Temporal Aspects of the Thermal Grill Illusion of Pain

The thermal grill illusion (TGI) is produced when warm and cool temperatures are simultaneously presented resulting in a hot, burning, painful sensation. The TGI suggests a connection between thermal and pain pathways that, once understood, could lead to a better understanding of pain in general and possible ways to modulate it. The aim of this study was to determine if there is a temporal aspect of the illusion that would affect the way it is felt. Twenty-­four subjects participated in this study which revealed that there is no temporal aspect of the thermal grill illusion that affects pain or thermal components of the illusion. These results suggest that studies differing in the temporal component of the illusion may be compared as methodologically equal. Furthermore, temporal differences cannot be the reason for significant differences in experimental results. Future studies should include use of the thermal grill as it shows great promise to a better understanding of the interaction between pain and thermal pathways.Bachelor of Scienc