title: Biofeedback of somatosensory event-related potentials: can individual pain sensations be modified by biofeedback-induced self-control of event-related potentials?
abstract: This study investigates the effects of biofeedback based upon event-related brain potentials evoked by nociceptive electrical stimuli. In a visual and monetary feedback paradigm, 10 subjects received positive feedback within one training session when systematically showing two different behavior patterns: one pattern correlated with a decrease (down-training) and one with an increase (up-training) of the peak-to-peak size of the N150-P260 complex, respectively. Training conditions were changed randomly from trial to trial over 300 trials. All subjects achieved control on both behavior patterns resulting in a simultaneous modification of the size of this complex according to the training conditions. Furthermore, the individual pain report measured with a visual analogue scale was altered in accordance with the biofeedback-induced behavioral modifications. A decrease in subjective pain report was achieved after down-training while an increase was observed after the up-training.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology, University of Tuebingen, D-7400 TuebingenF.R.G. Institute of Psychology, Department of Physiological and Clinical Psychology, University of Tuebingen, D-7400 TuebingenF.R.G.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Miltner
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Larbig
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Braun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001676:Biofeedback, Psychology / Q000502:physiology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D010147:Pain Measurement