Abstract
This study investigated the neural correlates of virtual reality analgesia. Virtual reality significantly reduced subjective pain ratings (i.e. analgesia). Using fMRI, pain-related brain activity was measured for each participant during conditions of no virtual reality and during virtual reality (order randomized). As predicted, virtual reality significantly reduced pain-related brain activity in all five regions of interest; the anterior cingulate cortex, primary and secondary somatosensory cortex, insula, and thalamus (p<0.002, corrected). Results showed direct modulation of human brain pain responses by virtual reality distraction.
Copyright 2004 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins
Publication types
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Clinical Trial
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Randomized Controlled Trial
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Adolescent
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Adult
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Analgesia / methods
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Attention / physiology
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Brain / anatomy & histology
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Brain / physiology*
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Brain Mapping
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Cerebral Cortex / anatomy & histology
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Cerebral Cortex / physiology
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Down-Regulation / physiology
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Female
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Functional Laterality / physiology
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Gyrus Cinguli / anatomy & histology
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Gyrus Cinguli / physiology
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Hot Temperature
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Humans
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Hyperalgesia / physiopathology*
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Hyperalgesia / therapy
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Illusions / physiology*
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Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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Male
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Pain / physiopathology*
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Pain Management
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Pain Measurement
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Somatosensory Cortex / anatomy & histology
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Somatosensory Cortex / physiology
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Thalamus / anatomy & histology
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Thalamus / physiology
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Treatment Outcome
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User-Computer Interface*