OBJECTIVE The present study aims to observe the influence of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the ADRB1 gene on individual differences in pain sensitivity. METHODS We analyzed the associations between pain sensitivity and ADRB1 gene SNPs (A145 G and G1165 C) in 324 Chinese patients who underwent surgery. The genotyping was performed using PCR-RFLP technique. RESULTS The patients wh...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of mindfulness training on pain tolerance, psychological well-being, physiological activity, and the acquisition of mindfulness skills. METHODS Forty-two asymptomatic University students participated in a randomized, single-blind, active control pilot study. Participants in the experimental condition were offered six (1-h) mindfulness sessions; control part...

The sweet taste of sucrose acts as an analgesic, whereas the taste of a bitter substance decreases pain tolerance. The present experiment explores the analgesic effect of a complex taste and asks how adding cocoa, a substance often associated with sweet foods but that has a bitter taste, to a sucrose solution affects cold pain tolerance. The 24 male participants were exposed to Cold Pressor Tes...

Stress-related research has employed several procedures to activate the human stress system. Two of the most commonly used laboratory paradigms are the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and the Cold Pressor Test (CPT). We combined their most stressful features to create a simple laboratory stress test capable of eliciting strong autonomic and glucocorticoid stress responses. In comparison with th...

The present study aimed to verify if blood pressure (BP) reactivity could be reduced through a previous single session of active playing when compared to sedentary leisure. Sixteen pre-pubertal healthy children participated in this study. After familiarization with procedures and anthropometric evaluation, participants performed three sessions in randomized order: (1) 30 min of traditional Braz...

Cognitive reappraisal can foster emotion regulation, yet less is known about whether cognitive reappraisal alters neuroendocrine stress reactivity. Some initial evidence suggests that although long-term training in cognitive behavioral therapy techniques (which include reappraisal as a primary training component) can reduce cortisol reactivity to stress, some studies also suggest that reapprais...