A recent study published in the prestigious Proceedings of the Royal Society B scientific journal revealed the fundamental mechanisms of human brain activity. This was reported by Upl.uz.
This research explains how discomfort from multiple sources is perceived as a unified and amplified pain syndrome. A group of scientists led by Dr. Kong Yachjuo from the Institute of Psychology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences provided information that the brain area known as the precuneus plays a central role in integrating and amplifying pain signals.
The phenomenon of pain is a complex psychophysiological process, the intensity of which is determined not only by direct damage to tissues but also by cognitive factors, including expectations, levels of anxiety, and attention focus. Previously, researchers had limited information on how the brain integrates signals from multiple pain sources.
This study shows that when a person perceives pain as a general feeling rather than from individual stimuli, the sensation of pain significantly intensifies. During the research, participants were presented with three types of dosable stimuli: heat, pressure, and electrical effects.
These stimuli were applied individually or in combination of two types. Participants were divided into two groups, with the first group evaluating each stimulus separately, while the second group received instructions to perceive the overall pain.
Throughout the experiment, participants' brain activity was monitored using functional magnetic resonance imaging. At the same time, they assessed their pain levels on a standard scale.
The results showed that members of the group focusing on overall pain experienced significantly amplified pain. If the intensity of the stimuli was below the pain threshold, such an effect was not observed.
This indicates that the brain does not simply sum the signals but integrates them complexly to create a qualitatively new pain experience. This process is governed by cognitive approaches.
The precuneus is a center located in the brain that participates in the integration of sensory information, memory, and self-awareness processes. The study found a direct correlation between the activity of the precuneus and the amplification of pain.
Thus, the precuneus collects various discomfort signals and transforms them into a singular and strong sensation of pain. For example, when cutting and burning occur simultaneously, they are perceived not separately but as a whole, indistinct, and painful syndrome.
This study demonstrates that psychological factors are crucial in managing pain. Patients' expectations and instructions can either amplify or diminish pain, which explains the neurobiological aspects of placebo and nocebo effects.
Managing the activity of the precuneus opens up prospects for developing new therapeutic methods. This can be achieved through techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy or neurostimulation.
The research serves to create new effective approaches to treating complex pain syndromes, as such syndromes often do not respond to traditional medications. Due to the absence of pain receptors in the brain, neurosurgeons can perform brain surgeries on patients while they are conscious and pain-free.
The pain we feel is the result of the brain interpreting signals coming from receptors in other parts of the body. Therefore, pain is a complex psychophysiological process related to how our brain perceives and processes external stimuli.
