Sammy K. Millard

Thoroughly enjoyed The Brain Conference from Federation of European Neuroscience Societies - FENS last week in Crete! 🇬🇷

I am excited to bring all the interdisciplinary insights I’ve gained about “Principles of the Adaptive Mind” back to the topic of #pain research and to CNAP 🤓

Thank you to my collaborators on this project!

Alan Chiang, @drnahianc.bsky.social, Wei-Ju Chang, Andrew Furman, Enrico De Martino, Thomas Graven-Nielsen, @drsmschabrun.bsky.social, and @daspainbrain.bsky.social 👍

5/5

2) 10Hz pre-frontal rTMS may be more helpful for those with baseline PAF close to 10Hz or personalising rTMS to individual PAF may enhance the effectiveness of this intervention...

so future work should replicate and further test baseline PAF’s role in rTMS-induced pain relief. 👩‍🔬🧠

4/5

This work has two implications:

1) the effects of pre-frontal rTMS on pain appear independent from PAF modulation...

though future studies could adjust experimental parameters to see if PAF did change but we missed it this time (e.g., not recording PAF soon enough after intervention). 👩‍🔬🧠

3/5

Despite effects of pre-frontal rTMS on pain, we didn't see PAF changes compared to sham-rTMS. However, exploratory analysis showed those with baseline PAF closer to stimulation frequency (10Hz) had lower pain after rTMS. Also, relations between PAF and pain may have differed between groups. 🤔

2/5

Peak Alpha Frequency Is Not Significantly Altered by Five Days of Experimental Pain and Repetitive Transcranial Stimulation of the Left Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex This study explored whether the pain-relieving effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in an NGF-induced sustained pain model are associated with changes in peak alpha frequenc...

Published open access- European Journal of Neuroscience!
🤓
My second PhD paper is a secondary analysis of the peak alpha frequency (PAF) 🧠 and pain relationship in a repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) 🧲 intervention for experimental pain.

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
1/5

Predicting Individual Pain Sensitivity Using a Novel Cortical Biomarker Signature This cohort study analyzes electroencephalography data from healthy participants to analyze and validate a cortical biomarker signature for pain, which comprised the measures sensorimotor peak alpha f...

our NIH HEAL initiative funded biomarkers study now out @jama.com JAMA Neurology

open access, open data and code

w/ @drsmschabrun.bsky.social

jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Better eat your royal jelly if you want to be queen! 🐝👑

Fun facts and cool science about epigenetics, environmental influences (jelly matters!), and its role in pain by @mirocco.bsky.social topped with tasty beer at yesterday‘s @pintofscience.uk festival in Aalborg! 🍻🧪

@sammy-millard.bsky.social 👀

Why not start using Bluesky with a good news…. !!! Data integration of physiological, biological and cognitive factors can explain a high proportion of clinical pain.

9 Apr 2025.png

This week’s #PAIN Featured Image is a Circos plot from multiblock sparse partial least squares discriminant analysis. Learn more in Giordano et al.’s new study bit.ly/3FAAdMd

"Psychological safety" was the #1 predictor of an effective team in a study by Google. 'In other words, for a diverse team to work to its fullest capacity, everyone on the team must feel that it is safe to voice his or her opinions without being ridiculed.' 🙏@virusesimmunity.bsky.social

#EFIC2025 — another invaluable opportunity for both scientific and personal growth. 🌱🌿

Huge thanks to @efic.bsky.social for curating such inspiring content and for fostering a space to reconnect with old friends and create new, meaningful connections — all in stunning Lyon. 🇫🇷

A few snapshots…

5) 🚌 waking up this morning to the sunrise across Dutch fields after my night bus from Lyon

🇫🇷 - 🇱🇺 - 🇧🇪 - 🇳🇱 -

🚆 Just a few trains now before I’m home

🇩🇪 - 🇩🇰

Enjoying more #climate friendly travel for conferences when possible 💪 🌍

Wonderful time attending my first @efic.bsky.social conference in beautiful Lyon!

Some highlights:
1) sharing and getting feedback on my two posters 🧠
2) inspiring talks integrating the psyc and social aspects of pain 🤓
3) connections with research friends across the world 🗺️
4) exploring Lyon 🇫🇷

5️⃣-8️⃣ Exploring Lyon by day and night and creating unforgettable memories with beautiful souls and fantastic reseachers. 💛
@sammy-millard.bsky.social
@mirocco.bsky.social
@joellekmetzger.bsky.social

Final day! @efic.bsky.social #EFIC2025 👏

Come chat about pain and peak alpha frequency at my poster later, III-C.42 🤓

Titled: Dynamics of EEG peak alpha frequency in capsaicin-induced pain and resolution 🧠 🌊 🌶️

Day two! @efic.bsky.social #EFIC2025 👏

Come to my poster, II-B.40, on a slightly different topic than usual for me 🤓

Resilience or vulnerability to pain in climbers: A survey exploring the relationships between psychological flexibility, psychological inflexibility, and pain catastrophizing 🧗‍♀️🧠

Great first day at @efic.bsky.social #EFIC2025 yesterday! 🤓

I was grateful for the chance to present my CNAP poster in the poster prize presentation session 🤩

Come see the poster again on Saturday, titled: dynamics of EEG peak alpha frequency in capsaicin-induced pain and resolution, III-C.42

Also, for all IASP members, check out IASP Connect by @iasp.bsky.social! 🌐Create a Discussion or Q&A thread and interact with our community.
Give it a try and drop me a comment here or on IASP Connect if you're going to #EFIC2025! 🗨️👇
tinyurl.com/2khpy2pc

Hey Early Career Pain Researchers/Professionals,

who's going to the @efic.bsky.social #EFIC2025 in Lyon next week? 😊
As a member of the @iasp.bsky.social #IASPECN, I am particularly looking forward to some exciting activities just for us ECRs!

Program:
tinyurl.com/3x2dpx2p

See you there?😎

IASP recognizes that the advancement of pain science depends on the collective expertise, perspectives, and contributions our global network of members. DEI are organizational priorities here at IASP and we strive to ensure programming represents all members. Learn More: bit.ly/43LhOX4

📣March issue is live!

Cover: Promoting lived experience expertise in mental health research

Also in this issue:
➖negative affect & impulsivity in OUD
👫sexual desire & relationship functioning
🌎green leadership
🗨️word production

Read more: go.nature.com/3FAJqnJ

#psychology #psychscisky

Women are under-represented at senior levels in #academia globally, & across all #science 🧪 disciplines, as shown by these "scissor-shaped curves" ✂️

So how can we ever achieve #gender #equality?

We discuss various strategies in this #Cell Commentary

#WomeninSTEM

www.cell.com/cell/fulltex...
🧵 1/

ECN img

Hello, IASP Early Career Members! The Early Career Network (ECN) is working with IASP to support you with exciting initiatives. We want your input to help shape the ECN and ensure your voice is heard. Share your ideas, concerns, and wishes with us at earlycareer@iasp-pain.org! #IASP #ECN

Yes, the Pain Is All in Your Head A new study offers insights into the experience of pain that could improve pain management. Dr F. Perry Wilson comments.

Though I'm not sure we should conclude that: "Psychology is a slave to biology, not the other way around"... based on our new study... this write up is a pretty good summary of our recent work on predicting experimental pain sensitivity using the brain 🤓🧠

www.medscape.com/viewarticle/...

Brain Biomarkers for Pain Sensitivity Identifying objective biomarkers that track individual pain severity has been dubbed “the holy grail” of pain neuroscience. While pain is among the most fundamental, ubiquitous, and adaptive experienc...

accompanied by an editorial by Prasad Shirvalkar and Christopher Rozell that nicely summarizes the work and clinical relevance

jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Check out our new research published in @jama.com on the prediction of individual pain sensitivity using peak alpha frequency (PAF) and corticomotor excitability (CME)! 🤓

NEW JOBS ALERT. Researching pain psychology and want to join us in Bath? New lecturer in psychology posts now being advertised. Other areas also. Deadline is 19th Jan. www.bath.ac.uk/jobs/Vacancy...

We also have a fixed term (3 years) senior lecturer post in Psychology Dept at @uniofbath.bsky.social.

Various areas, including pain @bathcpr.bsky.social

Deadline is 10th Feb.

www.bath.ac.uk/jobs/Vacancy...