New Study Reveals How Brain Integrates Pain Expectations and Stimuli

Researchers uncover mechanisms behind pain processing, offering insights for potential chronic pain treatments.

The study was led by Associate Director Woo Choong-Wan and Assistant Professor Michael Yoo Seng Bum.
Using fMRI, researchers observed how the brain combines pain expectations with actual pain intensity.
All brain networks preserve pain information, but only higher-level networks integrate it into a cohesive experience.
This research bridges different fields of neuroscience, enhancing understanding of pain processing in the brain.
Findings could inform new approaches to treating chronic pain by targeting how pain signals are integrated.