LAPSE: Laboratory of Psychophysics and Sensory Psychophysiology

The Laboratory of Psychophysics and Sensory Psychophysiology ( LAPSE ) is an integral part of the research domain Psychosocial Stress and Health (Head: Prof. Fernand Anton ).

Sensory psychophysiology analyses the relationship between physiological processes (e.g. cardiovascular activity) and sensory experiences (e.g. stressful noise), whereas psychophysics describe the interrelations between physical stimuli (e.g. visual or noxious stimulation) and the sensations and perceptions (e.g. vision and pain) they evoke.

The laboratory is currently aimed at the experimental investigation of bio-psycho-social modulators (e.g. hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function, associative learning, social stress) of endogenous pain control systems and their role as potential risk factors for the development of chronic and cancer pain.

It combines a whole range of stimulation (e.g. pharmacological and sensory) and physiological recording (e.g. electromyography, electrocardiography, electrooculography) methods to characterize the intricate relationships between autonomic nervous system function, objective pain expression (e.g. nocifensive reflex activity) and subjective pain experience (i.e. qualitative and quantitative sensory testing).

The laboratory is located at Campus Limpertsberg (BS 3.07).

Laboratory staff scientist: Dr Gilles Michaux