Inhibition and Heart Rate Variability in Experimentally Induced Pain

INTRODUCTION: Pain is a complex experience that requires executive functions (EFs) to be processed. The autonomic outcome of the neural networks involved in the cognitive evaluation of pain is reflected by heart rate variability (HRV), an index of self-regulation abilities. Although some results suggest a relationship between HRV, EFs, and pain, studies focusing on this three-way relationship are still scarce. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the relationship between pain, cognitive, and autonomic mechanisms, hypothesizing an association between resting HRV and both cognitive and motor inhibition as indices of executive functioning. This relationship was investigated after an experimental-induced pain. METHODS: Seventy-six young adults were exposed to the Cold Pressure Arm Warp to induce experimental pain. HRV was collected, and cognitive tasks were administered to assess executive performance. RESULTS: The results showed that (1) HRV indices significantly increased during pain stimulation, (2) cognitive inhibition was positively correlated with vagal indices and with pain parameters, (3) both inhibition tasks significantly predicted pain threshold while the performance on the Stroop Task predicted pain tolerance. CONCLUSION: Results suggest a three-way relationship. Further research would focus on the role of HRV and cognitive strategies in pain management in chronic pain conditions.