical processing involved directly in pain perception, because their magnitude correlates with pain intensity. However, as stimuli perceived as more painful are also more salient, an alternative interpretation of this correlation is that GBOs reflect unspecific stimulus-triggered attentional processing. In fact, this is suggested by recent observations that other features of the electroencephalographic (EEG) response correlate with pain perception when stimuli are presented in isolation, but not when their saliency is reduced by repetition. Here, by delivering trains of three nociceptive stimuli at a constant 1 s interval, and using different energies to elicit graded pain intensities, we demonstrate that GBOs recorded over SI always predict the subjective pain intensity, even when saliency is reduced by repetition. These results provide evidence for a close relationship between GBOs and the cortical activity subserving pain perception.

Source: Journal of Neuroscience

DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.5877-11.2012

Authors: Z. G. Zhang, L. Hu, Y. S. Hung, A. Mouraux, G. D. Iannetti

Institutions: University College London, University of Hong Kong, Southwest University, UCLouvain

Language: English

Topic: Neural dynamics and brain function

Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid