EEG individual power profiles correlate with tension along spine in horses.
Authors: Stomp Mathilde, d'Ingeo Serenella, Henry Séverine, Lesimple Clémence, Cousillas Hugo, Hausberger Martine
Journal: PloS one
Summary
# EEG patterns offer a non-invasive window into equine chronic back pain Back pain in ridden horses remains difficult to assess objectively, particularly given its subjective experiential component; this French research team sought to establish whether resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) could correlate with spinal tension measured via surface electromyography (sEMG). Resting EEG recordings from 24 horses revealed highly consistent individual power profiles, with animals presenting elevated muscular tension along the spine demonstrating significantly more fast-wave activity (beta and gamma frequencies) and proportionally less slow-wave activity (theta and alpha), particularly in theta bands. Notably, horses exhibiting greater back tension also displayed higher frequencies of stereotypic behaviours—repetitive "addictive-like" movements—suggesting a shared neurological basis between physical tension and behavioural manifestations of chronic discomfort. The practical implications are substantial: quantitative EEG at rest could provide equine professionals with an objective neurophysiological marker of chronic pain experience that complements existing assessments, particularly useful given the known cognitive alterations observed in horses with back problems. For farriers, physiotherapists, and veterinarians, this work suggests resting EEG might help identify pain-driven tension when traditional palpation findings prove ambiguous, whilst simultaneously validating the welfare concerns raised by stereotypic behaviour as a genuine pain indicator rather than merely a stable management issue.
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Practical Takeaways
- •EEG resting state profiles may offer a non-invasive, objective assessment tool for chronic back pain in horses beyond traditional palpation or muscle tension measures
- •Horses displaying increased stereotypic behaviours alongside back tension may warrant closer evaluation for chronic pain and welfare concerns
- •Individual EEG profiles appear stable enough to use as a baseline reference for monitoring changes in a horse's pain state over time
Key Findings
- •EEG power profiles are highly stable within individual horses, suggesting a reliable biomarker for assessing chronic pain states
- •Horses with elevated back tension showed increased beta and gamma waves (fast) and decreased theta and alpha waves (slow) in resting state EEG
- •Theta wave proportion was negatively correlated with muscular tension along the spine, indicating potential for EEG as a pain assessment tool
- •Elevated back tension positively correlated with stereotypic behaviours, suggesting chronic pain manifests in both neurological and behavioural changes