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In A, Strohman A, Payne B, Legon W. Low-intensity focused ultrasound to the posterior insula reduces temporal summation of pain. Brain Stimul 2024; 17:911-924. [PMID: 39089647 PMCID: PMC11452899 DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2024.07.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Revised: 07/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The insula and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) are core brain regions involved in pain processing and central sensitization, a shared mechanism across various chronic pain conditions. Methods to modulate these regions may serve to reduce central sensitization, though it is unclear which target may be most efficacious for different measures of central sensitization. OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS Investigate the effect of low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) to the anterior insula (AI), posterior insula (PI), or dACC on conditioned pain modulation (CPM) and temporal summation of pain (TSP). METHODS N = 16 volunteers underwent TSP and CPM pain tasks pre/post a 10 min LIFU intervention to either the AI, PI, dACC or Sham stimulation. Pain ratings were collected pre/post LIFU. RESULTS Only LIFU to the PI significantly attenuated pain ratings during the TSP protocol. No effects were found for the CPM task for any of the LIFU targets. LIFU pressure modulated group means but did not affect overall group differences. CONCLUSIONS LIFU to the PI reduced temporal summation of pain. This may, in part, be due to dosing (pressure) of LIFU. Inhibition of the PI with LIFU may be a future potential therapy in chronic pain populations demonstrating central sensitization. The minimal effective dose of LIFU for efficacious neuromodulation will help to translate LIFU for therapeutic options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander In
- Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA
| | - Andrew Strohman
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA; Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA; Graduate Program in Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA
| | - Brighton Payne
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA
| | - Wynn Legon
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA; Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA; Center for Human Neuroscience Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA; Center for Health Behaviors Research, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA; School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24016, USA; Graduate Program in Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Carilion Clinic, Roanoke, VA, 24016, USA.
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2
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Santos Cuevas DC, Campos Ruiz RE, Collina DD, Tierra Criollo CJ. Effective brain connectivity related to non-painful thermal stimuli using EEG. Biomed Phys Eng Express 2024; 10:045044. [PMID: 38834037 DOI: 10.1088/2057-1976/ad53ce] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the brain response to thermal stimuli is crucial in the sensory experience. This study focuses on non-painful thermal stimuli, which are sensations induced by temperature changes without causing discomfort. These stimuli are transmitted to the central nervous system through specific nerve fibers and are processed in various regions of the brain, including the insular cortex, the prefrontal cortex, and anterior cingulate cortex. Despite the prevalence of studies on painful stimuli, non-painful thermal stimuli have been less explored. This research aims to bridge this gap by investigating brain functional connectivity during the perception of non-painful warm and cold stimuli using electroencephalography (EEG) and the partial directed coherence technique (PDC). Our results demonstrate a clear contrast in the direction of information flow between warm and cold stimuli, particularly in the theta and alpha frequency bands, mainly in frontal and temporal regions. The use of PDC highlights the complexity of brain connectivity during these stimuli and reinforces the existence of different pathways in the brain to process different types of non-painful warm and cold stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Denny Daniel Collina
- Department of Electronics and Biomedical Engineering, Federal Center for Technological Education of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 30510-000, Brazil
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3
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Leu C, Glineur E, Liberati G. Cue-based modulation of pain stimulus expectation: do ongoing oscillations reflect changes in pain perception? A registered report. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:240626. [PMID: 39100172 PMCID: PMC11296059 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.240626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
A promising stream of investigations is targeting ongoing neural oscillations and whether their modulation could be related to the perception of pain. Using an electroencephalography (EEG) frequency-tagging approach, sustained periodic thermonociceptive stimuli perceived as painful have been shown to modulate ongoing oscillations in the theta, alpha and beta bands at the frequency of stimulation. Nonetheless, it remains uncertain whether these modulations are indeed linked to pain perception. To test this relationship, we modulated pain perception using a cue-based expectation modulation paradigm and investigated whether ongoing oscillations in different frequency bands mirror the changes in stimulus perception. Forty healthy participants were instructed that a visual cue can precede either a high- or low-intensity stimulation. These cues were paired with three different levels of sustained periodic thermonociceptive stimuli (low, medium and high). Despite a strong effect of expectation on perceived stimulus intensity, this effect was not reflected in the modulation of the ongoing oscillations, suggesting a potential dissociation of pain perception and these oscillatory activities. Rather, it seems that the intensity of stimulation is the primary generator of the frequency-tagged EEG responses. Importantly, these results need to be confirmed by further investigations that could allow the detection of smaller effects than originally estimated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Leu
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Esther Glineur
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Université Lumière Lyon 2, Lyon, France
| | - Giulia Liberati
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Psychological Sciences Research Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
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4
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Leu C, Courtin A, Cussac C, Liberati G. The role of ongoing oscillation in pain perception: Absence of modulation by a concomitant arithmetic task. Cortex 2023; 168:114-129. [PMID: 37708762 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2023.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Sustained nociceptive stimuli have been shown to modulate the amplitude of ongoing neural oscillations in the theta, alpha and beta frequency bands at the frequency of stimulation, suggesting a relationship between these ongoing oscillations and pain perception. Yet, whether these ongoing oscillations are actually related to the pain experience remains unclear. If it were the case, then cognitive processes that are known to affect pain intensity should also affect these ongoing oscillations. To this end, we used electroencephalography (EEG) to investigate whether distraction - an attentional state known to affect pain perception - also modulates the amplitude of these neural oscillations. More specifically, we hypothesized that performing an unrelated arithmetic task during sustained nociceptive stimulation would lead to a decrease in the modulations of ongoing oscillations exerted by the stimulation. To assess the selectivity of this modulation for nociception, we compared the modulations of ongoing oscillations exerted by sustained periodic thermonociceptive and non-nociceptive vibrotactile stimulation (.2 Hz, 75 sec), while participants were either asked to solve an unrelated arithmetic task (distraction task) or received no specific instruction (baseline). The intensity of perception was significantly reduced by the arithmetic task in both the thermonociceptive and the vibrotactile modality, and the sustained periodic stimulation elicited a periodic response at the frequency of stimulation in both modalities. However, the distraction task did not show a differential effect for the two stimulation modalities in any of the frequency bands. The fact that, unlike pain perception, these oscillations did not appear to be affected by the task suggests that they are dissociable from pain perception. Whether a different task (leading to a stronger degree of distraction) could lead to different results is unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Leu
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Arthur Courtin
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium; Center of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Céline Cussac
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Giulia Liberati
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium; Psychological Sciences Research Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
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5
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Gao C, Uchitomi H, Miyake Y. Influence of Multimodal Emotional Stimulations on Brain Activity: An Electroencephalographic Study. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:4801. [PMID: 37430714 PMCID: PMC10221168 DOI: 10.3390/s23104801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to reveal the influence of emotional valence and sensory modality on neural activity in response to multimodal emotional stimuli using scalp EEG. In this study, 20 healthy participants completed the emotional multimodal stimulation experiment for three stimulus modalities (audio, visual, and audio-visual), all of which are from the same video source with two emotional components (pleasure or unpleasure), and EEG data were collected using six experimental conditions and one resting state. We analyzed power spectral density (PSD) and event-related potential (ERP) components in response to multimodal emotional stimuli, for spectral and temporal analysis. PSD results showed that the single modality (audio only/visual only) emotional stimulation PSD differed from multi-modality (audio-visual) in a wide brain and band range due to the changes in modality and not from the changes in emotional degree. The most pronounced N200-to-P300 potential shifts occurred in monomodal rather than multimodal emotional stimulations. This study suggests that emotional saliency and sensory processing efficiency perform a significant role in shaping neural activity during multimodal emotional stimulation, with the sensory modality being more influential in PSD. These findings contribute to our understanding of the neural mechanisms involved in multimodal emotional stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenguang Gao
- Department of Computer Science, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8502, Japan; (H.U.); (Y.M.)
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6
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High-speed heating of the skin using a contact thermode elicits brain responses comparable to CO 2 laser-evoked potentials. Clin Neurophysiol 2023; 146:1-9. [PMID: 36473333 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2022.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare nociceptive event-related brain potentials elicited by a high-speed contact-thermode vs an infrared CO2 laser stimulator. METHODS Contact heat-evoked potentials (CHEPs) and CO2 laser-evoked potentials (LEPs) were recorded in healthy volunteers using a high-speed contact-thermode (>200 °C/s) and a temperature-controlled CO2 laser. In separate experiments, stimuli were matched in terms of target surface temperature (55 °C) and intensity of perception. A finite-element model of skin heat transfer was used to explain observed differences. RESULTS For 55 °C stimuli, CHEPs were reduced in amplitude and delayed in latency as compared to LEPs. For perceptually matched stimuli (CHEPs: 62 °C; LEPs: 55 °C), amplitudes were similar, but CHEPs latencies remained delayed. These differences could be explained by skin thermal inertia producing differences in the heating profile of contact vs radiant heat at the dermo-epidermal junction. CONCLUSIONS Provided that steep heating ramps are used, and that target temperature is matched at the dermo-epidermal junction, contact and radiant laser heat stimulation elicit responses of similar magnitude. CHEPs are delayed compared to LEPs. SIGNIFICANCE CHEPs could be used as an alternative to LEPs for the diagnosis of neuropathic pain. Dedicated normative values must be used to account for differences in skin thermal transfer.
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7
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Schaldemose EL, Andersen NT, Finnerup NB, Fardo F. When cooling of the skin is perceived as warmth: Enhanced paradoxical heat sensation by pre-cooling of the skin in healthy individuals. Temperature (Austin) 2022; 10:248-263. [PMID: 37332303 PMCID: PMC10274555 DOI: 10.1080/23328940.2022.2088028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A paradoxical heat sensation (PHS) is the misperception of warmth when the skin is cooled. PHS is uncommon in healthy individuals but common in patients with neuropathy and is associated with reduced thermal sensitivity. Identifying conditions that contribute to PHS may indirectly help us understand why some patients experience PHS. We hypothesized that pre-warming increased the number of PHS and that pre-cooling had minimal effect on PHS. We tested 100 healthy participants' thermal sensitivity on the dorsum of their feet by measuring detection and pain thresholds to cold and warm stimuli and PHS. PHS was measured using the thermal sensory limen (TSL) procedure from the quantitative sensory testing protocol of the German Research Network on Neuropathic Pain and by using a modified TSL protocol (mTSL). In the mTSL we examined the participants' thermal detection and PHS after pre-warming of 38°C and 44°C and pre-cooling of 26°C and 20°C. Compared to a baseline condition, the number of PHS responders was significantly increased after pre-cooling (20°C: RR = 1.9 (1.1; 3.3), p = 0.023 and 26°C: RR = 1.9 (1.2; 3.2), p = 0.017), but not significantly after pre-warming (38°C: RR = 1.5 (0.86; 2.8), p = 0.21 and 44°C: RR = 1.7 (.995; 2.9), p = 0.078). Pre-warming and pre-cooling increased the detection threshold of both cold and warm temperatures. We discussed these findings in relation to thermal sensory mechanisms and possible PHS mechanisms. In conclusion, PHS and thermosensation are closely related and pre-cooling can induce PHS responses in healthy individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen L. Schaldemose
- Danish Pain Research Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Niels T. Andersen
- Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Nanna B. Finnerup
- Danish Pain Research Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Francesca Fardo
- Danish Pain Research Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Center of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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8
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Wang H, Guo Y, Tu Y, Peng W, Lu X, Bi Y, Iannetti GD, Hu L. Neural processes responsible for the translation of sustained nociceptive inputs into subjective pain experience. Cereb Cortex 2022; 33:634-650. [PMID: 35244170 PMCID: PMC9890464 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Tracking and predicting the temporal structure of nociceptive inputs is crucial to promote survival, as proper and immediate reactions are necessary to avoid actual or potential bodily injury. Neural activities elicited by nociceptive stimuli with different temporal structures have been described, but the neural processes responsible for translating nociception into pain perception are not fully elucidated. To tap into this issue, we recorded electroencephalographic signals from 48 healthy participants receiving thermo-nociceptive stimuli with 3 different durations and 2 different intensities. We observed that pain perception and several brain responses are modulated by stimulus duration and intensity. Crucially, we identified 2 sustained brain responses that were related to the emergence of painful percepts: a low-frequency component (LFC, < 1 Hz) originated from the insula and anterior cingulate cortex, and an alpha-band event-related desynchronization (α-ERD, 8-13 Hz) generated from the sensorimotor cortex. These 2 sustained brain responses were highly coupled, with the α-oscillation amplitude that fluctuated with the LFC phase. Furthermore, the translation of stimulus duration into pain perception was serially mediated by α-ERD and LFC. The present study reveals how brain responses elicited by nociceptive stimulation reflect the complex processes occurring during the translation of nociceptive information into pain perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailu Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yifei Guo
- Neuroscience and Behaviour Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome 30 16163, Italy,Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Yiheng Tu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Weiwei Peng
- Brain Function and Psychological Science Research Center, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518061, China
| | - Xuejing Lu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yanzhi Bi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Gian Domenico Iannetti
- Neuroscience and Behaviour Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Rome 30 16163, Italy,Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Li Hu
- Corresponding author: CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
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9
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van den Berg B, Manoochehri M, Schouten AC, van der Helm FCT, Buitenweg JR. Nociceptive Intra-epidermal Electric Stimulation Evokes Steady-State Responses in the Secondary Somatosensory Cortex. Brain Topogr 2022; 35:169-181. [PMID: 35050427 PMCID: PMC8860817 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-022-00888-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have established the presence of nociceptive steady-state evoked potentials (SSEPs), generated in response to thermal or intra-epidermal electric stimuli. This study explores cortical sources and generation mechanisms of nociceptive SSEPs in response to intra-epidermal electric stimuli. Our method was to stimulate healthy volunteers (n = 22, all men) with 100 intra-epidermal pulse sequences. Each sequence had a duration of 8.5 s, and consisted of pulses with a pulse rate between 20 and 200 Hz, which was frequency modulated with a multisine waveform of 3, 7 and 13 Hz (n = 10, 1 excluded) or 3 and 7 Hz (n = 12, 1 excluded). As a result, evoked potentials in response to stimulation onset and contralateral SSEPs at 3 and 7 Hz were observed. The SSEPs at 3 and 7 Hz had an average time delay of 137 ms and 143 ms respectively. The evoked potential in response to stimulation onset had a contralateral minimum (N1) at 115 ms and a central maximum (P2) at 300 ms. Sources for the multisine SSEP at 3 and 7 Hz were found through beamforming near the primary and secondary somatosensory cortex. Sources for the N1 were found near the primary and secondary somatosensory cortex. Sources for the N2-P2 were found near the supplementary motor area. Harmonic and intermodulation frequencies in the SSEP power spectrum remained below a detectable level and no evidence for nonlinearity of nociceptive processing, i.e. processing of peripheral firing rate into cortical evoked potentials, was found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boudewijn van den Berg
- Biomedical Signals and Systems, Technical Medical Centre, University of Twente, PO Box 217, 7500 AE, Enschede, The Netherlands.
| | - Mana Manoochehri
- Biomechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Alfred C Schouten
- Biomechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands.,Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, USA.,Biomechanical Engineering, Technical Medical Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Frans C T van der Helm
- Biomechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands.,Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, USA
| | - Jan R Buitenweg
- Biomedical Signals and Systems, Technical Medical Centre, University of Twente, PO Box 217, 7500 AE, Enschede, The Netherlands
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10
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Tayeb Z, Dragomir A, Lee JH, Abbasi NI, Dean E, Bandla A, Bose R, Sundar R, Bezerianos A, Thakor NV, Cheng G. Distinct spatio-temporal and spectral brain patterns for different thermal stimuli perception. Sci Rep 2022; 12:919. [PMID: 35042875 PMCID: PMC8766611 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-04831-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the human brain's perception of different thermal sensations has sparked the interest of many neuroscientists. The identification of distinct brain patterns when processing thermal stimuli has several clinical applications, such as phantom-limb pain prediction, as well as increasing the sense of embodiment when interacting with neurorehabilitation devices. Notwithstanding the remarkable number of studies that have touched upon this research topic, understanding how the human brain processes different thermal stimuli has remained elusive. More importantly, very intense thermal stimuli perception dynamics, their related cortical activations, as well as their decoding using effective features are still not fully understood. In this study, using electroencephalography (EEG) recorded from three healthy human subjects, we identified spatial, temporal, and spectral patterns of brain responses to different thermal stimulations ranging from extremely cold and hot stimuli (very intense), moderately cold and hot stimuli (intense), to a warm stimulus (innocuous). Our results show that very intense thermal stimuli elicit a decrease in alpha power compared to intense and innocuous stimulations. Spatio-temporal analysis reveals that in the first 400 ms post-stimulus, brain activity increases in the prefrontal and central brain areas for very intense stimulations, whereas for intense stimulation, high activity of the parietal area was observed post-500 ms. Based on these identified EEG patterns, we successfully classified the different thermal stimulations with an average test accuracy of 84% across all subjects. En route to understanding the underlying cortical activity, we source localized the EEG signal for each of the five thermal stimuli conditions. Our findings reveal that very intense stimuli were anticipated and induced early activation (before 400 ms) of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Moreover, activation of the pre-frontal cortex, somatosensory, central, and parietal areas, was observed in the first 400 ms post-stimulation for very intense conditions and starting 500 ms post-stimuli for intense conditions. Overall, despite the small sample size, this work presents novel findings and a first comprehensive approach to explore, analyze, and classify EEG-brain activity changes evoked by five different thermal stimuli, which could lead to a better understanding of thermal stimuli processing in the brain and could, therefore, pave the way for developing a real-time withdrawal reaction system when interacting with prosthetic limbs. We underpin this last point by benchmarking our EEG results with a demonstration of a real-time withdrawal reaction of a robotic prosthesis using a human-like artificial skin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zied Tayeb
- Institute for Cognitive Systems, Technical University of Munich, Arcisstraße 21, 80333, Munich, Germany.
| | - Andrei Dragomir
- The N.1 Institute for Health, National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Dr. 05-COR, Singapore, 117456, Singapore
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston, 3517 Cullen Blvd, Houston, TX, 77204, USA
| | - Jin Ho Lee
- Institute for Cognitive Systems, Technical University of Munich, Arcisstraße 21, 80333, Munich, Germany
| | - Nida Itrat Abbasi
- The N.1 Institute for Health, National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Dr. 05-COR, Singapore, 117456, Singapore
| | - Emmanuel Dean
- Institute for Cognitive Systems, Technical University of Munich, Arcisstraße 21, 80333, Munich, Germany
- Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Aishwarya Bandla
- The N.1 Institute for Health, National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Dr. 05-COR, Singapore, 117456, Singapore
| | - Rohit Bose
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, 3700 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Raghav Sundar
- The N.1 Institute for Health, National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Dr. 05-COR, Singapore, 117456, Singapore
- Department of Haematology-Oncology, National University Cancer Institute, National University Hospital, 5 Lower Kent Ridge Rd, Singapore, 119074, Singapore
| | - Anastasios Bezerianos
- The N.1 Institute for Health, National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Dr. 05-COR, Singapore, 117456, Singapore
- Hellenic Institute of Transport (HIT), Centre for Research and Technology (CERTH), Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Nitish V Thakor
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Ave, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Engineering Drive 3, #04-08, Singapore, 117583, Singapore
| | - Gordon Cheng
- Institute for Cognitive Systems, Technical University of Munich, Arcisstraße 21, 80333, Munich, Germany
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11
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Pakniyat N, Namazi H. Decoding the coupling between the brain and skin reactions in auditory stimulation by information-based analysis of EEG and GSR signals. Technol Health Care 2021; 30:623-632. [PMID: 34542048 DOI: 10.3233/thc-213052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The analysis of brain activity in different conditions is an important research area in neuroscience. OBJECTIVE This paper analyzed the correlation between the brain and skin activities in rest and stimulations by information-based analysis of electroencephalogram (EEG) and galvanic skin resistance (GSR) signals. METHODS We recorded EEG and GSR signals of eleven subjects during rest and auditory stimulations using three pieces of music that were differentiated based on their complexity. Then, we calculated the Shannon entropy of these signals to quantify their information contents. RESULTS The results showed that music with greater complexity has a more significant effect on altering the information contents of EEG and GSR signals. We also found a strong correlation (r= 0.9682) among the variations of the information contents of EEG and GSR signals. Therefore, the activities of the skin and brain are correlated in different conditions. CONCLUSION This analysis technique can be utilized to evaluate the correlation among the activities of various organs versus brain activity in different conditions.
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12
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Yurkevicius BR, Alba BK, Seeley AD, Castellani JW. Human cold habituation: Physiology, timeline, and modifiers. Temperature (Austin) 2021; 9:122-157. [PMID: 36106151 PMCID: PMC9467574 DOI: 10.1080/23328940.2021.1903145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Habituation is an adaptation seen in many organisms, defined by a reduction in the response to repeated stimuli. Evolutionarily, habituation is thought to benefit the organism by allowing conservation of metabolic resources otherwise spent on sub-lethal provocations including repeated cold exposure. Hypermetabolic and/or insulative adaptations may occur after prolonged and severe cold exposures, resulting in enhanced cold defense mechanisms such as increased thermogenesis and peripheral vasoconstriction, respectively. Habituation occurs prior to these adaptations in response to short duration mild cold exposures, and, perhaps counterintuitively, elicits a reduction in cold defense mechanisms demonstrated through higher skin temperatures, attenuated shivering, and reduced cold sensations. These habituated responses likely serve to preserve peripheral tissue temperature and conserve energy during non-life threatening cold stress. The purpose of this review is to define habituation in general terms, present evidence for the response in non-human species, and provide an up-to-date, critical examination of past studies and the potential physiological mechanisms underlying human cold habituation. Our aim is to stimulate interest in this area of study and promote further experiments to understand this physiological adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beau R. Yurkevicius
- Thermal and Mountain Medicine Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA, USA
| | - Billie K. Alba
- Thermal and Mountain Medicine Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA, USA
| | - Afton D. Seeley
- Thermal and Mountain Medicine Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA, USA
- Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education, Belcamp, MD, USA
| | - John W. Castellani
- Thermal and Mountain Medicine Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA, USA
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van den Berg B, Manoochehri M, Kasting M, Schouten AC, van der Helm FCT, Buitenweg JR. Multisine frequency modulation of intra-epidermal electric pulse sequences: A novel tool to study nociceptive processing. J Neurosci Methods 2021; 353:109106. [PMID: 33626370 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2021.109106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
A sustained sensory stimulus with a periodic variation of intensity creates an electrophysiological brain response at associated frequencies, referred to as the steady-state evoked potential (SSEP). The SSEPs elicited by the periodic stimulation of nociceptors in the skin may represent activity of a brain network that is primarily involved in nociceptive processing. Exploring the behavior of this network could lead to valuable insights regarding the pathway from nociceptive stimulus to pain perception. We present a method to directly modulate the pulse rate of nociceptive afferents in the skin with a multisine waveform through intra-epidermal electric stimulation. The technique was demonstrated in healthy volunteers. Each subject was stimulated using a pulse sequence modulated by a multisine waveform of 3, 7 and 13 Hz. The EEG was analyzed for the presence of the base frequencies and associated (sub)harmonics. Topographies showed significant central and contralateral SSEP responses at 3, 7 and 13 Hz in respectively 7, 4 and 3 out of the 9 participants included for analysis. As such, we found that intra-epidermal stimulation with a multisine frequency modulated pulse sequence can generate nociceptive SSEPs. The possibility to stimulate the nociceptive system using multisine frequency modulated pulses offers novel opportunities to study the temporal dynamics of nociceptive processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boudewijn van den Berg
- Biomedical Signals and Systems, Technical Medical Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands.
| | - Mana Manoochehri
- Biomechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Mindy Kasting
- Biomechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Alfred C Schouten
- Biomechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands; Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, USA; Biomechanical Engineering, Technical Medical Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands
| | - Frans C T van der Helm
- Biomechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands; Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, USA
| | - Jan R Buitenweg
- Biomedical Signals and Systems, Technical Medical Centre, University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands
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Biometric Data as Real-Time Measure of Physiological Reactions to Environmental Stimuli in the Built Environment. ENERGIES 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/en14010232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The physiological and cognitive effects of environmental stimuli from the built environment on humans have been studied for more than a century, over short time frames in terms of comfort, and over long-time frames in terms of health and wellbeing. The strong interdependence of objective and subjective factors in these fields of study has traditionally involved the necessity to rely on a number of qualitative sources of information, as self-report variables, which however, raise criticisms concerning their reliability and precision. Recent advancements in sensing technology and data processing methodologies have strongly contributed towards a renewed interest in biometric data as a potential high-precision tool to study the physiological effects of selected stimuli on humans using more objective and real-time measures. Within this context, this review reports on a broader spectrum of available and advanced biosensing techniques used in the fields of building engineering, human physiology, neurology, and psychology. The interaction and interdependence between (i) indoor environmental parameters and (ii) biosignals identifying human physiological response to the environmental stressors are systematically explored. Online databases ScienceDirect, Scopus, MDPI and ResearchGate were scanned to gather all relevant publications in the last 20 years, identifying and listing tools and methods of biometric data collection, assessing the potentials and drawbacks of the most relevant techniques. The review aims to support the introduction of biomedical signals as a tool for understanding the physiological aspects of indoor comfort in the view of achieving an improved balance between human resilience and building resilience, addressing human indoor health as well as energetic and environmental building performance.
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