Pain biomarkers based on electroencephalogram: Current status and prospect

Pain is a subjective and complex symptom, making its prediction, management, and treatment a significant challenge in clinical research. To address these challenges, the search for reliable and objective pain biomarkers has become a focal point in pain studies. Electroencephalography (EEG), a non-invasive clinical tool, has emerged as the most widely used method for assessing brain regions associated with pain due to its temporal resolution, accuracy, and comprehensive nature. Multichannel EEG is now a primary technique in the study of pain biomarkers. This review discusses the current status and future prospects of EEG biomarkers in pain research, synthesizing evidence on the potential of EEG recordings as reliable biomarkers for pain perception. This will contribute to establishing a more solid foundation for the prediction, diagnosis, and intervention of pain in future research and management.