A behavioral study of psycho-physiological characteristics of experimental tonic cold and heat pain
10.3760/cma.j.issn.1674-6554.2009.04.018
- VernacularTitle:试验性冷热痛心理生理特征的行为学研究
- Author:
Li DU
;
Zhaoran CHEN
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Experimental tonic cold and heat pain;
Psycho-physiological characteristics;
Psychological traits;
Infrared thermal image
- From:
Chinese Journal of Behavioral Medicine and Brain Science
2009;18(4):331-333
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To investigate the psycho-physiological characteristics of experimental tonic cold and heat pain in a behavioral study. Methods Sixty healthy subjects went through the tonic cold and tonic heat stimulation in a counter-balanced order. Psychological traits were measured before the experiment. Pain intensity ratings were recorded together with continuous Infrared thermal imaging recording. SF-MPQ was employed to assess pain intensity and affective measures. Results Anxiety and fear were positively correlated with cold pain intensity on SF-MPQ,while GESE was negatively correlated with that of heat pain (r =0.57,P <0.05; r =0.45,P <0.05,respectively). Verbal descriptors chosen from SF-MPQ for cold and heat pain significantly differed(χ2=18.6,P =0.04). Infrared thermal imaging results showed after stimulation,heat pain intensity ratings decreased simultaneously with skin surface temperature recovery to baseline. In contrast,skin surface temperature began to return to baseline well before the cold sensation began to diminish(t =34.57,P <0.05; t =23.66,P <0.05). Conclusion Experimental tonic cold and heat pain are not psychophysically identical,but may be predicted by different psychological traits,and may reside in differential peripheral and central processing in human.
