Buffer the Pain Away: Stimulating the Right Ventrolateral Prefrontal Cortex Reduces Pain Following Social Exclusion
Abstract
How can the sting of social exclusion be reduced? Previous studies suggested that activity in the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (rVLPFC) might be associated with regulation or inhibition of the distress resulting from social exclusion. We tested whether non-invasive brain polarization through transcranical direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the rVLPFC reduced pain following social exclusion. Participants who were socially excluded or included received tDCS or sham stimulation to the rVLPFC. Excluded participants were cognitively aware of their inclusionary status, yet tDCS (but not sham stimulation) reduced pain unpleasantness and hurt feelings in them. No effects of tDCS stimulation emerged for included participants. These findings demonstrate the modulatory role of the rVLPFC in experiencing social pain and can be helpful in developing interventions with clinical benefits.
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Anodal tDCS to the right VLPFC during a social ostracism task reduces subjects' self-reported feelings of discomfort and pain compared to sham.
“A study by16 showed that anodal tDCS to the right VLPFC during a social ostracism task can reduce subjects’ self-reported feelings of discomfort and pain, when compared to the results from the sham group.”
From Ventrolateral but not Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex tDCS effectively impact emotion reappraisal – effects on Emotional Experience and Interbeat Interval (2018) · cites this paper as [16]
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Critical role of the right VLPFC in emotional regulation of social exclusion: a tDCS study
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- Authors
- Riva, P., Romero Lauro, L. J., DeWall, C. N., & Bushman, B. J.
- Affiliations
- University of Milano-Bicocca (IT)
- University of Milano-Bicocca
- University of Kentucky (US)
- The Ohio State University (US)
- Venue
- Psychological Science
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2012-11-06
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 1473-1475
- ISSN
- 0956-7976 (ISSN-L)
- 1467-9280
- OpenAlex
- W2150483177
- Cited by
- 103
- References
- 6
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 9.62
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- BOA (University of Milano-Bicocca) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Keywords
- social exclusion, social pain, right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, transcranial direct current stimulation, pain unpleasantness, hurt feelings, emotion regulation, non-invasive brain stimulation
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Brain, Electric Stimulation, Emotions, Female, Humans, Male, Pain, Social Isolation, Prefrontal Cortex, Young Adult
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