title: The influence of semantic priming on event-related potentials to painful laser-heat stimuli in humans.
abstract: In this study we investigated the effects of different semantic primes on the processing of painful stimuli. For prime stimuli, descriptors of three categories were used: somatosensory pain-related, affective pain-related, and neutral adjectives. While subjects (n=10) processed these primes, a painful laser-heat stimulus was applied. Laser-evoked potentials (LEPs) were recorded and pain intensity ratings were obtained after each single laser stimulus. Painful stimuli applied while subjects processed pain-related primes (affective and somatosensory adjectives) resulted in larger LEP amplitudes at 370 ms post laser stimulus compared to amplitudes of laser-evoked activities while subjects processed neutral primes (F((2,18))=3.90, P=0.05). It is suggested that pain-related semantic primes might preactivate neural networks subserving pain memory and pain processing. The processing of pain-related primes seems to preactivate cortical cell-assemblies involved in the processing of the succeeding painful laser stimuli.
authors.affiliation: Friedrich Schiller University, Institute of Psychology, Department of Biological and Clinical Psychology, Am Steiger 3, Haus 1, D-07743, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dillmann
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Miltner
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Weiss
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007834:Lasers / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000502:physiology*; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012660:Semantics; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000502:physiology