Neural underpinnings of preferential pain learning and the modulatory role of fear.

ABSTRACT: Due to its unique biological relevance, pain-related learning might differ from learning from other aversive experiences. This functional magnetic resonance imaging study compared neural mechanisms underlying the acquisition and extinction of different threats in healthy humans. We investigated whether cue-pain associations are acquired faster and extinguished slower than cue associations with an equally unpleasant tone. Additionally, we studied the modulatory role of stimulus-related fear. Therefore, we used a differential conditioning paradigm, in which somatic heat pain stimuli and unpleasantness-matched auditory stimuli served as US. Our results show stronger acquisition learning for pain- than tone-predicting cues, which was augmented in participants with relatively higher levels of f

SUBMITTER: Forkmann K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11648315 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature