Electroencephalography, magnetoencephalography and pain: where do we stand, and where are we going

ABSTRACT: Considerable progress has been made over the past decade in the use, practicality, and clinical relevance of electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG)-derived data, improving our understanding of cortical nociceptive processing, the transition from nociception to conscious pain, and its cognitive-emotional modulations. Multimodal responses to heat, cold, and tactile/electrical stimuli, combined with autonomic reactions, provide objective sensory tests that bypass the limitations of verbal responses, while emerging approaches to spontaneous EEG/MEG analysis are changing the game in the still elusive area of ongoing pain. We can expect that all departments involved in the assessment of chronic pain will gradually be able to access these powerful and flexible techniques.