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von Au S, Helmich I, Kieffer S, Lausberg H. Phasic and repetitive self-touch differ in hemodynamic response in the prefrontal cortex-An fNIRS study. FRONTIERS IN NEUROERGONOMICS 2023; 4:1266439. [PMID: 38234502 PMCID: PMC10790951 DOI: 10.3389/fnrgo.2023.1266439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Each individual touches the own body several 100 times a day. While some researchers propose a self-regulatory function of self-touch, others report that self-touching increases nervousness. This controversy appears to be caused by the fact that researchers did not define the kind of self-touch they examined and actually, referred to different types of self-touch. Thus, kinematically defining different types of self-touch, such as phasic (discrete), repetitive, and irregular, and exploring the neural correlates of the different types will provide insight into the neuropsychological function of self-touching behavior. Methods To this aim, we assessed hemodynamic responses in prefrontal brain areas using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and behavioral responses with NEUROGES®. Fifty-two participants were recorded during three specific kinematically types of self-touch (phasic, irregular, repetitive) that were to be performed on command. The recently developed toolbox Satori was used for the visualization of neuronal processes. Results Behaviorally, the participants did not perform irregular self-touch reliably. Neurally, the comparison of phasic, irregular and repetitive self-touch revealed different activation patterns. Repetitive self-touch is associated with stronger hemodynamic responses in the left Orbitofrontal Cortex and the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex than phasic self-touch. Discussion These brain areas have been reported to be associated with self-regulatory processes. Furthermore, irregular self-touch appears to be primarily generated by implicit neural control. Thus, by distinguishing kinematically different types of self-touch, our findings shed light on the controverse discussion on the neuropsychological function of self-touch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina von Au
- Department of Neurology, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychiatry, Institute of Health Promotion and Clinical Movement Science, German Sport University (GSU) Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ingo Helmich
- Department of Neurology, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychiatry, Institute of Health Promotion and Clinical Movement Science, German Sport University (GSU) Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Department of Motor Behavior in Sports, Institute of Health Promotion and Clinical Movement Science, German Sport University (GSU) Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Simon Kieffer
- Department of Neurology, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychiatry, Institute of Health Promotion and Clinical Movement Science, German Sport University (GSU) Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Hedda Lausberg
- Department of Neurology, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychiatry, Institute of Health Promotion and Clinical Movement Science, German Sport University (GSU) Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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Lopes S, Osório FDL. Effects of intranasal oxytocin on pain perception among human subjects: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Horm Behav 2023; 147:105282. [PMID: 36463692 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Oxytocin (OXT) is a peptide hormone produced in the hypothalamus that plays a neuromodulatory role in emotion, stress, and anxiety. Due to its multidimensional role, OXT is a promising target for therapeutic interventions to treat pain. OBJECTIVE Perform a systematic literature review, followed by a meta-analysis to identify the effects of intranasal OXT on the self-perception of clinical and experimental pain among human subjects. METHOD A systematic review was conducted in the PubMed, PsycINFO, Scielo, Lilacs, and Web of Science databases, using the keywords Oxytocin, Pain, Analgesia, and Nociception. RESULTS Fifteen papers were included in the meta-analysis. None of the outcomes presented statistical significance in terms of the interventions' effect size: pain intensity (SMD = -0.02 (CI 95 %: -0.14 to 0.10; p = 0.76)) and pain unpleasantness (SMD = -0.15 (CI 95 %: -0.34 to 0.04; p = 0.12)). No meta-analysis was performed for pain threshold or tolerance because few papers address these outcomes. CONCLUSION There was no statistically significant effect of intranasal OXT administration on pain perception, considering equivalence limits between (-0.2 and 0.2). However, it must be considered that the study designs may not have been sensitive enough to detect minor analgesic effects of OXT, which, being weak, may also not be perceived at a conscious level. Additionally, OXT effects possibly depend on specific characteristics of the painful condition, such as pain complexity, intensity, and duration, contextual variables like the presence of social and affective support, and individual characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Lopes
- Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Flávia de Lima Osório
- Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Brazil; National Institute for Science and Technology (INCT-TM, CNPq), Brazil.
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Pfeifer AC, Schroeder-Pfeifer P, Schneider E, Schick M, Heinrichs M, Bodenmann G, Ehlert U, Herpertz SC, Läuchli S, Eckstein M, Ditzen B. Oxytocin and positive couple interaction affect the perception of wound pain in everyday life. Mol Pain 2021; 16:1744806920918692. [PMID: 32308117 PMCID: PMC7171986 DOI: 10.1177/1744806920918692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
A large body of animal and human laboratory research has linked social interaction and support to pain perception, with a possible role for the neuropeptide oxytocin as a neuroendocrine mediator. However so far, it has been unclear whether these effects translate to ecologically valid everyday life behavior and pain perception. In a randomized placebo-controlled study, a standard suction blister skin wound was induced to N = 80 romantic couples (N = 160 individuals). Couples then received intranasal oxytocin or placebo twice daily and were either instructed to perform a positive social interaction (partner appraisal task, PAT) once in the laboratory and two times during the following five days, or not. During these days, all participants reported their subjective pain levels multiple times a day using ecologically momentary assessment. Results from hierarchical linear modeling suggest that pain levels within the couples were inter-related. In men, but not in women, oxytocin reduced pain levels. Women reported lower pain levels in the group of positive social interaction, while this effect did not show in men. These results suggest that intranasal oxytocin might have sex-specific effects with pain reducing effects in men but the opposite effects in women. In contrast, especially women benefit from positive interaction in terms of dampened pain levels after positive interaction. The results add to the evidence for health-beneficial effects of positive couple interaction and point to underlying neuroendocrine mechanisms in everyday life pain specifically. The sex-specific effects, in particular, may have implications for psychopharmacological treatment of pain in men and women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Christin Pfeifer
- Department of Orthopedics, Trauma Surgery and Paraplegiology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany.,Institute of Medical Psychology, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Paul Schroeder-Pfeifer
- Institute of Psychosocial Prevention, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ekaterina Schneider
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Maren Schick
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Markus Heinrichs
- Differential and Biological Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Freiburg University, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Guy Bodenmann
- Family Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ulrike Ehlert
- Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sabine C Herpertz
- Department of General Psychiatry, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Severin Läuchli
- Dermatological Clinic, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Monika Eckstein
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Beate Ditzen
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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Baumgart SBE, Baumbach-Kraft A, Lorenz J. Effect of Psycho-Regulatory Massage Therapy on Pain and Depression in Women with Chronic and/or Somatoform Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Brain Sci 2020; 10:E721. [PMID: 33053728 PMCID: PMC7601155 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10100721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic unspecific back pain (cBP) is often associated with depressive symptoms, negative body perception, and abnormal interoception. Given the general failure of surgery in cBP, treatment guidelines focus on conservative therapies. Neurophysiological evidence indicates that C-tactile fibers associated with the oxytonergic system can be activated by slow superficial stroking of the skin in the back, shoulder, neck, and dorsal limb areas. We hypothesize that, through recruitment of C-tactile fibers, psycho-regulatory massage therapy (PRMT) can reduce pain in patients with cBP. In our study, 66 patients were randomized to PRMT or CMT (classical massage therapy) over a 12-week period and tested by questionnaires regarding pain (HSAL= Hamburger Schmerz Adjektiv Liste; Hamburg Pain adjective list), depression (BDI-II = Beck depression inventory), and disability (ODI = Oswestry Disability Index). In all outcome measures, patients receiving PRMT improved significantly more than did those receiving CMT. The mean values of the HSAL sensory subscale decreased by -51.5% in the PRMT group compared to -6.7% in the CMT group. Depressive symptoms were reduced by -55.69% (PRMT) and -3.1% (CMT), respectively. The results suggest that the superiority of PRMT over CMT may rely on its ability to activate the C-tactile fibers of superficial skin layers, recruiting the oxytonergic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine B.-E. Baumgart
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Health and Nursing Sciences, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06108 Halle, Germany
| | | | - Juergen Lorenz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Life Science, University of Applied Sciences, 21033-Hamburg, Germany;
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Undurti A, Colasurdo EA, Sikkema CL, Schultz JS, Peskind ER, Pagulayan KF, Wilkinson CW. Chronic Hypopituitarism Associated with Increased Postconcussive Symptoms Is Prevalent after Blast-Induced Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. Front Neurol 2018. [PMID: 29515515 PMCID: PMC5825904 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The most frequent injury sustained by US service members deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan is mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI), or concussion, by far most often caused by blast waves from improvised explosive devices or other explosive ordnance. TBI from all causes gives rise to chronic neuroendocrine disorders with an estimated prevalence of 25-50%. The current study expands upon our earlier finding that chronic pituitary gland dysfunction occurs with a similarly high frequency after blast-related concussions. We measured circulating hormone levels and accessed demographic and testing data from two groups of male veterans with hazardous duty experience in Iraq or Afghanistan. Veterans in the mTBI group had experienced one or more blast-related concussion. Members of the deployment control (DC) group encountered similar deployment conditions but had no history of blast-related mTBI. 12 of 39 (31%) of the mTBI participants and 3 of 20 (15%) veterans in the DC group screened positive for one or more neuroendocrine disorders. Positive screens for growth hormone deficiency occurred most often. Analysis of responses on self-report questionnaires revealed main effects of both mTBI and hypopituitarism on postconcussive and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Symptoms associated with pituitary dysfunction overlap considerably with those of PTSD. They include cognitive deficiencies, mood and anxiety disorders, sleep problems, diminished quality of life, deleterious changes in metabolism and body composition, and increased cardiovascular mortality. When such symptoms are due to hypopituitarism, they may be alleviated by hormone replacement. These findings suggest consideration of routine post-deployment neuroendocrine screening of service members and veterans who have experienced blast-related mTBI and are reporting postconcussive symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arundhati Undurti
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Elizabeth A Colasurdo
- Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA Puget Sound Health Care System, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Carl L Sikkema
- Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA Puget Sound Health Care System, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Jaclyn S Schultz
- Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA Puget Sound Health Care System, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Elaine R Peskind
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.,VISN 20 Northwest Network Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), VA Puget Sound Health Care System, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Kathleen F Pagulayan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.,VISN 20 Northwest Network Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), VA Puget Sound Health Care System, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Charles W Wilkinson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States.,Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA Puget Sound Health Care System, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Seattle, WA, United States
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Hasenbring MI, Klinger R, Thieme K. Schmerzpsychologie interdisziplinär I: Psychobiologische Risikofaktoren und Mechanismen. Schmerz 2016; 30:383-385. [PMID: 27681780 DOI: 10.1007/s00482-016-0165-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M I Hasenbring
- Dept. of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Faculty of Medicine, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, Bochum, Deutschland.
| | - R Klinger
- Zentrum für Anästhesiologie und Intensivmedizin Klinik und Poliklinik für Anästhesiologie, UKE, Hamburg, Deutschland
| | - K Thieme
- Institut für Medizinische Psychologie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marburg, Deutschland
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