A Computational Framework for Understanding the Impact of Prior Experiences on Pain Perception and Neuropathic Pain
Fig 7
Results of the hierarchical Kalman filter simulations of offset analgesia.
Offset analgesia is defined as a disproportionally large pain decrease after a minor noxious stimulus intensity reduction. This phenomenon is often elicited by applying noxious thermal stimulation of the same temperature in time intervals T1 and T3, separated by time interval T2 with slightly higher temperature. Our simulation results show a qualitatively similar underdamped response in perceived lever of pain (open red circles) to the minor temperature reduction as is observed in experimental studies of offset analgesia. In the control condition a constant temperature is applied throughout all three time intervals, resulting in a constant level of pain (filled red circles). Error bars indicate the inter quartile ranges.