Affective modulation of autonomic reactions to noxious stimulation

Research suggests that emotion modulates spinal nociception and pain; however, there is limited evidence that other objective, nociceptive reactions are modulated. This study examined the impact of affective picture-viewing on autonomic reactions (skin conductance response, heart rate acceleration) resulting from noxious electric stimulations to the sural nerve. Pictures varying in affective valence (unpleasant, neutral, pleasant) were presented during which noxious stimulations were delivered. Skin conductance response and short-latency heart rate acceleration following each stimulation was calculated and averaged by picture valence. Results suggested that autonomic reactions were modulated in parallel. Specifically, reactions were smaller during pleasant pictures than unpleasant pictures, although unpleasant pictures did not result in significant facilitation relative to neutral pictures. The valence linear trend explained 26% of the variance in the multivariate combination of the reactions, suggesting emotion does modulate autonomic reactions to nociception. These results suggest that SCR and HR acceleration are outcomes that can be assessed together with NFR and pain report during picture-viewing to study affective modulation of spinal (NFR), supraspinal (SCR, HR acceleration), and subjective (pain report) nociceptive reactions.