Brain and human pain: topographic EEG amplitude and coherence mapping

Nineteen young healthy volunteers (8 males and 11 females) participated in an experimental ice-cube cold pressor test to study topographic changes of EEG parameters in response to painful stimulation. EEG was recorded with 19 electrodes and quantified by amplitude and coherence analyses. Mean amplitudes and values for local (between adjacent electrodes) and interhemispheric (between electrodes on homologous sites of both hemispheres) coherences were computed for six frequency bands. For the evaluation of changes between EEG at rest (baseline) and EEG during painful stimulation (right or left hand), non-parametric paired Wilcoxon tests were performed. The obtained descriptive error probabilities were presented in probability maps. In the behavioural pain tolerance and subjective pain ratings, no difference in gender or stimulation condition was observed. Under painful stimulation the results showed: (A) most pronounced decrease of Alpha amplitude in the central areas and some increase of high Beta amplitude; (B) increase of local coherence for Alpha and Beta 2 mainly in central regions and centro-frontal leads; and (C) increase of interhemispheric coherence for Alpha and Beta 2 in the central areas. The results of this study indicate clearly that peripheral painful stimulation is reflected by EEG changes. Decrease of EEG amplitude and simultaneous increase of EEG coherence in the central regions can be cortical correlates of human pain.