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Abstract
Introduction: This study investigates Pain-Related Evoked Potentials (PREPs) in EEG, triggered by epidermal electrical stimulation of the ulnar nerve near the elbow. The aim was to analyze the impact of cognitive distraction on these potentials.
Methods: 18 subjects participated in two scenarios: stimulation with and without cognitive distraction. EEG data was recorded using the OpenBCI Ultracortex Mark IV dry electrode headset with a sampling frequency of 250 Hz. The data were filtered using a notch filter to remove power line noise and a bandpass filter from 0.1 to 10 Hz. The EEG data was analyzed using MATLAB.
Results: No significant differences were found in the amplitudes (N1/P1/N2/P2) or PREP durations between scenarios. Pain-typical signal morphologies were also observed in a subject who perceivedthe stimulation as pleasant. Overall mean values across all subjects revealed similar PREP patterns in both scenarios, with P1 amplitudes of 3.74 μV (scenario 1) and 3.98 μV (scenario 2), and PREP durations (P1 to P2) of 524 ms and 680 ms respectively. Individual analysis showed slight variations between scenarios (P1 amplitudes: 2.87 ± 1.6 μV vs 3.83 ± 2 μV).
Conclusion: These findings suggest that the recorded signals might represent unspecific sensory reactions, not genuine pain responses. This study underscores the need to further differentiate between pain-specific and general sensory reactions in EEG and critically question the