Methods
Do you think there is a difference between somatosensation in men vs women? Why?
-women tend to be more sensitive to changes in temp & pain, and better sense of touch (tactile discrimination)
What other areas of the brain, besides the somatosensory system, might play a role in emotions? (discussed in class)
limbic system, amygdala, insula, orbitofrontal cortex, hypothalamus, striatum, etc.
What is nociception?
The process by which the nervous system detects and responds to potentially harmful stimuli (ex, extreme heat, chemical irritants, cold)
How could the results of these studies be applied to treat other conditions?
physical trauma or reconstructive surgery, addiction/substance abuse, chronic pain, schizophrenia, stroke, amputees, etc.
What types of methods were used to obtain the results of the studies?
Questionnaire, fMRI, PET, EEG
Which brain regions are involved in the affective component of pain?
Anterior Cingulate cortex
What is interoception?
The process by which the body senses, interprets, and integrates signals originating from within itself, providing an internal sense of the body’s physiological state (ex, heart rate, hunger, fatigue)
In the presentation on affective pain, future studies used hypnosis to alter the perception of pain without actually altering its actual intensity. What might be an advantage to applying this in a clinical setting?
-Easily accessible
-Less pharmacological intervention, less invasive
-Cancer patients who deal with chronic pain
-Less risk of addiction to pain meds
-Reduces side effects
-For people who don’t want to use pain meds
-Reduce drug interactions
In 3 studies that were presented, the participants used were all right handed. What might be an advantage of using right-handed individuals in studies? Is there a disadvantage with using left-handed individuals?
-consistency in brain lateralization
-reduced confounding variables
-easier generalization (~90% of pop)
Which brain region is involved in integrating multisensory information for self-face recognition?
Temporo-Parietal Junction (TPJ)
Pain, temperature, touch, pressure, balance, etc.
Given the link between touch perception and emotional states, how could this research inform therapies for conditions like autism spectrum disorder (ASD), where sensory processing may affect emotional communication?
- training to better process touch to reduce sensory overload and improve comfort with physical interactions
- Techniques like TMS can target brain regions that link touch and emotions (somatosensory cortex), and help with emotional regulation.
- Wearable devices to provide tactile stimulation to help calm individuals during stressful situations
What are some possible limitations of the methods used in these studies?
-fMRI (voxels affect p value)
-self report (social desirability)
-PET (radioactive injection)
-EEG (uncomfortable, low spatial)
Which brain region is involved in integrating emotion and interoception?
Anterior Insula
What is neuroplasticity?
The brain's ability to change and adapt by forming new neural connections in response to learning, experience, or injury.
If you were a researcher in this field, what questions might you have going forward?
anything!