Determining the neural substrate for encoding a memory of human pain and the influence of anxiety
Journal
Journal of Neuroscience
Journal Volume
37
Journal Issue
49
Pages
11806-11817
Date Issued
2017
Author(s)
Abstract
To convert the sensation of pain into a briefly maintainable construct is essential to guide human behavior and avoid dangerous situations. Although this working memory encoding process is implicitly contained in the majority of studies, the underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear. Using fMRI in a delayed-discrimination task, we found that the encoding of pain engaged the activation of the medial thalamus and the functional connectivity between the thalamus and medial prefrontal cortex. These fMRI data were directly and indirectly related to participants' self-reported trait and state anxiety. Our findings indicate that the mechanisms responsible for the encoding of noxious stimuli differ from those for the encoding of innocuous stimuli, and that these mechanisms are shaped by an individual's anxiety levels.
SDGs
Publisher
Society for Neuroscience
Type
journal article