The effect of divided and directed attention on the magnitude of spatial summation of pain

Background
Spatial summation of pain (SSp) is observed when the experienced pain intensity increases when the painful area enlarges. Despite many years of research on SSp, the effect itself and its clinical relevance are still not fully understood

Aims
This narrative review article focuses on the effect of SSp as a physiological mechanism as well as the procedure for assessing pain modulation in humans. In particular, a line of research on the moderating effect of attention on SSp is presented and discussed.

Summary
So far, studies on SSp have shown promising outcomes for pain reduction and pain diagnosis in patients experiencing widespread pain. When attention manipulation procedures are used in the context of the area of pain, a hypoalgesic effect can be observed. This effect, combined with other techniques targeting the somatosensory system, can contribute to developing comprehensive sensory-discriminative training aimed at reducing pain.