Neurophysiological potentials mediating the influence of social support on pain

Marina Horvat; Jana Verdnik; Saša Zorjan; Satja Mulej Bratec

doi:10.1016/j.jpain.2026.106247

Neurophysiological potentials mediating the influence of social support on pain

J Pain. 2026 Feb 26:42:106247. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2026.106247. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Marina Horvat¹, Jana Verdnik², Saša Zorjan³, Satja Mulej Bratec⁴

Affiliations

¹ University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts, Department of Psychology, Koroška cesta 160, Maribor 2000, Slovenia; University of Maribor, Faculty of Medicine, Taborska ulica 8, Maribor 2000, Slovenia.
² University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts, Department of Psychology, Koroška cesta 160, Maribor 2000, Slovenia; University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts, Department of Psychology, Aškerčeva 2, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia.
³ University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts, Department of Psychology, Koroška cesta 160, Maribor 2000, Slovenia.
⁴ University of Maribor, Faculty of Arts, Department of Psychology, Koroška cesta 160, Maribor 2000, Slovenia; University of Maribor, Faculty of Medicine, Taborska ulica 8, Maribor 2000, Slovenia. Electronic address: satja.mulej@um.si.

PMID: 41759691
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2026.106247

Abstract

The supportive presence of a significant other can act as an efficient analgesic. However, neurophysiological mechanisms of this effect have not been adequately explored. The current EEG study, using electrical pain stimulation, explored neurophysiological mechanisms mediating the influence of romantic partner's presence on acute pain perceptions. Female participants (N = 41, mean age = 27.44, SD = 7.93) were exposed to painful stimuli in two alternating conditions: a) while receiving support from a male romantic partner via a live camera interaction and b) in the absence of partner support. It was hypothesised that social support would influence subjective reports and pain-related potentials, and that early and late pain-related ERPs would mediate the effect of social support on pain perception. Multilevel mediation analysis showed that partner support predicted lower pain unpleasantness and pain intensity. Additionally, the relationship between social support and both outcomes (unpleasantness and intensity) was mediated by neurophysiological components, the N130 potential at the C4 electrode, and the P300 potential at the central-parietal and parietal clusters. Exploratory whole-brain mediation confirmed and extended the relevance of the P300 component at central and parietal locations as an important brain mediator of social support and pain. The current study identified early and late pain-related potentials as mediators between social support and pain, highlighting potential clinical use of this social non-pharmacological pain analgesic and providing an important foundation for further explorations of social pain regulation. PERSPECTIVE: This investigation uncovered early and late pain-related potentials as neurophysiological mediators between social support and pain intensity as well as pain unpleasantness. The findings could potentially help with the development or introduction of non-pharmacological methods to (additionally) reduce pain during painful procedures.

Keywords: EEG mediators; Pain regulation; Pain related potentials; Social regulation; Whole-brain mediation.