The Impact of Placebo Cues and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Pain Sensation

Poster Session D - Monday, March 31, 2025, 8:00 – 10:00 am EDT, Back Bay Ballroom/Republic Ballroom

Amin Dehghani¹ (amin.dehghani@dartmouth.edu), David Gantz¹, Tor Wager¹; ¹Dartmouth College

The subjective experience of pain integrates sensory, affective, and cognitive components, with placebo and nocebo effects modulating these perceptions through contextual and social influences. This study examined how pain and monetary cues influence pain sensation, anticipated pain intensity, and fairness, as well as the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on these outcomes. Three sub-studies investigated: (1) placebo effects of pain and monetary cues, (2) their influence on anticipated pain and fairness, and (3) the interaction between tDCS (anodal, cathodal, and sham of left motor cortex) and these placebo effects. Study 1 (N = 22) found that pain and monetary cues significantly influenced pain ratings (p < 0.05, Cohen’s d = 0.72, 0.23). Study 2 (N = 44) demonstrated a strong effect of pain cues on anticipated pain intensity (p < 0.01, d = 0.83), while monetary cues had no effect. Mediation analysis indicated that "guess temperature" mediated the pain cue-pain rating relationship. Study 3 (N = 50) showed anodal tDCS reduced pain (p < 0.001), while cathodal tDCS increased pain (p < 0.01). Pain and monetary cues remained significant (p < 0.01), with cathodal tDCS amplifying pain cue effects (p < 0.05). These findings reveal the interplay between social-contextual cues, tDCS, and pain perception, highlighting how neuromodulation interacts with placebo mechanisms in pain management.

Topic Area: EMOTION & SOCIAL: Emotion-cognition interactions