(346) Is resting blood pressure associated with emotional modulation of pain?

Procedures These data were taken from a parent study investigating pain processing in Native American individuals Stimulating electrode was applied over the sural nerve of the left ankle  Resting blood pressure (systolic/diastolic) readings were taken before pain testing procedures began Emotional Controls of Nociception was among the experimental pain procedures assessed  Participants received electrocutaneous stimulations while viewing:  Unpleasant Pictures (e.g., injured bodies)  Neutral Pictures (e.g., household objects)  Pleasant Pictures (e.g., people in sexual acts) Introduction Blood pressure (BP) is associated with pain processing and pain modulation. For example, resting BP is associated with the effectiveness of conditioned pain modulation (i.e., pain inhibiting pain). To the best of our knowledge, however, no study has investigated the relationship between BP and the effectiveness of other forms of pain modulation systems. In an effort to expand this literature, the current study will investigate the relationship between the effectiveness of emotional controls of nociception [ECON] and resting blood pressure in healthy pain-free individuals.