Disclosed are methods for detecting pain in a subject, such as a mammal (e.g.,a human), using brain activity, e.g., asdetermined by electroencephalography. The methods are useful for treating orreducing the likelihood of pain in a subject by determiningpower amplitude from the power spectral density of the waveforms and, e.g.,administering a therapeutic agent to the subject. Themethods disclosed herein may also be utilized to screen for a therapeuticagent that decreases power amplitude using a non-humananimal subject. The methods also feature the stimulation of thalamic reticularnucleus of a subject to treat or reduce pain.
