Affective modulation of nociception at spinal and supraspinal levels
Abstract
This study was designed to examine the effect of emotion on the nociceptive flexion reflex and pain ratings. To do so, 28 participants viewed pictures varying in emotional valence (unpleasant, neutral, pleasant) and electric stimulations were delivered during and in between pictures. Biceps femoris EMG resulting from the stimulations was used to quantify the nociceptive flexion reflex (spinal nociception), and pain ratings to the stimulations were used as an evaluative measure of supraspinal nociception. Manipulation checks suggested that pictures effectively manipulated emotion. Moreover, nociceptive flexion reflex magnitudes and pain ratings were modulated in a parallel manner. Specifically, viewing unpleasant pictures enhanced the nociceptive flexion reflex and pain, whereas viewing pleasant pictures inhibited the reflex and pain. Analyses suggested that emotional valence, but not arousal, mediated the effects of pictures.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In randomized controlled trials, individuals with high pre-treatment catastrophizing benefited less from topical analgesics, oral analgesics, and psychosocial treatments.
“In randomized controlled trials, individuals with high pretreatment levels of catastrophizing demonstrated less benefit from topical analgesics 313, oral analgesics 309, and psychosocial treatments314, 315.”
From Evaluating psychosocial contributions to chronic pain outcomes (2018) · cites this paper as [309]
Catastrophizing affects the effectiveness of pain-relieving interventions, including surgery.
“Catastrophizing also impacts treatment effectiveness for pain-relieving interventions 300, 301, 309, including surgery310–312.”
From Evaluating psychosocial contributions to chronic pain outcomes (2018) · cites this paper as [309]
Cites
Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences (2nd ed.).
Lachenbruch, P. A., & Cohen, J. (1989) · Journal of the American Statistical Association · doi:10.2307/2290095 · Cited by 37,385 · see citing works
LeDoux, J. E. (2000) · Annual Review of Neuroscience · doi:10.1146/annurev.neuro.23.1.155 · Cited by 8,444 · see citing works
The emotion probe. Studies of motivation and attention.
Lang, P. J. (1995) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037/0003-066x.50.5.372 · Cited by 2,846 · see citing works
The emotion probe: Studies of motivation and attention.
Lang, P. J. (1995) · American Psychologist · doi:10.1037//0003-066x.50.5.372 · Cited by 2,752 · see citing works
Emotion and motivation I: Defensive and appetitive reactions in picture processing.
Bradley, M. M., Codispoti, M., Cuthbert, B. N., & Lang, P. J. (2001) · Emotion · doi:10.1037/1528-3542.1.3.276 · Cited by 2,224 · see citing works
Emotion, attention, and the startle reflex
Lang, P. J., Bradley, M. M., & Cuthbert, B. N. (1990) · Psychological Review · doi:10.1037/0033-295x.97.3.377 · Cited by 2,205 · see citing works
Guidelines for Human Electromyographic Research
Fridlund, A. J., & Cacioppo, J. T. (1986) · Psychophysiology · doi:10.1111/j.1469-8986.1986.tb00676.x · Cited by 1,737 · see citing works
Lang, P. J., Bradley, M. M., & Cuthbert, B. N. (1999) · Cited by 1,664 · see citing works
Neural organization of the defensive behavior system responsible for fear
Fanselow, M. S. (1994) · Psychonomic Bulletin & Review · doi:10.3758/bf03210947 · Cited by 1,000 · see citing works
Technology in mental health care delivery systems
Sidowski, J. B., Johnson, J. H., & Williams, T. A. (1980) · Ablex Pub. Corp. eBooks · Cited by 977 · see citing works
Fear and anxiety: divergent effects on human pain thresholds
Rhudy, J. L., & Meagher, M. W. (2000) · Pain · doi:10.1016/s0304-3959(99)00183-9 · Cited by 913 · see citing works
Self-citationLife of the mind: The interface of psychopharmaceuticals, domestic economies, and social abandonment
Biehl, J. G. (2004) · American Ethnologist · doi:10.1525/ae.2004.31.4.475 · Cited by 903 · see citing works
Central nervous system mechanisms of pain modulation
Fields, H. L., Basbaum, A. I., & Heinricher, M. M. (2006) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b0-443-07287-6/50012-6 · Cited by 757 · see citing works
The startle probe response: A new measure of emotion?
Vrana, S. R., Spence, E. L., & Lang, P. J. (1988) · Journal of Abnormal Psychology · doi:10.1037//0021-843x.97.4.487 · Cited by 603 · see citing works
Neurobiology of fear responses: the role of the amygdala
Davis, M. (1997) · Journal of Neuropsychiatry · doi:10.1176/jnp.9.3.382 · Cited by 562 · see citing works
The startle probe response: A new measure of emotion?
Vrana, S. R., Spence, E. L., & Lang, P. J. (1988) · Journal of Abnormal Psychology · doi:10.1037/0021-843x.97.4.487 · Cited by 467 · see citing works
Pain and Emotion: Effects of Affective Picture Modulation
Meagher, M. W., Arnau, R. C., & Rhudy, J. L. (2001) · Psychosomatic Medicine · doi:10.1097/00006842-200101000-00010 · Cited by 342 · see citing works
Self-citationWiller, J. C., Dehen, H., & Cambier, J. (1981) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.6261330 · Cited by 336 · see citing works
Affective pictures processing, attention, and pain tolerance
de Wied, M. A., & Verbaten, M. N. (2001) · Pain · doi:10.1016/s0304-3959(00)00400-0 · Cited by 248 · see citing works
The effects of induced mood on laboratory pain.
Zelman, D. C., Howland, E. W., Nichols, S. N., & Cleeland, C. S. (1991) · Pain · doi:10.1016/0304-3959(91)90040-5 · Cited by 247 · see citing works
The nociceptive flexion reflex in humans – review article
Skljarevski, V., & Ramadan, N. (2002) · Pain · doi:10.1016/s0304-3959(02)00018-0 · Cited by 246 · see citing works
Supraspinal influences on nociceptive flexion reflex and pain sensation in man
Willer, J. C., Boureau, F., & Albe-Fessard, D. (1979) · Brain Research · doi:10.1016/0006-8993(79)90489-x · Cited by 230 · see citing works
Walters, E. T. (1994) · International Review of Neurobiology · doi:10.1016/s0074-7742(08)60307-4 · Cited by 206 · see citing works
The amygdala is essential for the expression of conditional hypoalgesia.
Helmstetter, F. J. (1992) · Behavioral Neuroscience · doi:10.1037//0735-7044.106.3.518 · Cited by 203 · see citing works
The influence of film-induced mood on pain perception
Weisenberg, M., Raz, T., & Hener, T. (1998) · Pain · doi:10.1016/s0304-3959(98)00069-4 · Cited by 190 · see citing works
A Motivational Analysis of Emotion: Reflex-Cortex Connections
Lang, P. J., Bradley, M. M., & Cuthbert, B. N. (1992) · Psychological Science · doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.1992.tb00255.x · Cited by 181 · see citing works
The amygdala is essential for the expression of conditional hypoalgesia.
Helmstetter, F. J. (1992) · Behavioral Neuroscience · doi:10.1037/0735-7044.106.3.518 · Cited by 180 · see citing works
Manning, B., & Mayer, D. J. (1995) · Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.15-12-08199.1995 · Cited by 172 · see citing works
The role of emotion in pain modulation.
Rhudy, J. L., & Meagher, M. W. (2001) · Current Opinion in Psychiatry · doi:10.1097/00001504-200105000-00012 · Cited by 170 · see citing works
Self-citationModulation of the acoustic startle response by film‐induced fear and sexual arousal
JANSEN, D. M., & Frijda, N. H. (1994) · Psychophysiology · doi:10.1111/j.1469-8986.1994.tb02349.x · Cited by 149 · see citing works
Catastrophizing is related to pain ratings, but not nociceptive flexion reflex threshold
France, C. R., France, J. L., Al’Absi, M., Ring, C., & McIntyre, D. B. (2002) · Pain · doi:10.1016/s0304-3959(02)00235-x · Cited by 144 · see citing works
The effect of experimentally induced anxiety on the experience of pressure pain
Cornwall, A., & Donderi, D. C. (1988) · Pain · doi:10.1016/0304-3959(88)90282-5 · Cited by 142 · see citing works
Relevant and irrelevant anxiety in the reaction to pain
Weisenberg, M., Aviram, O., Wolf, Y., & Raphaeli, N. (1984) · Pain · doi:10.1016/0304-3959(84)90114-3 · Cited by 139 · see citing works
Lesions of the amygdala block conditional hypoalgesia on the tail flick test
Helmstetter, F. J., & Bellgowan, P. S. F. (1993) · Brain Research · doi:10.1016/0006-8993(93)91669-j · Cited by 139 · see citing works
Manning, B. (1998) · Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.18-22-09453.1998 · Cited by 136 · see citing works
Danziger, N., Fournier, E., Bouhassira, D., Michaud, D., de Broucker, T., Santarcangelo, E. L., Carli, G., Chertock, L., & Willer, J. C. (1998) · Pain · doi:10.1016/s0304-3959(97)00208-x · Cited by 135 · see citing works
Subjective pain sensation is linearly correlated with the flexion reflex in man
Chan, C. W. Y., & Dallaire, M. (1989) · Brain Research · doi:10.1016/0006-8993(89)91344-9 · Cited by 132 · see citing works
Measuring the time course of anticipatory anxiety using the fear‐potentiated startle reflex
Grillon, C., Ameli, R., Merikangas, K. R., Woods, S. W., & Davis, M. E. (1993) · Psychophysiology · doi:10.1111/j.1469-8986.1993.tb02055.x · Cited by 130 · see citing works
EFFECTS OF ANXIETY AND MORPHINE ON DISCRIMINATION OF INTENSITIES OF PAINFUL STIMULI
Hill, H. E., Kornetsky, C. H., Flanary, H. G., & Wikler, A. (1952) · Journal of Clinical Investigation · doi:10.1172/jci102632 · Cited by 107 · see citing works
Modulation of spinal reflexes: Arousal, pleasure, action
BONNET, M., Bradley, M. M., Lang, P. J., & Requin, J. (1995) · Psychophysiology · doi:10.1111/j.1469-8986.1995.tb01219.x · Cited by 86 · see citing works
Worthington, E. L. (1978) · Cognitive Therapy and Research · doi:10.1007/bf01185785 · Cited by 86 · see citing works
Lesions of the central gray block the sensitization of the acoustic startle response in rats
Fendt, M., Koch, M., & Schnitzler, H. (1994) · Brain Research · doi:10.1016/0006-8993(94)91193-2 · Cited by 80 · see citing works
Emotional modulation of the post‐auricular reflex
Benning, S. D., Patrick, C. J., & Lang, A. R. (2004) · Psychophysiology · doi:10.1111/j.1469-8986.00160.x · Cited by 78 · see citing works
Amygdaloid noradrenaline is involved in the sensitization of the acoustic startle response in rats.
Fendt, M., Koch, M., & Schnitzler, H. (1994) · Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior · doi:10.1016/0091-3057(94)90532-0 · Cited by 72 · see citing works
Assessing supraspinal modulation of pain perception in individuals at risk for hypertension
France, C. R., & Suchowiecki, S. (2001) · Psychophysiology · doi:10.1111/1469-8986.3810107 · Cited by 70 · see citing works
The amygdala is necessary for the expression of conditioned but not unconditioned analgesia.
Watkins, L. R., Wiertelak, E. P., & Maier, S. F. (1993) · Behavioral Neuroscience · doi:10.1037//0735-7044.107.2.402 · Cited by 69 · see citing works
Crown, E. D., King, T. E., Meagher, M. W., & Grau, J. W. (2000) · Behavioral Neuroscience · doi:10.1037/0735-7044.114.3.561 · Cited by 65 · see citing works
Vaginal Stimulation‐Produced Analgesia in Rats and Womena
Komisaruk, B. R., & Whipple, B. (1986) · Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.1986.tb14616.x · Cited by 64 · see citing works
Drama-Induced Affect and Pain Sensitivity
Zillmann, D., de Wied, M. A., King-Jablonski, C., & Jenzowsky, S. A. (1996) · Psychosomatic Medicine · doi:10.1097/00006842-199607000-00006 · Cited by 62 · see citing works
Impact of shock on pain reactivity: II. Evidence for enhanced pain.
King, T. E., Joynes, R. L., Meagher, M. W., & Grau, J. W. (1996) · Journal of Experimental Psychology Animal Behavior Processes · doi:10.1037/0097-7403.22.3.265 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
The amygdala is necessary for the expression of conditioned but not unconditioned analgesia.
Watkins, L. R., Wiertelak, E. P., & Maier, S. F. (1993) · Behavioral Neuroscience · doi:10.1037/0735-7044.107.2.402 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Tail-flick test: II. The role of supraspinal systems and avoidance learning.
King, T., Joynes, R., & Grau, J. (1997) · Behavioral Neuroscience · doi:10.1037//0735-7044.111.4.754 · Cited by 58 · see citing works
Donaldson, G. W., Chapman, R. C., Nakamura, Y., Bradshaw, D. H., Jacobson, R. C., & Chapman, C. N. (2003) · Pain · doi:10.1016/s0304-3959(02)00351-2 · Cited by 54 · see citing works
Anticipation of pain-produced stress: Electrophysiological study in man
Willer, J. C. (1980) · Physiology & Behavior · doi:10.1016/0031-9384(80)90181-x · Cited by 48 · see citing works
Tail-flick test: II. The role of supraspinal systems and avoidance learning.
King, T. E., Joynes, R. L., & Grau, J. W. (1997) · Behavioral Neuroscience · doi:10.1037/0735-7044.111.4.754 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
Sensory decision theory analysis of the effects of anxiety and experimental instructions on pain.
Dougher, M. J. (1979) · Journal of Abnormal Psychology · doi:10.1037//0021-843x.88.2.137 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Illich, P. A., King, T. E., & Grau, J. W. (1995) · Journal of Experimental Psychology Animal Behavior Processes · doi:10.1037//0097-7403.21.4.331 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Effect of Humor and Tragedy on Discomfort Tolerance
Weaver, J. B., & Zillmann, D. (1994) · Perceptual and Motor Skills · doi:10.2466/pms.1994.78.2.632 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Imagery : current perspectives
Shorr, J. E. (1989) · Plenum Press eBooks · Cited by 34 · see citing works
Shock-induced hyperalgesia: IV. Generality.
Meagher, M. W., Ferguson, A. R., Crown, E. D., McLemore, S., King, T. E., Sieve, A. N., & Grau, J. W. (2001) · Journal of Experimental Psychology Animal Behavior Processes · doi:10.1037/0097-7403.27.3.219 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
King, T. E., Crown, E. D., Sieve, A. N., Joynes, R. L., Grau, J. W., & Meagher, M. W. (1999) · Behavioural Brain Research · doi:10.1016/s0166-4328(98)00110-7 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Sensory decision theory analysis of the effects of anxiety and experimental instructions on pain.
Dougher, M. J. (1979) · Journal of Abnormal Psychology · doi:10.1037/0021-843x.88.2.137 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
Illich, P. A., King, T. E., & Grau, J. W. (1995) · Journal of Experimental Psychology Animal Behavior Processes · doi:10.1037/0097-7403.21.4.331 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Sandrini, G., Milanov, I. G., Jc, W., et al. (1999) · Neuroscience Letters · doi:10.1016/s0304-3940(98)01000-3 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
The effects of anger and relaxation forms of in vivo emotive imagery on pain tolerance.
Westcott, T. B., & Horan, J. J. (1977) · Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science/Revue canadienne des sciences du comportement · doi:10.1037/h0081626 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
The effect of threatened shock upon pain threshold
Haslam, D. R. (1966) · Psychonomic Science · doi:10.3758/bf03328081 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Emotive Imagery and Pain Tolerance
Smith, L. D., & Wolpin, M. (1989) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4899-0876-6_15 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Evaluating psychosocial contributions to chronic pain outcomes
Meints, S. M., & Edwards, R. R. (2018) · Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.01.017 · Cited by 719 · see citing works
The influence of negative emotions on pain: Behavioral effects and neural mechanisms
Wiech, K., & Tracey, I. (2009) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.05.059 · Cited by 614 · see citing works
Norman, G. J., Karelina, K., Zhang, N., Walton, J. C., Morris, J. S., & DeVries, A. C. (2010) · Molecular Psychiatry · doi:10.1038/mp.2009.91 · Cited by 209 · see citing works
Emotional control of nociceptive reactions (ECON): do affective valence and arousal play a role
Rhudy, J. L., Williams, A. E., McCabe, K. M., Russell, J. L., & Maynard, L. J. (2008) · Pain · doi:10.1016/j.pain.2007.06.031 · Cited by 185 · see citing works
Self-citationEthnic differences in diffuse noxious inhibitory controls
Campbell, C. M., France, C. R., Robinson, M. E., Logan, H. L., Geffken, G. R., & Fillingim, R. B. (2008) · The Journal of Pain · doi:10.1016/j.jpain.2008.03.010 · Cited by 113 · see citing works
Bruehl, S., Burns, J. W., Chung, O. Y., & Chont, M. (2009) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2008.12.003 · Cited by 88 · see citing works
A brief cognitive-behavioural intervention for pain reduces secondary hyperalgesia
Salomons, T. V., Moayedi, M., Erpelding, N., & Davis, K. D. (2014) · Pain · doi:10.1016/j.pain.2014.02.012 · Cited by 76 · see citing works
Ethnic differences in the nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR)
Campbell, C. M., France, C. R., Robinson, M. E., Logan, H. L., Geffken, G. R., & Fillingim, R. B. (2008) · Pain · doi:10.1016/j.pain.2007.03.035 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
Natural Variation in Testosterone is Associated With Hypoalgesia in Healthy Women
Bartley, E. J., Palit, S., Kuhn, B. L., Kerr, K. L., Terry, E. L., DelVentura, J. L., & Rhudy, J. L. (2015) · The Clinical Journal of Pain · doi:10.1097/ajp.0000000000000153 · Cited by 65 · see citing works
Self-citationIncreased Acoustic Startle Responses in IBS Patients During Abdominal and Nonabdominal Threat
Naliboff, B. D., Waters, A. M., Labus, J. S., Kilpatrick, L., Craske, M. G., Chang, L., Negoro, H., Ibrahimovic, H., Mayer, E. A., & Ornitz, E. (2008) · Psychosomatic Medicine · doi:10.1097/psy.0b013e318186d858 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Pinto, P. R., McIntyre, T., Araújo-Soares, V., Almeida, A., & Costa, P. (2018) · Pain · doi:10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001170 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
Exploring pain processing differences in Native Americans
Palit, S., Kerr, K. L., Kuhn, B. L., Terry, E. L., DelVentura, J. L., Bartley, E. J., Shadlow, J. O., & Rhudy, J. L. (2013) · Health Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0031057 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
Self-citationThe alexithymia, cognitive emotion regulation, and physical symptoms in Iranian asthmatic patients
Khosravani, V., Alvani, A., Sharifi Bastan, F., Jamaati Ardakani, R., & Akbari, H. (2016) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.paid.2016.05.364 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Rhudy, J. L., Davis, J. L., Williams, A. E., McCabe, K. M., & Byrd, P. M. (2008) · Behavioral Sleep Medicine · doi:10.1080/15402000802162539 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Self-citation
- Authors
- Rhudy, J. L., Williams, A. E., McCabe, K. M., Nguyê˜n, M. A. T. V., & Rambo, P.
- Affiliations
- University of Tulsa (US)
- Corresponding author
- Rhudy, Jamie L.
- Venue
- Psychophysiology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2005-08-26
- Volume
- 42
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 579-587
- ISSN
- 0048-5772 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-8986
- OpenAlex
- W2102650300
- Cited by
- 218
- References
- 67
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 15
- FWCI
- 7.42
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychophysiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Pain Mechanisms and Treatments
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Pain Management and Placebo Effect
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine › Pain Management and Treatment
- Keywords
- pain and emotion, nociceptive flexion reflex, spinal nociception, pain scores, emotional valence, unpleasant pictures, emotional arousal
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Affect, Arousal, Brain, Electric Stimulation, Electromyography, Escape Reaction, Female, Galvanic Skin Response, Humans, Male, Motivation, Neural Inhibition, Reflex, Spinal Cord, Statistics as Topic, Pain Threshold
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
