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Dhondt E, Van Oosterwijck S, Van Branteghem T, Rhudy JL, Danneels L, Van Oosterwijck J. Modulation of the nociceptive flexion reflex by conservative therapy in patients and healthy people: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Pain 2022; 163:1446-1463. [PMID: 34813517 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT The nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR) is a spinally mediated withdrawal response and is used as an electrophysiological marker of descending modulation of spinal nociception. Chemical and pharmacological modulation of nociceptive neurotransmission at the spinal level has been evidenced by direct effects of neurotransmitters and pharmacological agents on the NFR. Largely unexplored are, however, the effects of nonpharmacological noninvasive conservative interventions on the NFR. Therefore, a systematic review and meta-analysis was performed and reported following the PRISMA guidelines to determine whether and to what extent spinal nociception measured through the assessment of the NFR is modulated by conservative therapy in patients and healthy individuals. Five electronic databases were searched to identify relevant articles. Retrieved articles were screened on eligibility using the predefined inclusion criteria. Risk of bias was investigated according to Version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias assessment tool for randomized trials. The evidence synthesis for this review was conducted in accordance with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation. Thirty-six articles were included. Meta-analyses provided low-quality evidence showing that conservative therapy decreases NFR area and NFR magnitude and moderate-quality evidence for increases in NFR latency. This suggests that conservative interventions can exert immediate central effects by activating descending inhibitory pathways to reduce spinal nociception. Such interventions may help prevent and treat chronic pain characterized by enhanced spinal nociception. Furthermore, given the responsiveness of the NFR to conservative interventions, the NFR assessment seems to be an appropriate tool in empirical evaluations of treatment strategies.PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020164495.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evy Dhondt
- Spine, Head and Pain Research Unit Ghent, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Pain in Motion International Research Group
| | - Sophie Van Oosterwijck
- Spine, Head and Pain Research Unit Ghent, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Pain in Motion International Research Group
- Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Thomas Van Branteghem
- Spine, Head and Pain Research Unit Ghent, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jamie L Rhudy
- Department of Psychology, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, United States
| | - Lieven Danneels
- Spine, Head and Pain Research Unit Ghent, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jessica Van Oosterwijck
- Spine, Head and Pain Research Unit Ghent, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Pain in Motion International Research Group
- Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO), Brussels, Belgium
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Güereca YM, Kell PA, Kuhn BL, Hellman N, Sturycz CA, Toledo TA, Huber FA, Demuth M, Lannon EW, Palit S, Shadlow JO, Rhudy JL. The Relationship Between Experienced Discrimination and Pronociceptive Processes in Native Americans: Results From the Oklahoma Study of Native American Pain Risk. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2022; 23:1006-1024. [PMID: 35021117 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2021.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Native Americans (NAs) have higher pain rates than the general U.S. population. It has been found that increased central sensitization and reduced pain inhibition are pronociceptive processes that increase pain risk; yet, little attention has focused on the influence of psychosocial factors. Discrimination is a psychosocial factor associated with increased pain in other minoritized groups; however, it is unclear whether it also promotes pain in NAs. This study analyzed data from 269 healthy, pain-free participants (N = 134 non-Hispanic whites [NHWs], N = 135 NAs) from the Oklahoma Study of Native American Pain Risk. Experienced discrimination was measured using the Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS). Nociceptive processes were measured via static measures of spinal sensitivity (nociceptive flexion reflex [NFR] threshold, 3-stimulation NFR threshold), temporal summation of pain (TS-Pain) and nociceptive flexion reflex (TS-NFR), and conditioned pain modulation of pain (CPM-Pain) and NFR (CPM-NFR). Results demonstrated that greater discrimination was associated with enhanced TS-NFR and impaired CPM-NFR but not static measures of spinal sensitivity or measures of pain modulation (TS-Pain, CPM-Pain). Although the effects of discrimination on outcomes were similar in both groups (not moderated by ethnicity), NAs experienced higher levels of discrimination and therefore discrimination mediated a relationship between ethnicity and impaired CPM-NFR. This indicates experienced discrimination may promote a pain risk phenotype in NAs that involves spinal sensitization resulting from impaired inhibition of spinal nociception without sensitization of pain experience. PERSPECTIVE: This study found that discrimination was associated with spinal sensitization and impaired descending inhibition of spinal nociception. These findings bolster our understanding of how social stressors experienced disproportionately by minoritized groups can contribute to pain outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvette M Güereca
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | - Parker A Kell
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | - Bethany L Kuhn
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | - Natalie Hellman
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | | | - Tyler A Toledo
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | | | - Mara Demuth
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | - Edward W Lannon
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | - Shreela Palit
- University of Florida, Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Joanna O Shadlow
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | - Jamie L Rhudy
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
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Huber FA, Toledo TA, Newsom G, Rhudy JL. The relationship between sleep quality and emotional modulation of spinal, supraspinal, and perceptual measures of pain. Biol Psychol 2022; 171:108352. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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Rhudy JL, Kuhn BL, Demuth MJ, Huber FA, Hellman N, Toledo TA, Lannon EW, Palit S, Payne MF, Sturycz CA, Kell PA, Guereca YM, Street EN, Shadlow JO. Are Cardiometabolic Markers of Allostatic Load Associated With Pronociceptive Processes in Native Americans?: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis From the Oklahoma Study of Native American Pain Risk. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2021; 22:1429-1451. [PMID: 34033965 PMCID: PMC8578174 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2021.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Native Americans (NAs) experience higher rates of chronic pain than the general U.S. population, but the risk factors for this pain disparity are unknown. NAs also experience high rates of stressors and cardiovascular and metabolic health disparities (eg, diabetes, cardiovascular disease) consistent with allostatic load (stress-related wear-and-tear on homeostatic systems). Given that allostatic load is associated with chronic pain, then allostatic load may contribute to their pain disparity. Data from 302 healthy, pain-free men and women (153 NAs, 149 non-Hispanic Whites [NHW]) were analyzed using structural equation modeling to determine whether cardiometabolic allostatic load (body mass index, blood pressure, heart rate variability) mediated the relationship between NA ethnicity and experimental measures of pronociceptive processes: temporal summation of pain (TS-pain) and the nociceptive flexion reflex (TS-NFR), conditioned pain modulation of pain (CPM-pain) and NFR (CPM-NFR), and pain tolerance. Results indicated that NAs experienced greater cardiometabolic allostatic load that was related to enhanced TS-NFR and impaired CPM-NFR. Cardiometabolic allostatic load was unrelated to measures of pain perception (CPM-pain, TS-pain, pain sensitivity). This suggests cardiometabolic allostatic load may promote spinal sensitization in healthy NAs, that is not concomitant with pain sensitization, perhaps representing a unique pain risk phenotype in NAs. PERSPECTIVE: Healthy, pain-free Native Americans experienced greater cardiometabolic allostatic load that was associated with a pronociceptive pain phenotype indicative of latent spinal sensitization (ie, spinal sensitization not associated with hyperalgesia). This latent spinal sensitization could represent a pain risk phenotype for this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie L Rhudy
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
| | - Bethany L Kuhn
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | - Mara J Demuth
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | | | - Natalie Hellman
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | - Tyler A Toledo
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | - Edward W Lannon
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | - Shreela Palit
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Michael F Payne
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Behavioral Medicine & Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | | | - Parker A Kell
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | - Yvette M Guereca
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | - Erin N Street
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | - Joanna O Shadlow
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma
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Kell PA, Hellman N, Huber FA, Lannon EW, Kuhn BL, Sturycz CA, Toledo TA, Demuth MJ, Hahn BJ, Shadlow JO, Rhudy JL. The Relationship Between Adverse Life Events and Endogenous Inhibition of Pain and Spinal Nociception: Findings From the Oklahoma Study of Native American Pain Risk (OK-SNAP). THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2021; 22:1097-1110. [PMID: 33819573 PMCID: PMC8419014 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2021.03.146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Adverse life events (ALEs) are a risk factor for chronic pain; however, mechanisms underlying this association are not understood. This study examined whether cumulative ALE exposure impairs endogenous inhibition of pain (assessed from pain report) and spinal nociception (assessed from nociceptive flexion reflex; NFR) in healthy, pain-free Native Americans (n = 124) and non-Hispanic Whites (n = 129) during a conditioned pain modulation (CPM) task. Cumulative ALE exposure was assessed prior to testing by summing the number of potentially traumatic events experienced by each participant across their lifespan. Multilevel modeling found that ALEs were associated with NFR modulation during the CPM task even after controlling for general health, body mass index, sex, age, blood pressure, sleep quality, stimulation intensity, stimulus number, perceived stress, and psychological distress. Low exposure to ALEs was associated with NFR inhibition, whereas high exposure to ALEs was associated with NFR facilitation. By contrast, pain perception was inhibited during the CPM task regardless of the level of ALE exposure. Race/ethnicity did not moderate these results. Thus, ALEs may be pronociceptive for both Native Americans and non-Hispanic Whites by impairing descending inhibition of spinal nociception. This could contribute to a chronic pain risk phenotype involving latent spinal sensitization. PERSPECTIVE: This study found that adverse life events were associated with impaired descending inhibition of spinal nociception in a sample of Native Americans and non-Hispanic Whites. These findings expand on previous research linking adversity to chronic pain risk by identifying a proximate physiological mechanism for this association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parker A Kell
- Department of Psychology; The University of Tulsa; Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | - Natalie Hellman
- Department of Psychology; The University of Tulsa; Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | | | - Edward W Lannon
- Department of Psychology; The University of Tulsa; Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | - Bethany L Kuhn
- Department of Psychology; The University of Tulsa; Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | | | - Tyler A Toledo
- Department of Psychology; The University of Tulsa; Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | - Mara J Demuth
- Department of Psychology; The University of Tulsa; Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | - Burkhart J Hahn
- Department of Psychology; The University of Tulsa; Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | - Joanna O Shadlow
- Department of Psychology; The University of Tulsa; Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | - Jamie L Rhudy
- Department of Psychology; The University of Tulsa; Tulsa, Oklahoma.
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Rhudy JL, Huber F, Kuhn BL, Lannon EW, Palit S, Payne MF, Hellman N, Sturycz CA, Güereca YM, Toledo TA, Demuth MJ, Hahn BJ, Shadlow JO. Pain-related anxiety promotes pronociceptive processes in Native Americans: bootstrapped mediation analyses from the Oklahoma Study of Native American Pain Risk. Pain Rep 2020; 5:e808. [PMID: 32072102 PMCID: PMC7004502 DOI: 10.1097/pr9.0000000000000808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2019] [Revised: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Evidence suggests Native Americans (NAs) experience higher rates of chronic pain than the general US population, but the mechanisms contributing to this disparity are poorly understood. Recently, we conducted a study of healthy, pain-free NAs (n = 155), and non-Hispanic whites (NHWs, n = 150) to address this issue and found little evidence that NAs and NHWs differ in pain processing (assessed from multiple quantitative sensory tests). However, NAs reported higher levels of pain-related anxiety during many of the tasks. OBJECTIVE The current study is a secondary analysis of those data to examine whether pain-related anxiety could promote pronociceptive processes in NAs to put them at chronic pain risk. METHODS Bootstrapped indirect effect tests were conducted to examine whether pain-related anxiety mediated the relationships between race (NHW vs NA) and measures of pain tolerance (electric, heat, ischemia, and cold pressor), temporal summation of pain and the nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR), and conditioned pain modulation of pain/NFR. RESULTS Pain-related anxiety mediated the relationships between NA race and pain tolerance and conditioned pain modulation of NFR. Exploratory analyses failed to show that race moderated relationships between pain-related anxiety and pain outcomes. CONCLUSION These findings imply that pain-related anxiety is not a unique mechanism of pain risk for NAs, but that the greater tendency to experience pain-related anxiety by NAs impairs their ability to engage descending inhibition of spinal nociception and decreases their pain tolerance (more so than NHWs). Thus, pain-related anxiety may promote pronociceptive processes in NAs to place them at risk for future chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie L. Rhudy
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA
| | - Felicitas Huber
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA
| | - Bethany L. Kuhn
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA
| | - Edward W. Lannon
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA
| | - Shreela Palit
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA
- Department of Community Dentistry & Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Michael F. Payne
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Natalie Hellman
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA
| | | | | | - Tyler A. Toledo
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA
| | - Mara J. Demuth
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA
| | - Burkhart J. Hahn
- Department of Psychology, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK, USA
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