The Social Regulation of Pain: Autonomic and Neurophysiological Changes Associated With Perceived Threat

Abstract

The analgesic effect of social support is proposed as a function of social support modulating perceived threat of painful stimuli. In the current study, we directly examined the social buffering effect in the context of the threat of pain. Eighteen healthy participants were subjected to the threat of pain while they held the hand of a close other, a stranger, or not at all. Neural and autonomic responses were recorded using electroencephalogram and heart rate, respectively. Close other hand-holding reduced pain perception. This was accompanied by decreased heart rate and frontal theta oscillation (4–8 Hz) during the threat phase preceding painful stimulation. Interestingly, decreased heart r..