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Updated: Oct 11, 2025

Multi-Modal Signals for Analyzing Pain Responses to Thermal and Electrical Stimuli
Published on: April 5, 2019
Interoceptive attentiveness and autonomic reactivity in pain observation
Laura Angioletti1,2, Michela Balconi1,2
1International Research Center for Cognitive Applied Neuroscience (IrcCAN), Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy.
Abstract:
Aim: This study explores interoceptive attentiveness (IA) influence on autonomic reactivity related to pain and self-regulation during situations evoking physiological mirroring for pain.Methods: 20 participants observed face/hand, painful/non-painful stimuli in an individual versus social condition while the autonomic response was measured [Electrodermal activity, Pulse Volume Amplitude (PVA), and Heart Rate (HR)] was measured. The sample was divided into experimental (EXP) subjects, required to focus on their interoceptive correlates while observing the stimuli, and the control (CNT) group. HR inter-beat interval (IBI), and HR Variability (HRV) were calculated.Results: Results showed high accuracy to painful and non-painful stimuli recognition. Regarding autonomic indices, higher PVA values were detected for hand painful versus non-painful stimuli, whereas for the EXP group a significant activation of IBI was found for face painful vs non-painful stimuli.Conclusion: In the context of observation of pain in others, PVA and IBI could be respectively markers of mirroring mechanisms and autonomic self-regulation mediated by IA.
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