Cited by 822Pain Management and Placebo EffectPain Mechanisms and TreatmentsMemory and Neural Mechanisms

Exacerbation of Pain by Anxiety Is Associated with Activity in a Hippocampal Network

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Ploghaus, Alexander, Narain, Charvy, Beckmann, Christian F., Clare, Stuart, Bantick, Susanna, Wise, Richard, Matthews, Paul M., Rawlins, J. Nicholas P. +1 more·2001·The Journal of Neuroscience

Abstract

It is common clinical experience that anxiety about pain can exacerbate the pain sensation. Using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI), we compared activation responses to noxious thermal stimulation while perceived pain intensity was manipulated by changes in either physical intensity or induced anxiety. One visual signal, which reliably predicted noxious stimulation of moderate intensity, came to evoke low anxiety about the impending pain. Another visual signal was followed by the same, moderate-intensity stimulation on most of the trials, but occasionally by discriminably stronger noxious stimuli, and came to evoke higher anxiety. We found that the entorhinal cortex of the hippocampal formation responded differentially to identical noxious stimuli, dependent on whether the perceived pain intensity was enhanced by pain-relevant anxiety. During this emotional pain modulation, entorhinal responses predicted activity in closely connected, affective (perigenual cingulate), and intensity coding (mid-insula) areas. Our finding suggests that accurate preparatory information during medical and dental procedures alleviates pain by disengaging the hippocampus. It supports the proposal that during anxiety, the hippocampal formation amplifies aversive events to prime behavioral responses that are adaptive to the worst possible outcome.

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Crossref · 10.1523/jneurosci.21-24-09896.2001

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  • Ploghaus et al.'s functional magnetic resonance imaging study indicated that activation in the entorhinal cortex of the hippocampal formation differed depending on whether pain intensity was increased by the anxiety manipulation.

    “Results indicated that activation in the entorhinal cortex of the hippocampal formation differed depending on whether pain intensity was increased by the anxiety manipulation.”
  • Previous neuroimaging studies have shown that nocebo effects are mediated by the hippocampus and regions involved in anticipatory anxiety processing.

    “Previous neuroimaging studies have also shown that nocebo effects are mediated by the hippocampus and regions involved in anticipatory anxiety processing (Bingel et al., 2011; Kong et al., 2008; Ploghaus et al., 2001).”

    From Distinct neural representations of placebo and nocebo effects (2015) · cites this paper as Ploghaus et al., 2001

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Davis KD (2000) Studies of pain using functional magnetic resonance imaging. In: Pain imaging. Progress in pain research and management, Vol 18 (Casey KL, Bushnell MC, eds), pp 195-210. Seattle: IASP.

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Authors
Ploghaus, A., Narain, C., Beckmann, C. F., Clare, S., Bantick, S., Wise, R., Matthews, P. M., Rawlins, J. N. P., & Tracey, I.
Affiliations
  • John Radcliffe Hospital (GB)
  • University of Oxford (GB)
Venue
The Journal of Neuroscience
Published
2001-12-15
Volume
21
Issue
24
Pages
9896-9903
ISSN
  • 0270-6474 (ISSN-L)
  • 1529-2401
OpenAlex
W1828259239
Cited by
822
References
99
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 27 · 2023: 37 · 2022: 32 · 2021: 42 · 2020: 32 · 2019: 40 · 2018: 32 · 2017: 36 · 2016: 35 · 2015: 47 · 2014: 48 · 2013: 48 · 2012: 35
FWCI
11.18
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • ORCA Online Research @Cardiff (Cardiff University) (acceptedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Pain Management and Placebo Effect
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Pain Mechanisms and Treatments
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
Keywords
pain modulation, hippocampal formation, entorhinal cortex, noxious thermal stimulation, pain intensity, insula, anticipatory anxiety, emotional pain
MeSH terms
Adult, Anxiety, Behavior, Brain Mapping, Conditioning, Classical, Heart Rate, Hot Temperature, Hippocampus, Humans, Hyperalgesia, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Nerve Net, Pain, Physical Stimulation, Entorhinal Cortex, Parahippocampal Gyrus

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