Virtual Reality Hypnosis in the management of pain: self-reported and  neurophysiological measures in healthy subjects.

[en] BACKGROUND: Virtual reality hypnosis (VRH) has emerged as a new and promising option for pain management. Nonetheless, neural dynamics of pain modulation during VRH have not been investigated yet. The aim of this study was to measure the effects of VRH on pain, combining neurophysiological and self-reported measurements. METHODS: Eighteen healthy subjects underwent noxious electrical stimulations in both normal wakefulness and VRH conditions. Dissociation, absorption, time perception, anxiety, pain intensity and unpleasantness, heart rate variability and breathing were reported for each condition. EEG signals were analyzed using event-related potentials (ERP) and time-frequency response (TFR) time-locked to stimuli. Neurophysiological features were correlated with self-reported data. RESULTS: VRH condition was associated with lower pain and higher dissociation. VRH significantly decreased amplitudes of N100 and P200 ERP components, reduced EEG power between 1 and 5Hz from 100 to 560ms, and increased EEG power from 5 to 11Hz from 340 to 800ms. These findings were observed at frontal, central, and posterior electrodes. Heart rate variability was significantly higher and breathing frequency reduced with VRH. Correlations were found between the self-reported level of pain and ERP components. CONCLUSION: VRH modulates cerebral pain processes and body physiology, leading to reduced pain levels. These findings offer a first insight on the analgesic mechanisms of VRH, and suggest that VRH is an effective approach to reduce experimental pain. SIGNIFICANCE: VRH decreases experimental pain perception, increases subject level of dissociation and modulates cerebral pain processing mechanisms.

Disciplines :

Neurosciences & behavior

Author, co-author :

Rousseaux, Floriane ^✱; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Psychologie > Ergonomie et intervention au travail

Panda, Rajanikant ^✱; Université de Liège - ULiège > GIGA > GIGA Consciousness - Coma Science Group

Toussaint, Clémence; Oncomfort SA, Wavre, Belgium.

Bicego, Aminata Yasmina ; Sensation & Perception Research Group, GIGA Consciousness, University of Liege, ; Laboratory of Cognitive Ergonomics and Work Intervention, University of Liege,

Niimi, Masachika ; Université de Liège - ULiège > GIGA > GIGA Consciousness - Coma Science Group

Faymonville, Marie-Elisabeth ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > > Centre d'oncologie

Nyssen, Anne-Sophie ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Psychologie > Ergonomie et intervention au travail

Laureys, Steven ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > > Centre du Cerveau²

Gosseries, Olivia ^✱; Université de Liège - ULiège > GIGA > GIGA Consciousness - Coma Science Group

Vanhaudenhuyse, Audrey ^✱; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > > Service d'algologie - soins palliatifs

^✱ These authors have contributed equally to this work.

Language :

English

Title :

Virtual Reality Hypnosis in the management of pain: self-reported and neurophysiological measures in healthy subjects.

Publication date :

05 October 2022

Journal title :

European Journal of Pain

ISSN :

1090-3801

eISSN :

1532-2149

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Commentary :

Available on ORBi :

since 18 January 2023

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