Brain Asymmetry in Pain Affective Modulation

Abstract

Objective The aim of this study was to characterize the dynamic brain networks underlying the affective modulation of pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral image perception due to painful stimulations in healthy subjects. Methods Forty volunteers, 20 men and 20 women, participated in this study. Brain activity was recorded by 64-channel electroencephalography. After data cleaning, functional brain networks were built using the motif synchronization method. Results We found that increased cerebral connectivity in the left hemisphere under the pain condition broke the connection symmetry. Both women and men showed homophilic connections (intra-hemispheric), but women were more homophilic than men. The pain condition increased homophily in the left hemisphere and emotions could modulate pain. Frontal, central, and left temporal regions showed homophilic variation, depending on the emotional stimulus. Conclusions Pain and emotions altered brain activity. There was increased connectivity and homophily in the left brain hemisphere for the painful experience. The emotions modulated the brain activity in pain condition. Overall, the brain presented homophilic characteristics; homophily changed, depending on emotion or pain. The left brain hemisphere seems to be related to pain processing.

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“…In the study of brain asymmetry, we cannot forget the processing of pain, inevitably associated with emotional circuits. In this sense, Toutain et al [70] have observed an increase in intra-hemispheric interactions in the left hemisphere in case of a painful sensation, this increase being greater in women. These authors also suggest that emotions can modulate the level of brain asymmetry under pain conditions.…”

Synchronized spread of COVID-19 in the cities of Bahia, Brazil

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