Pain when love is near

10th International Seminar on Medical Physics; 1st AMDI International Oncology Symposium

物理学;医药卫生

Tamam, S.^1 ; Ahmad, A.H.^2 ; Aziz, M.E.^1 ; Kamil, W.A.^1

Department of Radiology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan

16150, Malaysia^1

Department of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan

16150, Malaysia^2

关键词: Brain activation;    Brain response;    Cingulate cortex;    Design paradigm;    Pain threshold;    Random effects;    Secondary somatosensory cortex;    Statistical parametric mapping;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/851/1/012013/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1742-6596/851/1/012013

学科分类：卫生学

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

The aim of the study is to investigate brain responses to acute laser pain when a loved one is nearby. Laser pain stimuli at individual pain threshold were delivered using Th:YAG laser to 17 female participants. The participants were categorised into two groups, Love Hurts or Love Heals, according to their responses to pain stimulation during the presence of their loved ones. fMRI brain activation was obtained using 3 T Philips Achieva MRI scanner utilising blocked design paradigm comprising 15 blocks of stimulation phase and 15 blocks of no stimulation. fMRI images were analysed using statistical parametric mapping (SPM) focusing on random effects (RFX) analysis. We found that both groups activated pain-related areas such as the thalamus, secondary somatosensory cortex, insula and cingulate cortex. However, Love Hurts showed more activity in thalamus, parahippocampal gyrus and hippocampus; while Love Heals showed more activity in the entire part of cingulate cortex during the presence of their loved ones. In conclusion, there may be specific brain regions responsible for modulation of pain due to the presence of a loved one thus manifesting as Love Hurts or Love Heals.