Pain-inducing imagery as a function of hypnotisability and of the activity of Gray's Behavioral Inhibition/Activation Systems.

The aim of the study was to test the efficacy of pain imagery as a function of hypnotisability and of the activity of Behavioral Inhibition/Activation Systems. Questionnaires of imagery abilities (Betts) for the visual, cutaneous and organic modalities, absorption in cognitive tasks (TAS), proneness to inhibit stressful/painful experience/seek out positive experiences (BIS BAS), trait anxiety (STAI-Y2) and psychological well-being (PWB) were administered to 21 subjects with high hypnotisability (highs) and 21 subjects with low hypnotisability (lows). Self-reports of pain intensity and of neutral tactile perception were collected during imagery of nociceptive (Pain) and neutral tactile stimulation (NT). ECG and skin conductance were recorded. Highs exhibited greater imagery abilities, absorption, Behavioral Inhibition System Activity and psychological well-being with respect to lows. They reported lower scores of pain intensity than of tactile perception, while in lows Pain and NT scores did not differ. However, controlling for BAS, but not for BIS, revealed differences in the efficacy of pain imagery between highs and lows. Heart rate decreased in both tasks and groups; heart rate variability and skin conductance did not change significantly during imageries. Our findings suggest that the Behavioral Inhibition/Activation Systems interact with imagery abilities reducing the efficacy of pain imagery and prompt investigation of possible similar interactions in the modulation of physically induced experimental pain and of chronic pain in the general population.