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Detection of Electrodermal Activity in Pain 1
Sponsor: Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre
Summary
The goal of this study is to investigate the association between self-reported pain and electrodermal activity and to develop an algorithm that detects pain-related changes in electrodermal activity in healthy volunteers undergoing a cold pressor test. The study is exploratory. The main research questions are: Can pain be detected using electrodermal activity, and do psychological variables, including stress, affect the electrodermal response to pain? Study Design: The study has two arms. Methodology: Thirty-seven healthy volunteers perform an experimental pain task while their electrodermal activity is recorded and complete questionnaires. The participants are randomized 1:1 to either the cold pressor test alone or the cold pressor test combined with a mild experimental stressor (Stroop task). Analysis: Discriminant analysis will be used to differentiate between mild, moderate, and severe pain levels. Secondary outcomes include assessing the influence of the mild stressor on the pain response. This study is exploratory, generating hypotheses for subsequent phases of the project.
Official title: Detection of Electrodermal Activity in Pain (DEEP)
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
37
Start Date
2024-11-10
Completion Date
2026-12-31
Last Updated
2026-03-19
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Conditions
Interventions
Stroop task
The Stroop task will be used as a mild, acute stressor since it has effects on anxiety and autonomic response. In each Stroop task condition, four coloured visual stimuli will be presented on a computer screen for 3 s with 7 s inter-stimulus interval. The stimuli will be coloured words naming the colour of the ink in the nonconflict task condition (e.g. GREEN written in green ink) and a different colour in the conflict task condition (e.g. GREEN written in red ink). The participants were asked to name the colour of the stimuli. The test will be administered using the online version of PsyToolKit (Stoet, 2021).
Cold pressor test
The participant lowers their hand in icy water to induce temporary tonic pain
Locations (1)
Copenhagen University Hospital - Hvidovre
Hvidovre, Denmark