Neurocognitive Mechanisms Underlying Attention Bias Towards Pain: Evidence From a Drift-Diffusion Model and Event-Related Potentials

Although combining computational modeling with event-related potentials (ERPs) can precisely characterize neurocognitive processes involved in attention bias, it has yet to be applied in the context of pain. Here, a hierarchical drift-diffusion model (DDM) along with ERPs was used to characterize the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying attention bias towards pain. A spatial cueing paradigm was adopted, in which the locations of targets were either val-idly or invalidly predicted by spatial cues related to pain or nonpain signals. DDM-derived non-decision time was shorter for targets validly cued by pain signals than by nonpain signals, thus indicating speeded attention engagement towards pain; drift rate was slower for targets inval-idly cued by pain signals than by nonpain signals, reflecting slower attention disengagement from pain. The facilitated engagement towards pain was partially mediated by the enhanced lat-eralization of cue-evoked N1 amplitudes, which relate to the bottom-up, stimulus-driven pro-cesses of detecting threatening signals. On the other hand, the retarded disengagement from pain was partially mediated by the enhanced target-evoked anterior N2 amplitudes, which relate to the top-down, goal-driven processes of conflict monitoring and behavior regulating. These results demonstrated that engagement and disengagement components of pain-related atten-tion bias are governed by distinct neurocognitive mechanisms. However, it remains possible that the findings are not pain-specific, but rather, are related to threat or aversiveness in gen-eral. This deserves to be further examined by adding a control stimulus modality. Perspective: This study characterized the neurocognitive processes involved in attention bias towards pain through combining a hierarchical DDM and ERPs. Our results revealed distinctive neuro-cognitive mechanisms underlying engagement and disengagement components of attention bias. Future studies are warranted to examine whether our findings are pain-specific or not.& COPY; 2023 by United States Association for the Study of Pain, Inc.