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Fernandes-Magalhaes R, Carpio A, Ferrera D, Peláez I, De Lahoz ME, Van Ryckeghem D, Van Damme S, Mercado F. Neural mechanisms underlying attentional bias modification in fibromyalgia patients: a double-blind ERP study. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2024; 274:1197-1213. [PMID: 37980687 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-023-01709-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
There is a growing interest in the potential benefits of attentional bias modification (ABM) training in chronic pain patients. However, studies examining the effectiveness of ABM programs in fibromyalgia patients have demonstrated inconclusive effects on both behavioral indices and clinical symptoms. Additionally, underlying neural dynamics of ABM effects could yield new insights but remain yet unexplored. Current study, therefore, aims to investigate the effects of ABM training on known neural electrophysiological indicators of attentional bias to pain (P2, N2a). Thirty-two fibromyalgia patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to an ABM training (N = 16) or control (N = 16) condition (2 weeks duration). Within the ABM training condition participants performed five sessions consisting of a modified version of the dot-probe task in which patients were trained to avoid facial pain expressions, whereas in the control group participants performed five sessions consisting of a standard version of the dot-probe task. Potential ABM training effects were evaluated by comparing a single pre- and post-treatment session, in which event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded in response to both facial expressions and target stimuli. Furthermore, patients filled out a series of self-report questionnaires assessing anxiety, depression, pain-related worrying, fear of pain, fatigue and pain status. After training, results indicated an overall reduction of the amplitude of the P2 component followed by an enhancement of N2a amplitude for the ABM condition compared to control condition. In addition, scores on anxiety and depression decreased in patients assigned to the training condition. However, we found no effects derived from the training on pain-related and fatigue status. Present study offers new insights related to the possible neural mechanisms underlying the effect of ABM training in fibromyalgia. Clinical trial (TRN: NCT05905159) retrospectively registered (30/05/2023).
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Fernandes-Magalhaes
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Av. Atenas s/n, 28922, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Carpio
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Av. Atenas s/n, 28922, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Ferrera
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Av. Atenas s/n, 28922, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Irene Peláez
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Av. Atenas s/n, 28922, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Eugenia De Lahoz
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Av. Atenas s/n, 28922, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Dimitri Van Ryckeghem
- Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Stefaan Van Damme
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Francisco Mercado
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Av. Atenas s/n, 28922, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain.
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Waisman A, Katz J. The autobiographical memory system and chronic pain: A neurocognitive framework for the initiation and maintenance of chronic pain. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 162:105736. [PMID: 38796124 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
Chronic pain affects approximately 20% of the world's population, exerting a substantial burden on the affected individual, their families, and healthcare systems globally. Deficits in autobiographical memory have been identified among individuals living with chronic pain, and even found to pose a risk for the transition to chronicity. Recent neuroimaging studies have simultaneously implicated common brain regions central to autobiographical memory processing in the maintenance of and susceptibility to chronic pain. The present review proposes a novel neurocognitive framework for chronic pain explained by mechanisms underlying the autobiographical memory system. Here, we 1) summarize the current literature on autobiographical memory in pain, 2) discuss the role of the hippocampus and cortical brain regions including the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, anterior temporal lobe, and amygdala in relation to autobiographical memory, memory schemas, emotional processing, and pain, 3) synthesize these findings in a neurocognitive framework that explains these relationships and their implications for patients' pain outcomes, and 4) propose translational directions for the prevention, management, and treatment of chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Waisman
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Joel Katz
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Anesthesia and Pain Management, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Wolkowicz NR, Sofuoglu M, Pittman B, Meyerovich J, MacLean RR, De Aquino JP. A preliminary investigation of the acute effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol on pain and opioid attentional bias among persons with opioid use disorder. J Psychiatr Res 2024; 177:90-95. [PMID: 38991269 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.06.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 05/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Attentional bias (AB) is believed to be an important factor in the development and maintenance of both opioid use disorder (OUD) and chronic pain. Cannabis and its main psychoactive constituent, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), produce analgesic effects via processes that are potentially relevant to AB and is commonly used by persons with OUD. This exploratory study investigated if THC influences AB towards pain and opioid cues individuals with OUD. METHODS Using a within-subject, crossover design, 27 adults receiving methadone were randomly assigned to receive single doses of oral THC (10 mg, 20 mg administered as dronabinol) or placebo across three, 5-h sessions. During each session, a visual probe task was used to measure AB to pain and opioid cues at baseline and 120 min post-THC administration. RESULTS Mixed-effects models examined main effects of THC dose, time, and their interaction across all participants; findings were then stratified by methadone dose (low dose <90 mg/day and high dose ≥90 mg/day). Among individuals receiving high doses of methadone, a significant interaction was observed such that AB towards opioids increased following 10 mg THC administration and decreased following 20 mg THC administration. Additionally, participants receiving low doses of methadone showed significant increases in the variability of opioid-related AB post THC administration. CONCLUSION We provide preliminary evidence showing that THC may cause dose-dependent effects on selective attention for opioid cues among methadone patients. These results underscore the need for further clinical investigation into the effects of cannabinoids and other substances with potential analgesic and addictive properties among persons with OUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah R Wolkowicz
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Mehmet Sofuoglu
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Brian Pittman
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Julia Meyerovich
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - R Ross MacLean
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Joao P De Aquino
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA; Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, CT, USA.
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Sharpe L, Rooney T, Todd J, Michalski SC, Van Ryckeghem D, Crombez G, Colagiuri B. Attentional Processes in Pain: The Importance of Context and Attentional Alignment. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2024:104600. [PMID: 38866122 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2024.104600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
The attentional bias literature has consistently failed to take context into account. We developed a novel paradigm in immersive virtual reality (VR) with pain stimuli where it would be adaptive or nonadaptive to attend to the stimuli. Participants had to indicate the location of the stimuli. Seventy participants were recruited. The VR-attention task assessed overall attentional bias (the tendency to prioritize pain compared with nonpain stimuli) and attentional alignment (the tendency to attend to pain more in adaptive than nonadaptive situations). Pain tolerance and threshold were measured using electrocutaneous stimulation and thermal pain. We conducted 2 (context: adaptive vs nonadaptive) × 2 (congruence: congruent vs incongruent) Analysis of Covariance, controlling for threat. Participants responded to pain probes more quickly in adaptive than nonadaptive contexts. There was an overall bias away from pain-related stimuli (avoidance) in reaction time to the target. There was also an interaction where avoidance was greater in nonadaptive contexts, indicative of attentional alignment. For gaze behavior, both attentional alignment and attentional bias were observed for latency to first fixation on the target, such that participants showed vigilance for pain particularly in the adaptive context. Attentional alignment was correlated with threshold and tolerance from electrocutaneous stimulation but not thermal pain. In conclusion, we found overall attentional biases indicating vigilance (latency to first fixation) and avoidance (response to target). We also found that participants evidenced a pattern of attention favoring adaptive over nonadaptive contexts (attentional alignment). It was attentional alignment, but not overall attentional bias, that predicted pain tolerance and threshold. PERSPECTIVE: The study explored attentional processes in pain through a novel paradigm designed in VR. The results found that positive attentional alignment, or the tendency to attend to pain more in adaptive contexts rather than nonadaptive contexts, predicted pain outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Sharpe
- School of Psychology A18, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Tessa Rooney
- School of Psychology A18, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jemma Todd
- School of Psychology A18, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Stefan Carlo Michalski
- School of Psychology A18, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Dimitri Van Ryckeghem
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands; Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Geert Crombez
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ben Colagiuri
- School of Psychology A18, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Mac Goris JL, Todd J, Clarke PJ, Hughes AM, Vögele C, Van Ryckeghem DM. The role of attention bias malleability in experiencing pain and associated disability. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17430. [PMID: 38846749 PMCID: PMC11155670 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Attentional processing of pain has been theorized to play a key role in the severity of pain and associated disability. In particular attentional bias towards pain information, resulting in poor pain outcomes, has been extensively researched. Recently, the idea was put forward that attention bias malleability (AM), i.e., the readiness to acquire an attentional bias irrespective of its direction, may be key in predicting poor pain outcomes. We tested this hypothesis in two studies. Methods In Study 1, 55 healthy participants completed an AM paradigm, followed by an experimental heat pain paradigm probing pain experience and pain-related task interference. In Study 2, 71 people with chronic pain completed an AM paradigm and questionnaires probing pain experience and associated disability. Results In Study 1, including healthy participants, no relationship was found between AM indices and experimental pain outcomes. In Study 2, including chronic pain patients, results indicated that higher levels of overall AM were related to higher levels of pain experience and disability. Conclusion This study partially supports the hypotheses that the degree to which individuals can adapt their attentional preference in line with changing environmental conditions is associated with poor pain outcomes. However, future research is needed to clarify inconsistent findings between healthy volunteers and chronic pain patients as well as to determine the causal status of AM in poor pain outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine L. Mac Goris
- Department of Clinical Psychological Science, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Jemma Todd
- School Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Patrick J.F. Clarke
- Curtin School of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University of Technology, Curtin, Australia
| | - Alicia M. Hughes
- Department of Psychological Medecine, King’s College London, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Claus Vögele
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Dimitri M.L. Van Ryckeghem
- Department of Clinical Psychological Science, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Xu T, Vancleef LMG, Peters ML, Van Ryckeghem DML. The Interrelationships Between Cognitive Biases for Pain: An Experimental Study. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2024:104587. [PMID: 38834148 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2024.104587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Contemporary pain models highlight cognitive-processing biases (ie, attention bias [AB], interpretation bias [IB], and memory bias [MB]) as key processes that contribute to poor pain outcomes. However, existing research has yielded inconsistent findings regarding the presence and impact of these biases on pain outcomes. Recognizing the need to explore these biases simultaneously, contemporary pain models suggest that cognitive biases (CBs) are interrelated, and may have a combined impact upon pain problems. The current study aims to investigate the interrelationships between CBs using the PainAIM paradigm, a novel approach enabling simultaneous evaluation of pain-related AB, IB, and MB using cues signaling actual pain rather than symbolic information. We hypothesized the presence and positive associations of biases for pain-related cues and the predictive value of combined AB and IB for poor pain outcomes. Eighty-four healthy participants completed the PainAIM paradigm, followed by a cold pressor task probing pain experience and pain-related task interference. The results indicated an inverse relationship between AB and IB for ambiguous pain cues. In addition, there was a positive association between participants' AB for ambiguous pain and their MB for the same cues. Contrary to our hypotheses, CB indices did not predict experimental pain outcomes. These findings provide support for the interrelationships between pain-related CBs. However, future research on the temporal order of CBs and their combined impact on pain outcomes is needed. By overcoming the limitations associated with traditional paradigms, the PainAIM paradigm offers a promising research tool for the further study of combined CBs in the context of pain. PERSPECTIVE: The current study provides insight into the associations between pain-related CBs (AB, IB, and MB) using ecologically valid (ambiguous) pain cues. The results indicated an inverse association between pain-related AB and IB, while a positive association was found between AB and MB. CBs did however not predict experimental pain outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Xu
- Section Experimental Health Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Linda M G Vancleef
- Section Experimental Health Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Madelon L Peters
- Section Experimental Health Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Dimitri M L Van Ryckeghem
- Section Experimental Health Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands; Institute for Health and Behaviour, INSIDE, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg; Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
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7
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Rooney T, Sharpe L, Todd J, Michalski SC, Van Ryckeghem D, Crombez G, Colagiuri B. Beyond the modified dot-probe task: A meta-analysis of the efficacy of alternate attention bias modification tasks across domains. Clin Psychol Rev 2024; 110:102436. [PMID: 38696911 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2024.102436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024]
Abstract
Attention biases towards disease-relevant cues have been implicated in numerous disorders and health conditions, such as anxiety, cancer, drug-use disorders, and chronic pain. Attention bias modification (ABM) has shown that changing attention biases can change related emotional processes. ABM most commonly uses a modified dot-probe task, which has received increasing criticism regarding its reliability and inconsistent findings. The purpose of the present review was thus to systematically review and meta-analyse alternative tasks used in ABM research. We sought to examine whether alternative tasks significantly changed attention biases and emotional outcomes, and critically examined whether relevant sample, task and intervention characteristics moderated each of these effect sizes. Seventy-four (completer n = 15,294) study level comparisons were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, alternative ABM designs had a medium effect on changing biases (g = 0.488), and a small, but significant effect on improving clinical outcomes (g = 0.117). We found this effect to be significantly larger for studies which successfully changed biases compared to those that did not. Across all tasks, it appeared that targeting engagement biases results in the largest change to attention biases. Importantly, we found tasks incorporating gaze-contingency - encouraging engagement with non-biased stimuli - show the most promise for improving emotional outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa Rooney
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Australia.
| | - Louise Sharpe
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Australia
| | - Jemma Todd
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Australia
| | - Stefan Carlo Michalski
- Department of Developmental Disability Neuropsychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of New South Wales, Australia
| | - Dimitri Van Ryckeghem
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium; Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands; Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Geert Crombez
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Ben Colagiuri
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Australia
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8
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Tessier MH, Mazet JP, Gagner E, Marcoux A, Jackson PL. Facial representations of complex affective states combining pain and a negative emotion. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11686. [PMID: 38777852 PMCID: PMC11111784 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62423-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Pain is rarely communicated alone, as it is often accompanied by emotions such as anger or sadness. Communicating these affective states involves shared representations. However, how an individual conceptually represents these combined states must first be tested. The objective of this study was to measure the interaction between pain and negative emotions on two types of facial representations of these states, namely visual (i.e., interactive virtual agents; VAs) and sensorimotor (i.e., one's production of facial configurations). Twenty-eight participants (15 women) read short written scenarios involving only pain or a combined experience of pain and a negative emotion (anger, disgust, fear, or sadness). They produced facial configurations representing these experiences on the faces of the VAs and on their face (own production or imitation of VAs). The results suggest that affective states related to a direct threat to the body (i.e., anger, disgust, and pain) share a similar facial representation, while those that present no immediate danger (i.e., fear and sadness) differ. Although visual and sensorimotor representations of these states provide congruent affective information, they are differently influenced by factors associated with the communication cycle. These findings contribute to our understanding of pain communication in different affective contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Hélène Tessier
- School of Psychology, Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration (Cirris), Québec City, Canada
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec City, Canada
| | - Jean-Philippe Mazet
- Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
| | - Elliot Gagner
- School of Psychology, Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration (Cirris), Québec City, Canada
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec City, Canada
| | - Audrey Marcoux
- School of Psychology, Université Laval, Québec City, Canada
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration (Cirris), Québec City, Canada
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec City, Canada
| | - Philip L Jackson
- School of Psychology, Université Laval, Québec City, Canada.
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration (Cirris), Québec City, Canada.
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec City, Canada.
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9
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Clauwaert A, Pinto EA, Schouppe S, Danneels L, Van Oosterwijck J, Van Damme S. Does movement preparation enhance attending to bodily sensations in the back in people with persistent low back pain? PLoS One 2024; 19:e0300421. [PMID: 38635727 PMCID: PMC11025943 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Attention has been proposed to play an important role in persisting pain, with excessive attentional processes towards pain information leading to worse pain outcomes and maladaptive behaviors. Nevertheless, research on somatosensory attending during the anticipation of pain-related movements is still scarce. This study investigated if individuals with chronic and recurrent lower back pain compared to pain-free controls, show enhanced attending to somatosensory information in the back while anticipating back-recruiting movements. 43 healthy control, 33 recurrent (RLBP) and 33 chronic low back (CLBP) pain sufferers were asked to perform back-recruiting movements. Before the movement initiation cue, a task-irrelevant tactile stimulus was administered to participants' lower back to elicit somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs), used as an index of somatosensory attending. In contrast to our hypothesis, most identified SEP components did not differ across groups. The only exception was the P175 amplitude which was larger for the CLBP group compared to individuals with RLBP and healthy controls. The current study did not find robust evidence of enhanced somatosensory attending to the back in people with persisting lower back pain. The finding that CLBP, but not RLBP individuals, had larger amplitudes to the P175 component, is discussed as possibly reflecting a higher state of emotional arousal in these patients when having to prepare the back-recruiting movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Clauwaert
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Eleana A. Pinto
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Stijn Schouppe
- SPINE Research Unit Ghent, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Lieven Danneels
- SPINE Research Unit Ghent, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Jessica Van Oosterwijck
- SPINE Research Unit Ghent, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
- Pain in Motion International Research Group, Departments of Human Physiology and Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Physical Education & Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Stefaan Van Damme
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Abudoush AN, Poliakoff E, Panagioti M, Hodkinson A, Husain N. Investigating attention toward pain-related cues in an Arabic-speaking population with and without chronic pain. Exp Brain Res 2024:10.1007/s00221-024-06789-9. [PMID: 38424370 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-024-06789-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
There is some evidence for attentional biases in individuals with chronic pain (CP). Cultural and linguistic differences might affect the manifestation of these processes across populations. However, such attentional biases have not been explored in the Arabic-speaking population. The current study investigated these attentional biases and possible associations with resilience. Two matched groups of Arabic-speaking participants with (58) and without (58) CP were recruited from Jordan and the United Kingdom. They completed emotionally modified versions of the Posner cueing and Stroop tasks, alongside questionnaires. Significant group differences were found for the Posner task, with the CP group exhibiting disengagement revealed by the inhibition of return (IOR) effect for sensory pain-related cues compared to delayed disengagement for the other cue types. The control group showed IOR across cue types. No group differences were found on the Stroop task. The CP group had lower resilience scores than healthy controls, and resilience moderated performance on the Posner task. The study provides preliminary evidence about the attentional processes in the Arabic population; the speed of disengagement is affected in the CP group with early disengagement for sensory pain-related information compared to affect pain and neutral stimuli. Furthermore, resilience levels in the CP and control group moderated the performance on the Posner task, suggesting that it influences attentional allocation. This study can help in understanding how the phenomenon of attention bias intertwines with the cultural and linguistic factors. Future research should further explore attentional dynamics across different time points in this population and the modulatory effect of resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad N Abudoush
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, School of Arts, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
| | - Ellen Poliakoff
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Maria Panagioti
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Alexander Hodkinson
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Nusrat Husain
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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11
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Meeker TJ, Saffer MI, Frost J, Chien JH, Mullins RJ, Cooper S, Bienvenu OJ, Lenz FA. Vigilance to Painful Laser Stimuli is Associated with Increased State Anxiety and Tense Arousal. J Pain Res 2023; 16:4151-4164. [PMID: 38058982 PMCID: PMC10697823 DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s412782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Pain is frequently accompanied by enhanced arousal and hypervigilance to painful sensations. Here, we describe our findings in an experimental vigilance task requiring healthy participants to indicate when randomly timed moderately painful stimuli occur in a long train of mildly painful stimuli. Methods During a continuous performance task with painful laser stimuli (CPTpain), 18 participants rated pain intensity, unpleasantness, and salience. We tested for a vigilance decrement over time using classical metrics including correct targets (hits), incorrectly identified non-targets (false alarms), hit reaction time, and false alarm reaction time. We measured state anxiety and tense arousal before and after the task. Results We found a vigilance decrement across four 12.5-minute blocks of painful laser stimuli in hits [F3,51=2.91; p=0.043; time block 1>block 4 (t=2.77; p=0.035)]. Both self-report state anxiety (tpaired,17=3.34; p=0.0039) and tense arousal (tpaired,17=3.20; p=0.0053) increased after the task. We found a vigilance decrement during our laser pain vigilance task consistent with vigilance decrements found in other stimulus modalities. Furthermore, state anxiety positively correlated with tense arousal. Discussion CPTpain acutely increased tense arousal and state anxiety, consistent with previous results implicating the reciprocal interaction of state anxiety and acute painful sensations and the role of pain in augmenting tense arousal. These results may indicate a psychological process which predisposes the hypervigilant to developing greater acute pain, resulting in positive feedback, greater pain and anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J Meeker
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Biology, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mark I Saffer
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jodie Frost
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jui-Hong Chien
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Roger J Mullins
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Biology, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sean Cooper
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - O Joseph Bienvenu
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Fred A Lenz
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Dickens H, Bruehl S, Rao U, Myers H, Goodin B, Huber FA, Nag S, Carter C, Karlson C, Kinney KL, Morris MC. Cognitive-Affective-Behavioral Pathways Linking Adversity and Discrimination to Daily Pain in African-American Adults. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2023; 10:2718-2730. [PMID: 36352344 PMCID: PMC10166769 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-022-01449-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The tendency to ruminate, magnify, and experience helplessness in the face of pain - known as pain catastrophizing - is a strong predictor of pain outcomes and is associated with adversity. The ability to maintain functioning despite adversity - referred to as resilience - also influences pain outcomes. Understanding the extent to which pain catastrophizing and resilience influence relations between adversity and daily pain in healthy African-American adults could improve pain risk assessment and mitigate racial disparities in the transition from acute to chronic pain. This study included 160 African-American adults (98 women). Outcome measures included daily pain intensity (sensory, affective) and pain impact on daily function (pain interference). Adversity measures included childhood trauma exposure, family adversity, chronic burden from recent stressors, and ongoing perceived stress. A measure of lifetime racial discrimination was also included. Composite scores were created to capture early-life adversity (childhood trauma, family adversity) versus recent-life adversity (perceived stress, chronic burden). Increased pain catastrophizing was correlated with increased adversity (early and recent), racial discrimination, pain intensity, and pain interference. Decreased pain resilience was correlated with increased recent-life adversity (not early-life adversity or racial discrimination) and correlated with increased pain intensity (not pain-related interference). Bootstrapped multiple mediation models revealed that relationships between all adversity/discrimination and pain outcomes were mediated by pain catastrophizing. Pain resilience, however, was not a significant mediator in these models. These findings highlight opportunities for early interventions to reduce cognitive-affective-behavioral risk factors for persisting daily pain among African-American adults with greater adversity exposure by targeting pain catastrophizing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harrison Dickens
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA
| | - Stephen Bruehl
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Uma Rao
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior and Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of CA - Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Children's Hospital of Orange County, Orange, CA, USA
| | - Hector Myers
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Burel Goodin
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Felicitas A Huber
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA
| | - Subodh Nag
- Department of Biochemistry, Cancer Biology, Neuroscience & Pharmacology, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Chelsea Carter
- Department of Biochemistry, Cancer Biology, Neuroscience & Pharmacology, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Cynthia Karlson
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Hematology/Oncology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA
| | - Kerry L Kinney
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA
| | - Matthew C Morris
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS, 39216, USA.
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Alves M, Krypotos AM, Crombez G, Vlaeyen JWS. Experimental Pain Picture System (EPPS): Development and Validation. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2023; 24:2052-2062. [PMID: 37356605 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2023.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
Pain-related pictures are useful for studying how individuals respond to pain-related stimulation. Such pictures can occasionally be found in databases for affective pictures. However, a validated database specifically for pain-related pictures is not available yet. In 2 experiments (N = 185 and 103, respectively), we developed and validated the Experimental Pain Pictures System (EPPS). In both experiments, negative valence, arousal, and painfulness ratings were compared between neutral-, sad-, and pain-related pictures. The pain-related pictures represented both deep and superficial somatic pain. Across the 2 experiments, pain-related pictures were judged as more negative, arousing, and painful than neutral pictures and more painful than sad pictures. The final EPPS contains 50 pictures of different painful events considered moderately to highly painful by participants. The EPPS is a valuable tool for studying pain-related responses, as it gives researchers a choice among many validated pictures depicting different types of pain, increasing the comparability between studies. PERSPECTIVE: This article presents the validation of the experimental pain pictures system, which consists of a set of pain-related pictures. The experimental pain pictures system is composed of pictures depicting different types of pain. Participants rated all the pictures as being negative, arousing, and painful.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryna Alves
- Research Group Health Psychology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Angelos-Miltiadis Krypotos
- Research Group Health Psychology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Clinical Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Geert Crombez
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Johan W S Vlaeyen
- Research Group Health Psychology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Experimental Health Psychology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
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14
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Abudoush AN, Ali K, Kiran T, Panagioti M, Poliakoff E, Mo Hom N, Husain N. Exploring chronic pain related attentional experiences, distress and coping strategies among Arabic-speaking individuals in Jordan and the United Kingdom. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1268179. [PMID: 37849474 PMCID: PMC10577280 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1268179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The lived experiences of chronic pain (CP) among Arabic-speaking populations remain underexplored. A better understanding of these experiences and their associations with attention difficulties, coping mechanisms, and treatment options could lead to improved support for this group. Methods This qualitative study utilised a descriptive design and involved one-to-one interviews with 51 participants with CP who had just completed two attention tasks. Interviews were conducted using a semi-structured topic guide, transcribed verbatim and translated from Arabic to English before agreeing on the coding framework. Themes and subthemes were extracted using a framework analysis approach. Results The study identified six main themes: Factors contributing towards developing or exacerbating CP, the impact of CP on psychosocial functions, including attention, the perceived role of social support, coping strategies for managing CP, perceptions about available treatments and recommendations for interventions. Discussion CP significantly impacts individuals' physical and psychosocial functions, and it is reciprocally associated with attentional difficulties. Despite using various approaches to manage their CP, none of the participants used psychological interventions or counselling. Understanding the diverse impacts of CP and the coping strategies employed to develop culturally sensitive interventions, review current related policies, and improve healthcare services is crucial to managing CP among this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad N. Abudoush
- School of Health Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychology, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
| | - Khalifa Ali
- School of Health Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Tayyeba Kiran
- Department of Research and Development, Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Maria Panagioti
- School of Health Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Ellen Poliakoff
- School of Health Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Nang Mo Hom
- Research Capacity and Capability Program, Ethnic Health Forum, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Nusrat Husain
- School of Health Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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15
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Vermeir JF, White MJ, Johnson D, Crombez G, Van Ryckeghem DML. Development and Evaluation of Linguistic Stimuli for Pain Research. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2023; 24:1843-1858. [PMID: 37268166 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2023.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Linguistic stimuli are commonly used in research to investigate the processing of pain. To provide researchers with a dataset of pain-related and non-pain-related linguistic stimuli, this research investigated 1) the associative strength between pain-related words and the pain construct; 2) the pain-relatedness ratings of pain words; and 3) the variability in the relatedness of pain words within pain word classifications (eg, sensory pain words). In Study 1, 194 pain-related and matched non-pain-related words were retrieved by reviewing the pain-related attentional bias literature. In Study 2, adults with (n = 85) and without (n = 48) self-reported chronic pain completed a speeded word categorization paradigm and rated the pain-relatedness of a subset of pain words. Analyses revealed that 1) despite differences in associative strength of 11.3% of the words between chronic and non-chronic pain groups, no overall group difference was found, 2) the chronic pain group rated the pain words as more pain-related compared to the non-chronic pain group, and 3) there was variability in the relatedness of pain words within pain word classifications. The findings highlight the importance of validating linguistic pain stimuli. The resulting dataset is openly accessible and new published sets can be added to the Linguistic Materials for Pain (LMaP) Repository. PERSPECTIVE: This article presents the development and preliminary evaluation of a large pool of pain-related and non-pain-related words in adults with and without self-reported chronic pain. Findings are discussed and guidelines are offered to select the most suitable stimuli for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie F Vermeir
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Faculty of Health, School of Psychology and Counselling, Brisbane, Australia.
| | - Melanie J White
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Faculty of Health, School of Psychology and Counselling, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Daniel Johnson
- Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Faculty of Science, School of Computer Science, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Geert Crombez
- Ghent University, Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dimitri M L Van Ryckeghem
- Ghent University, Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent, Belgium; Maastricht University, Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht, Netherlands; University of Luxembourg, Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
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16
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Borelli E, Benuzzi F, Ballotta D, Bandieri E, Luppi M, Cacciari C, Porro CA, Lui F. Words hurt: common and distinct neural substrates underlying nociceptive and semantic pain. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1234286. [PMID: 37829724 PMCID: PMC10565001 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1234286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Recent studies have shown that processing semantic pain, such as words associated with physical pain, modulates pain perception and enhances activity in regions of the pain matrix. A direct comparison between activations due to noxious stimulation and processing of words conveying physical pain may clarify whether and to what extent the neural substrates of nociceptive pain are shared by semantic pain. Pain is triggered also by experiences of social exclusion, rejection or loss of significant others (the so-called social pain), therefore words expressing social pain may modulate pain perception similarly to what happens with words associated with physical pain. This event-related fMRI study aims to compare the brain activity related to perceiving nociceptive pain and that emerging from processing semantic pain, i.e., words related to either physical or social pain, in order to identify common and distinct neural substrates. Methods Thirty-four healthy women underwent two fMRI sessions each. In the Semantic session, participants were presented with positive words, negative pain-unrelated words, physical pain-related words, and social pain-related words. In the Nociceptive session, participants received cutaneous mechanical stimulations that could be either painful or not. During both sessions, participants were asked to rate the unpleasantness of each stimulus. Linguistic stimuli were also rated in terms of valence, arousal, pain relatedness, and pain intensity, immediately after the Semantic session. Results In the Nociceptive session, the 'nociceptive stimuli' vs. 'non-nociceptive stimuli' contrast revealed extensive activations in SI, SII, insula, cingulate cortex, thalamus, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. In the Semantic session, words associated with social pain, compared to negative pain-unrelated words, showed increased activity in most of the same areas, whereas words associated with physical pain, compared to negative pain-unrelated words, only activated the left supramarginal gyrus and partly the postcentral gyrus. Discussion Our results confirm that semantic pain partly shares the neural substrates of nociceptive pain. Specifically, social pain-related words activate a wide network of regions, mostly overlapping with those pertaining to the affective-motivational aspects of nociception, whereas physical pain-related words overlap with a small cluster including regions related to the sensory-discriminative aspects of nociception. However, most regions of overlap are differentially activated in different conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Borelli
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Francesca Benuzzi
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Daniela Ballotta
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Elena Bandieri
- Oncology and Palliative Care Units, Civil Hospital Carpi, USL, Carpi, Italy
| | - Mario Luppi
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Hematology Unit and Chair, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria di Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Cristina Cacciari
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Carlo Adolfo Porro
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Fausta Lui
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
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17
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Ader L, Schick A, Löffler M, Löffler A, Beiner E, Eich W, Vock S, Sirazitdinov A, Malone C, Hesser J, Hopp M, Ruckes C, Flor H, Tesarz J, Reininghaus U. Refocusing of Attention on Positive Events Using Monitoring-Based Feedback and Microinterventions for Patients With Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain in the PerPAIN Randomized Controlled Trial: Protocol for a Microrandomized Trial. JMIR Res Protoc 2023; 12:e43376. [PMID: 37728983 PMCID: PMC10551789 DOI: 10.2196/43376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMSP) affects between 13% and 47% of the population, with a global growth rate of 20.3% within the last 15 years, suggesting that there is a high need for effective treatments. Pain diaries have long been a common tool in nonpharmacological pain treatment for monitoring and providing feedback on patients' symptoms in daily life. More recently, positive refocusing techniques have come to be used, promoting pain-free episodes and positive outcomes rather than focusing on managing the pain. OBJECTIVE This study aims to evaluate the feasibility (ie, acceptability, intervention adherence, and fidelity) and initial signals of efficacy of the PerPAIN app, an ecological momentary intervention for patients with CMSP. The app comprises digitalized monitoring using the experience sampling method (ESM) and feedback. In addition, the patients receive 3 microinterventions targeted at refocusing of attention on positive events. METHODS In a microrandomized trial, we will recruit 35 patients with CMSP who will be offered the app for 12 weeks. Participants will be prompted to fill out 4 ESM monitoring questionnaires a day assessing information on their current context and the proximal outcome variables: absence of pain, positive mood, and subjective activity. Participants will be randomized daily and weekly to receive no feedback, verbal feedback, or visual feedback on proximal outcomes assessed by the ESM. In addition, the app will encourage participants to complete 3 microinterventions based on positive psychology and cognitive behavioral therapy techniques. These microinterventions are prompts to report joyful moments and everyday successes or to plan pleasant activities. After familiarizing themselves with each microintervention individually, participants will be randomized daily to receive 1 of the 3 exercises or none. We will assess whether the 2 feedback types and the 3 microinterventions increase proximal outcomes at the following time point. The microrandomized trial is part of the PerPAIN randomized controlled trial (German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00022792) investigating a personalized treatment approach to enhance treatment outcomes in CMSP. RESULTS Approval was granted by the Ethics Committee II of the University of Heidelberg on August 4, 2020. Recruitment for the microrandomized trial began in May 2021 and is ongoing at the time of submission. By October 10, 2022, a total of 24 participants had been enrolled in the microrandomized trial. CONCLUSIONS This trial will provide evidence on the feasibility of the PerPAIN app and the initial signals of efficacy of the different intervention components. In the next step, the intervention would need to be further refined and investigated in a definitive trial. This ecological momentary intervention presents a potential method for offering low-level accessible treatment to a wide range of people, which could have substantial implications for public health by reducing disease burden of chronic pain in the population. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/43376.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonie Ader
- Department of Public Mental Health, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Anita Schick
- Department of Public Mental Health, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Martin Löffler
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Annette Löffler
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Eva Beiner
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Eich
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stephanie Vock
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andrei Sirazitdinov
- Data Analysis and Modeling, Mannheim Institute for Intelligent Systems in Medicine, Medical School Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Christopher Malone
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jürgen Hesser
- Data Analysis and Modeling, Mannheim Institute for Intelligent Systems in Medicine, Medical School Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Central Institute for Scientific Computing, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- Central Institute for Computer Engineering, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
- CZS Heidelberg Center for Model-Based AI, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michael Hopp
- Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Trials, Johannes Gutenberg University Medical Center, Mainz, Germany
| | - Christian Ruckes
- Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Trials, Johannes Gutenberg University Medical Center, Mainz, Germany
| | - Herta Flor
- Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jonas Tesarz
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ulrich Reininghaus
- Department of Public Mental Health, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Centre for Epidemiology and Public Health, Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health, King´s College London, London, United Kingdom
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Alcon C, Bergman E, Humphrey J, Patel RM, Wang-Price S. The Relationship between Pain Catastrophizing and Cognitive Function in Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: A Scoping Review. Pain Res Manag 2023; 2023:5851450. [PMID: 37719894 PMCID: PMC10505081 DOI: 10.1155/2023/5851450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Objective Chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) poses a considerable threat to physical, mental, and financial health worldwide. Beyond physical difficulties, CMP has a pronounced impact on pain behaviors and cognitive function. The purpose of this scoping review was to examine the relationship between pain catastrophizing (PC) and cognitive function in CMP, identify gaps in the literature, and provide future directions for research on the topic. Methods Search strings were entered in the following databases: PubMed, CINAHL, Nursing and Allied Health, Ovid Emcare, PsycInfo, and Scopus. Data from the included articles were extracted thematically based on diagnostic classification and included author(s), year of publication, country, aim, sample, methods, intervention (if applicable), and key findings. Results 30 articles were included after screening. The studied populations included patients with fibromyalgia, chronic low back pain, and CMP. Two studies were designed to assess the relationship between PC and cognition as the primary aim. The included studies demonstrated variable evidence regarding the relationship between PC and cognition. Only four studies included clinically relevant PC populations (i.e., Pain Catastrophizing Scale score >30), and all found significant correlations. Conclusion Although evidence exists for the relationship between cognitive function and PC, there is a lack of rigorous research to indicate the strength of this relationship and the specific cognitive functions affected. The literature lacks appropriate populations needed to investigate clinically relevant PC and is limited by heterogeneous neuropsychological test batteries. Future research should include populations demonstrating the behaviors being studied, intentional analysis of outcomes, and appropriate cognitive tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cory Alcon
- High Point University, Department of Physical Therapy, High Point, NC, USA
- Texas Woman's University, School of Physical Therapy, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Elizabeth Bergman
- Texas Woman's University, School of Physical Therapy, Houston, TX, USA
| | - John Humphrey
- Texas Woman's University, School of Physical Therapy, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Rupal M. Patel
- Texas Woman's University, School of Physical Therapy, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sharon Wang-Price
- Texas Woman's University, School of Physical Therapy, Dallas, TX, USA
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Zhang Y, Ye Q, He H, Jin R, Peng W. Neurocognitive Mechanisms Underlying Attention Bias Towards Pain: Evidence From a Drift-Diffusion Model and Event-Related Potentials. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2023; 24:1307-1320. [PMID: 36921747 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2023.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023]
Abstract
Although combining computational modeling with event-related potentials (ERPs) can precisely characterize neurocognitive processes involved in attention bias, it has yet to be applied in the context of pain. Here, a hierarchical drift-diffusion model (DDM) along with ERPs was used to characterize the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying attention bias towards pain. A spatial cueing paradigm was adopted, in which the locations of targets were either validly or invalidly predicted by spatial cues related to pain or nonpain signals. DDM-derived nondecision time was shorter for targets validly cued by pain signals than by nonpain signals, thus indicating speeded attention engagement towards pain; drift rate was slower for targets invalidly cued by pain signals than by nonpain signals, reflecting slower attention disengagement from pain. The facilitated engagement towards pain was partially mediated by the enhanced lateralization of cue-evoked N1 amplitudes, which relate to the bottom-up, stimulus-driven processes of detecting threatening signals. On the other hand, the retarded disengagement from pain was partially mediated by the enhanced target-evoked anterior N2 amplitudes, which relate to the top-down, goal-driven processes of conflict monitoring and behavior regulating. These results demonstrated that engagement and disengagement components of pain-related attention bias are governed by distinct neurocognitive mechanisms. However, it remains possible that the findings are not pain-specific, but rather, are related to threat or aversiveness in general. This deserves to be further examined by adding a control stimulus modality. PERSPECTIVE: This study characterized the neurocognitive processes involved in attention bias towards pain through combining a hierarchical DDM and ERPs. Our results revealed distinctive neurocognitive mechanisms underlying engagement and disengagement components of attention bias. Future studies are warranted to examine whether our findings are pain-specific or not.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinhua Zhang
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qian Ye
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hao He
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Richu Jin
- Research Institute of Trustworthy Autonomous Systems, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China; Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Weiwei Peng
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
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Rossettini G, Campaci F, Bialosky J, Huysmans E, Vase L, Carlino E. The Biology of Placebo and Nocebo Effects on Experimental and Chronic Pain: State of the Art. J Clin Med 2023; 12:4113. [PMID: 37373806 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12124113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: In recent years, placebo and nocebo effects have been extensively documented in different medical conditions, including pain. The scientific literature has provided strong evidence of how the psychosocial context accompanying the treatment administration can influence the therapeutic outcome positively (placebo effects) or negatively (nocebo effects). (2) Methods: This state-of-the-art paper aims to provide an updated overview of placebo and nocebo effects on pain. (3) Results: The most common study designs, the psychological mechanisms, and neurobiological/genetic determinants of these phenomena are discussed, focusing on the differences between positive and negative context effects on pain in experimental settings on healthy volunteers and in clinical settings on chronic pain patients. Finally, the last section describes the implications for clinical and research practice to maximize the medical and scientific routine and correctly interpret the results of research studies on placebo and nocebo effects. (4) Conclusions: While studies on healthy participants seem consistent and provide a clear picture of how the brain reacts to the context, there are no unique results of the occurrence and magnitude of placebo and nocebo effects in chronic pain patients, mainly due to the heterogeneity of pain. This opens up the need for future studies on the topic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Francesco Campaci
- Department of Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy
| | - Joel Bialosky
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- Clinical Research Center, Brooks Rehabilitation, Jacksonville, FL 32211, USA
| | - Eva Huysmans
- Pain in Motion Research Group (PAIN), Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy, Faculty of Physical Education & Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Physical Medicine and Physiotherapy, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Lene Vase
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences, School of Business and Social Sciences, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Elisa Carlino
- Department of Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy
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21
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Becker JM, Van Ryckeghem DML, Van Damme S, Crombez G, Schoot Y, Wiers RWHJ, Rippe RCA, van Laarhoven AIM. Subliminal attentional bias modification training for itch. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1104641. [PMID: 37275368 PMCID: PMC10232774 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1104641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Itch is unpleasant and induces the urge to scratch. This is adaptive to remove the itch-inducing stimulus from the skin. Accordingly, itch draws attention to protect our bodily integrity. Recent studies investigated whether attention is preferentially drawn towards its location, i.e., attentional bias (AB), and also whether this bias could be changed in healthy individuals. So far, results are mixed concerning the existance of an attentional bias towards itch stimuli in healthy individuals as well as the impact of modifications. However, available studies have typically focused on conscious processing and might miss preconscious aspects of attention and potential biases at these stages. Methods This study included 117 healthy individuals who underwent a subliminal Attentional Bias Modification (ABM)- training for itch based on a dot-probe paradigm with itch- related pictures. Participants were randomly assigned to a training towards itch group, a training away from itch group and a control group. This was done by manipulating the itch-target congruency of the dot-probe task during a training block. Pre- and post-training assessments were regular dot-probe tasks. Exploratorily, also attentional inhibition, cognitive flexibility and itch-related cognitions were assessed. Lastly, participants received an itchy stimulus on the inner forearm before and after the ABM-training to assess potential effects on itch sensitivity. Results Results showed no AB towards itch across groups at baseline, i.e., pre-training, but an AB away from itch, hence, avoidance of itch, post-training. Further analyses showed that this effect was driven by an attentional bias away from itch in the control group, while there were no significant effects in the experimental groups. There was no effect on itch sensitivity. Conclusion These findings are in line with recent studies on conscious ABM-training for itch and pain that also did not find significant training effects. Therefore, it is suggested that the field of AB might need to reconsider the current assessment of AB. Moreover, AB is probably a dynamic process that is highly dependent on current itch-related goals and relevance of itch in a specific situation. This suggests that processes probably differ in patients with chronic itch and that also ABM-training might work differently in these populations. Clinical trial registration https://trialsearch.who.int/Trial2.aspx?TrialID=NTR7561, identifier NTR7561.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M. Becker
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Science, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Dimitri M. L. Van Ryckeghem
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Section Experimental Health Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Research Unit INSIDE, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Institute of Health and Behavior, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Stefaan Van Damme
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Geert Crombez
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Yalou Schoot
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Science, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Reinout W. H. J. Wiers
- Addiction Development and Psychopathology (ADAPT) Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Ralph C. A. Rippe
- Research Methods and Statistics, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Antoinette I. M. van Laarhoven
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Science, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
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22
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Pinto AM, Luís M, Geenen R, Palavra F, Lumley MA, Ablin JN, Amris K, Branco J, Buskila D, Castelhano J, Castelo-Branco M, Crofford LJ, Fitzcharles MA, Häuser W, Kosek E, López-Solà M, Mease P, Marques TR, Jacobs JWG, Castilho P, da Silva JAP. Neurophysiological and Psychosocial Mechanisms of Fibromyalgia: A Comprehensive Review and Call for An Integrative Model. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023:105235. [PMID: 37207842 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Research into the neurobiological and psychosocial mechanisms involved in fibromyalgia has progressed remarkably in recent years. Despite this, current accounts of fibromyalgia fail to capture the complex, dynamic, and mutual crosstalk between neurophysiological and psychosocial domains. We conducted a comprehensive review of the existing literature in order to: a) synthesize current knowledge on fibromyalgia; b) explore and highlight multi-level links and pathways between different systems; and c) build bridges connecting disparate perspectives. An extensive panel of international experts in neurophysiological and psychosocial aspects of fibromyalgia discussed the collected evidence and progressively refined and conceptualized its interpretation. This work constitutes an essential step towards the development of a model capable of integrating the main factors implicated in fibromyalgia into a single, unified construct which appears indispensable to foster the understanding, assessment, and intervention for fibromyalgia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Margarida Pinto
- University of Coimbra, Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive and Behavioral Intervention (CINEICC), Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Rua do Colégio Novo, s/n, 3000-115 Coimbra, Portugal; University of Coimbra, University Clinic of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Rua Larga - FMUC, Pólo I - Edifício Central, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal; University of Coimbra, Psychological Medicine Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Rua Larga - FMUC, Pólo I - Edifício Central, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Mariana Luís
- Rheumatology Department, Coimbra Hospital and University Centre, Praceta Mota Pinto, 3004-561 Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Rinie Geenen
- Department of Psychology, Utrecht University, Martinus J. Langeveldgebouw, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS Utrecht, the Netherlands; Altrecht Psychosomatic Medicine Eikenboom, Vrijbaan 2, 3705 WC Zeist, the Netherlands.
| | - Filipe Palavra
- Centre for Child Development, Neuropediatric Unit. Pediatric Hospital, Coimbra Hospital and University Centre, Avenida Afonso Romão, 3000-602 Coimbra, Portugal; Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (i.CBR), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Mark A Lumley
- Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, 5057 Woodward Ave., Suite 7908, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
| | - Jacob N Ablin
- Internal Medicine H, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, 6 Weizmann Street, Tel Aviv 6423906, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv 69978, Israel.
| | - Kirstine Amris
- The Parker Institute, Department of Rheumatology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, Nordre Fasanvej 57, 2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark.
| | - Jaime Branco
- Rheumatology Department, Egas Moniz Hospital - Lisboa Ocidental Hospital Centre (CHLO-EPE), R. da Junqueira 126, 1349-019 Lisbon, Portugal; Comprehensive Health Research Center (CHRC), Chronic Diseases Research Centre (CEDOC), NOVA Medical School, NOVA University Lisbon (NMS/UNL), Campo Mártires da Pátria 130, 1169-056 Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Dan Buskila
- Ben Gurion University of the Negev Beer-Sheba, Israel.
| | - João Castelhano
- University of Coimbra, Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research (CIBIT), ICNAS, Edifício do ICNAS, Polo 3, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal, Portugal.
| | - Miguel Castelo-Branco
- University of Coimbra, Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research (CIBIT), ICNAS, Edifício do ICNAS, Polo 3, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal, Portugal.
| | - Leslie J Crofford
- Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, 1211 Medical Center Drive, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
| | - Mary-Ann Fitzcharles
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, McGill University, 1650 Cedar Ave, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3G 1A4.
| | - Winfried Häuser
- Department Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Straße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany.
| | - Eva Kosek
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm 171 77, Sweden; Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Marina López-Solà
- Serra Hunter Programme, Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona.
| | - Philip Mease
- Swedish Medical Center/Providence St. Joseph Health, Seattle, WA, USA; University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Tiago Reis Marques
- Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences (LMS), Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2BU, UK; Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, UK.
| | - Johannes W G Jacobs
- Department of Rheumatology & Clinical Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, 3584 CX Utrecht, Netherlands.
| | - Paula Castilho
- University of Coimbra, Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive and Behavioral Intervention (CINEICC), Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Rua do Colégio Novo, s/n, 3000-115 Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - José A P da Silva
- University of Coimbra, University Clinic of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Rua Larga - FMUC, Pólo I - Edifício Central, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal; Rheumatology Department, Coimbra Hospital and University Centre, Praceta Mota Pinto, 3004-561 Coimbra, Portugal; Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (i.CBR), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
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23
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Abudoush AN, Noureen A, Panagioti M, Poliakoff E, Van Ryckeghem DML, Hodkinson A, Husain N. What can we learn about selective attention processes in individuals with chronic pain using reaction time tasks? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Pain 2023:00006396-990000000-00285. [PMID: 37043743 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Information-processing biases such as attentional, interpretation, and memory biases are believed to play a role in exacerbating and maintaining chronic pain (CP). Evidence suggests that individuals with CP show attentional bias toward pain-related information. However, the selective attentional processes that underpin this bias are not always well outlined in the literature. To improve current understanding, a systematic review was performed using a descriptive synthesis of reaction time-based studies. A random-effects meta-analysis was added to explore whether the results of previous meta-analyses would be confirmed using studies with a larger sample size. For this review, 2008 studies were screened from 4 databases, of which 34 (participant n = 3154) were included in the review and a subset of 15 (participant n = 1339) were included in the meta-analysis. Review results were summarised by producing a descriptive synthesis for all studies. Meta-analysis results indicated a mild significant attentional bias toward sensory pain-related information (k = 15, g = 0.28, 95% CI [0.16, 0.39], I2 = 43.2%, P = 0.038), and preliminary evidence of significant moderate bias towards affective pain-related information (k = 3, g = 0.48, 95% CI [0.23, 0.72], I2 = 7.1%, P = 0.341) for CP groups compared with control groups. We explored the main tasks, stimuli, and CP subtypes used to address attentional biases and related processes. However, variation across studies did not allow for a decisive conclusion about the role of stimulus, task type, or related attentional processes. In addition, a table of CP attention-related models was produced and tested for reliability. Finally, other results and recommendations are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad N Abudoush
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
| | - Amna Noureen
- Department of Applied Psychology, National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Maria Panagioti
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Ellen Poliakoff
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Dimitri M L Van Ryckeghem
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Alexander Hodkinson
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Nusrat Husain
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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24
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Coelho SG, Sears CR, Kim HS, McGrath DS. The reliability of attentional biases for gambling-related images in free-viewing eye-tracking paradigms. Addict Behav 2023; 139:107575. [PMID: 36528963 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2022.107575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Attentional biases for gambling-related stimuli are a robust correlate of problem gambling. Free-viewing eye-tracking paradigms are considered the gold standard for measuring attentional bias in addiction research, but their reliability in measuring biases for gambling-related stimuli remains unclear. Using secondary data from two different free-viewing eye-tracking paradigms (two-image and four-image displays), this study examined the internal consistency of fixation indices in samples with varying degrees of gambling involvement and problem gambling risk. Cronbach's alpha, McDonald's omega, and split-half reliability coefficients were used to assess internal consistency of several fixation indices (total dwell time, total dwell time percent, total fixation count, time of first fixation) for gambling-related images, neutral images, and computed attentional bias difference scores. For both two- and four-image displays, internal consistency estimates for total dwell time, total dwell time percent, and total fixation count were good to excellent for gambling-related images, neutral images, and attentional bias scores. Only time of first fixation exhibited low internal consistency. These findings indicate that both two-image and four-image free-viewing eye-tracking paradigms can reliably measure attentional biases for gambling-related stimuli among participants reporting varying degrees of gambling involvement and problem gambling risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie G Coelho
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Hyoun S Kim
- Department of Psychology, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research at the Royal, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Daniel S McGrath
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
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25
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Todd J, Coutts-Bain D, Wilson E, Clarke P. Is attentional bias variability causally implicated in emotional vulnerability? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 146:105069. [PMID: 36738811 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aim of the present review was to determine whether attentional bias variability (ABV) is causally implicated in emotional vulnerability. We consider evidence examining whether ABV precedes and predicts later psychopathology, and whether modifying ABV leads to changes in psychological symptoms following an intervention. METHODS A systematic literature search located 15 studies that met the inclusion criteria (3 longitudinal, 12 intervention). Eligible intervention studies were also meta-analysed. RESULTS Preliminary evidence suggests that ABV predicts later post-traumatic stress symptomatology in interaction with number of traumatic events. The few interventions designed to reduce ABV suggest promise for improving PTSD symptoms. However, these interventions did not consistently change ABV, and where it was tested, change in ABV did not correspond to change in symptoms. CONCLUSIONS There is emerging evidence that ABV could represent a vulnerability factor for psychological symptoms, particularly for those exposed to trauma. This may indicate attentional control difficulties, although this remains to be tested. Conclusions regarding the causal status of ABV will depend on future high-quality randomised controlled trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jemma Todd
- School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.
| | | | - Emily Wilson
- School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Patrick Clarke
- Discipline of Psychology, School of Population Health, Bentley, WA, Australia
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26
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Todd J, Clarke PJF, Hughes AM, van Ryckeghem D. Attentional bias malleability as a predictor of daily pain interference. Pain 2023; 164:598-604. [PMID: 35947081 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002744] [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: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Despite a preponderance of pain-related attentional bias research, little is known about how these biases arise and change over time. We tested whether the degree of attentional bias malleability , that is, ability to acquire and relinquish patterns of selective attention towards pain information, predicts daily pain interference. Individuals with chronic pain (N = 66) completed a novel attentional bias malleability procedure based on a modified dot-probe paradigm. Participants received a contingency that encouraged an attentional preference toward and away from pain words across 2 counterbalanced blocks, and attentional bias was assessed before and after each contingency block. Participants then completed a daily diary for 7 days, including the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System-29 pain severity and interference. Multilevel modelling was conducted to predict daily pain interference from attentional bias malleability constructs, controlling for pain severity and demographic factors. Greater attentional bias (F 1,391 = 3.97, P = 0.047), greater readiness to acquire an attentional bias (F 1,389 = 4.92, P = 0.027), and less readiness to lose an acquired attentional bias toward pain (F 1,354 = 5.18, P = 0.024) all predicted less pain interference. There was also an interaction between pain severity and overall attentional bias malleability (F 1,62 = 5.48, P = 0.023), such that as pain severity increased, those who showed greater attentional bias malleability showed less corresponding increase in their pain interference than those who showed less attentional bias malleability. This study adds new thinking to the dynamic nature of attentional bias and how such biases might arise and influence pain outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jemma Todd
- Clinical Psychology Unit, School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Patrick J F Clarke
- Cognition and Emotion Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - Alicia Maria Hughes
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dimitri van Ryckeghem
- Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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27
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Fairclough SH, Stamp K, Dobbins C. Functional connectivity across dorsal and ventral attention networks in response to task difficulty and experimental pain. Neurosci Lett 2023; 793:136967. [PMID: 36379390 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2022.136967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The dorsal and ventral attention networks (DAN & VAN) provide a framework for studying attentional modulation of pain. It has been argued that cognitive demand distracts attention from painful stimuli via top-down reinforcement of task goals (DAN), whereas pain exerts an interruptive effect on cognitive performance via bottom-up pathways (VAN). The current study explores this explanatory framework by manipulating pain and task demand in combination with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and Granger Causal Connectivity Analyses (GCCA). Twenty-one participants played a racing game at low and high difficulty levels with or without experimental pain (administered via a cold pressor test). Six channels of fNIRS were collected from bilateral frontal eye fields and intraparietal sulci (DAN), with right-lateralised channels at the inferior frontal gyrus and temporoparietal junction (VAN). Our first analysis revealed increased G-causality from bottom-up pathways (VAN) during the cold pressor test. However, an equivalent experience of experimental pain during gameplay increased G-causality in top-down (DAN) pathways, with the left intraparietal sulcus serving a hub of connectivity. High game difficulty increased G-causality via top-down pathways and implicated the right inferior frontal gyrus as an interhemispheric hub. Our results are discussed with reference to existing models of both networks and attentional modulation of pain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kellyann Stamp
- School of Computer Science and Mathematics, Liverpool John Moores University, UK
| | - Chelsea Dobbins
- School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Australia
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28
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Valdivia-Salas S, Lombas AS, López-Crespo G, Zaldivar PJL. Derived generalization of attentional bias for laboratory-induced threat: Yes but. Front Psychol 2022; 13:1004157. [PMID: 36591065 PMCID: PMC9798411 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1004157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
There is laboratory evidence that fear conditioning underlies the emergence of attentional bias (AB) for threat. Our main objective was to test, for the first time, whether derived or symbolic responding contributes to the generalization of AB across non-conditioned stimuli. Participants were all university students (N = 86) with no pre-existing conditions. We first employed an exogenous cueing paradigm with two color slides (i.e., A1 or to-be CS+, and A2 or to-be CS-) serving as cues, and loud white noise serving as unconditioned stimulus during conditioning trials. We then employed a match-to-sample procedure to establish a derived equivalence relation between color A1 and arbitrary shape C1 as well as between color A2 and arbitrary shape C2. Next, we investigated the transfer of AB across non-conditioned stimuli: participants performed the same spatial cueing task with non-conditioned C1 and C2 stimuli serving as cues. Results replicated previous findings on the conditioning basis of AB, and most importantly, showed preliminary evidence of AB transfer: those participants who appraised C1 and not C2 as a signal of impending noise showed AB toward C1. This is the first laboratory demonstration that AB may generalize to stimuli physically unrelated to directly conditioned threats. Unfortunately, the small number of participants showing this effect calls for cautious considerations.
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29
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Wauters A, Vervoort T, Noel M, Rheel E, Van Ryckeghem DML. The relation between children's attention bias to pain and children's pain-related memory biases is moderated by parental narrative style. Behav Res Ther 2022; 159:104202. [PMID: 36274512 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2022.104202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Children's heightened attention to pain and parental narrative style have been linked to the development of negatively-biased pain memories in children (i.e., recalling higher levels of pain and fear than initially reported, which robustly predicts maladaptive pain outcomes). However, the interplay between child attention bias and parental narrative style remains to be assessed. This study aims to fill this gap using enhanced paradigms assessing children's cognitive biases for cues signaling actual pain. Healthy school children (N = 63; 9-15 years old) received painful heat stimuli while performing a spatial cueing task measuring attention bias to cues signaling actual pain. Parent-child interaction upon completion of the painful task, was coded for parental narrative style (i.e., elaboration, repetition and evaluation). Children's pain-related memories were elicited two weeks later. Findings indicated that children showed an attention bias to cues signaling pain. Furthermore, children who were hypervigilant to pain cues benefitted from parents elaborating more about the pain experience, while children who avoided pain cues developed more negatively-biased pain memories if parents had a more elaborative style compared to a more evaluative parental style. In conclusion, this study suggests that optimal ways to talk about children's pain depend upon child characteristics (i.e., children's attention bias to pain).
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Wauters
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Tine Vervoort
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Melanie Noel
- Department of Psychology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
| | - Emma Rheel
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Pain in Motion Research Group (PAIN), Department of Physiotherapy, Human Physiology and Anatomy, Faculty of Physical Education & Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Dimitri M L Van Ryckeghem
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg; Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.
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Christensen SWM, Almsborg, M. H, Vain, M. TS, Vaegter HB. The Effect of Virtual Reality on Cold Pain Sensitivity in Patients with Fibromyalgia and Pain-Free Individuals: A Randomized Crossover Study. Games Health J 2022. [DOI: 10.1089/g4h.2022.0138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Steffan Wittrup McPhee Christensen
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
- Department of Physiotherapy, University College of Northern Denmark, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Heidi Almsborg, M.
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
- Multidisciplinary Pain Center Naestved, Naestved Hospital, Naestved, Denmark
| | - Thomas Søgaard Vain, M.
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
- Smertefys.nu, Physiotherapy Clinic, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Henrik Bjarke Vaegter
- Pain Research Group, Pain Center, Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
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Kreddig N, Hasenbring MI, Keogh E. Comparing the Effects of Thought Suppression and Focused Distraction on Pain-Related Attentional Biases in Men and Women. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2022; 23:1958-1972. [PMID: 35914643 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2022.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Increasing attentional focus away from pain can affect pain experience, suggesting that cognitive strategies that move attentional allocation may be a moderator of pain. In a pre-post-design, the present study examined the effects of 2 cognitive strategies used in pain contexts, thought suppression and focused distraction, on subsequent pain-related attention. Thought suppression was hypothesized to increase pain-related attention, whereas focused distraction was expected to reduce it. Influences of both anxiety and sex were also considered, as secondary questions. 139 (86 women, 53 men) healthy, pain-free participants were randomly assigned to use either thought suppression or focused distraction during a mild cold pressor test (CPT). Pain-related attention was examined using a dot-probe and an attentional blink task, pre-and post-CPT. Questionnaires about relevant cognitive and emotional aspects, demographics, and pain were completed. Results showed no difference in the effect of the 2 pain inhibition strategies on pain-related attention. The hypothesized rebound effect in thought suppression on pain-related attention did not emerge. However, thought suppression showed a short-term benefit in comparison to focused distraction regarding reported pain and perceived threat during the cold pressor test. Few sex differences were found. Thus, the cognitive strategies affected pain outcomes, but did not influence pain-related attention. PERSPECTIVE: Cognitive strategies could help with pain through changing attention allocation. In this study, the effects of the 2 cognitive strategies thought suppression and focused distraction on pain-related attention in men and women were examined. Elucidating mechanisms that lie behind pain strategies that focus on changing attention may help improve treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Kreddig
- Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany; University of Bath, Bath, UK.
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Linking interpretation bias to individual differences in pain sensitivity. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-03793-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Barjola P, Peláez I, Ferrera D, González-Gutiérrez JL, Velasco L, Peñacoba-Puente C, López-López A, Fernandes-Magalhaes R, Mercado F. Electrophysiological indices of pain expectation abnormalities in fibromyalgia patients. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:943976. [PMID: 36248693 PMCID: PMC9562711 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.943976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain syndrome characterized by dysfunctional processing of nociceptive stimulation. Neuroimaging studies have pointed out that pain-related network functioning seems to be altered in these patients. It is thought that this clinical symptomatology may be maintained or even strengthened because of an enhanced expectancy for painful stimuli or its forthcoming appearance. However, neural electrophysiological correlates associated with such attentional mechanisms have been scarcely explored. In the current study, expectancy processes of upcoming laser stimulation (painful and non-painful) and its further processing were explored by event-related potentials (ERPs). Nineteen fibromyalgia patients and twenty healthy control volunteers took part in the experiment. Behavioral measures (reaction times and subjective pain perception) were also collected. We manipulated the pain/no pain expectancy through an S1–S2 paradigm (cue-target). S1 (image: triangle or square) predicted the S2 appearance (laser stimulation: warmth or pinprick sensation). Laser stimuli were delivered using a CO2 laser device. Temporal and spatial principal component analyses were employed to define and quantify the ERP component reliability. Statistical analyses revealed the existence of an abnormal pattern of pain expectancy in patients with fibromyalgia. Specifically, our results showed attenuated amplitudes at posterior lCNV component in anticipation of painful stimulation that was not found in healthy participants. In contrast, although larger P2 amplitudes to painful compared to innocuous events were shown, patients did not show any amplitude change in this laser-evoked response as a function of pain predictive cues (as occurred in the healthy control group). Additionally, analyses of the subjective perception of pain and reaction time indicated that laser stimuli preceded by pain cues were rated as more painful than those signaling non-pain expectancy and were associated with faster responses. Differences between groups were not found. The present findings suggest the presence of dysfunction in pain expectation mechanisms in fibromyalgia that eventually may make it difficult for patients to correctly interpret signs that prevent pain symptoms. Furthermore, the abnormal pattern in pain expectancy displayed by fibromyalgia patients could result in ineffective pain coping strategies. Understanding the neural correlates of pain processing and its modulatory factors is crucial to identify treatments for chronic pain syndromes.
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Becker JM, Holle H, van Ryckeghem DML, Van Damme S, Crombez G, Veldhuijzen DS, Evers AWM, Rippe RCA, van Laarhoven AIM. No preconscious attentional bias towards itch in healthy individuals. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273581. [PMID: 36054102 PMCID: PMC9439194 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapidly attending towards potentially harmful stimuli to prevent possible damage to the body is a critical component of adaptive behavior. Research suggests that individuals display an attentional bias, i.e., preferential allocation of attention, for consciously perceived bodily sensations that signal potential threat, like itch or pain. Evidence is not yet clear whether an attentional bias also exists for stimuli that have been presented for such a short duration that they do not enter the stream of consciousness. This study investigated whether a preconscious attentional bias towards itch-related pictures exists in 127 healthy participants and whether this can be influenced by priming with mild itch-related stimuli compared to control stimuli. Mild itch was induced with von Frey monofilaments and scratching sounds, while control stimuli where of matched modalities but neutral. Attentional bias was measured with a subliminal pictorial dot-probe task. Moreover, we investigated how attentional inhibition of irrelevant information and the ability to switch between different tasks, i.e., cognitive flexibility, contribute to the emergence of an attentional bias. Attentional inhibition was measured with a Flanker paradigm and cognitive flexibility was measured with a cued-switching paradigm. Contrary to our expectations, results showed that participants attention was not biased towards the itch-related pictures, in facts, attention was significantly drawn towards the neutral pictures. In addition, no effect of the itch-related priming was observed. Finally, this effect was not influenced by participants’ attentional inhibition and cognitive flexibility. Therefore, we have no evidence for a preconscious attentional bias towards itch stimuli. The role of preconscious attentional bias in patients with chronic itch should be investigated in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M. Becker
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
| | - Henning Holle
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Hull, Hull, United Kingdom
| | - Dimitri M. L. van Ryckeghem
- Department of Experimental- Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Section Experimental Health Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Research Unit INSIDE, Institute of Health and Behavior, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Stefaan Van Damme
- Department of Experimental- Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Geert Crombez
- Department of Experimental- Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dieuwke S. Veldhuijzen
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Andrea W. M. Evers
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Medical Delta professor Heatlhy Society, Leiden University, TU Delft, Erasmus Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ralph C. A. Rippe
- Research Methods and Statistics, Institute of Education and Child Studies, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Antoinette I. M. van Laarhoven
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Longitudinal consistency of self-reports of adverse childhood experiences among adolescents in a low-income setting. SSM Popul Health 2022; 19:101205. [PMID: 36091299 PMCID: PMC9449854 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2022.101205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
A sizeable literature documents the associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and poor health in later life. By and large, ACEs are measured using retrospective self-reports. Little is known about the longitudinal consistency of these self-reports in panel data with multiple measurements. This is especially true in adolescence, as most studies using ACEs self-reports have been conducted among adults. Furthermore, very few studies have explored the consistency of ACEs self-reports in low- and middle-income countries, where the reported prevalence of ACEs tends to be higher than in high-income countries. Addressing these gaps, the current study examines the consistency of ACEs self-reports among a cohort of adolescents (N = 1,878, age 10 to 16 at survey baseline) in rural Malawi. We use data from two waves of the ACE project of the Malawi Longitudinal Study of Families and Health carried out in 2017-18 and 2021. In addition to the high prevalence of self-reported ACEs among adolescents in our sample, we document very low consistency of self-reports over time (average Kappa coefficient of 0.11). This low consistency is attributable not only to adolescents reporting more ACEs over time, which could be due to new exposures, but also to adolescents reporting fewer ACEs over time. Analyses of survey vignettes indicate that individual and sociocultural perceptions of abuse do not explain this low consistency. We find that external events (such as changes in socioeconomic status and negative economic shocks) and internal psychological states (such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder) both predict inconsistencies in ACEs self-reports. Compared with results from prior studies, our findings indicate that the longitudinal consistency of ACEs self-reports may be lower in adolescence than in adulthood. Taken together, these findings suggest that ACEs self-reports provided by adults may be biased by key processes unfolding in adolescence. Very low consistency of ACEs self-reports in a cohort of adolescents. Individual and sociocultural perceptions of abuse do not explain low consistency. Psychological states such as depression and PTSD predict inconsistent self-reports. Consistency of ACEs self-reports may be lower in adolescence than in adulthood.
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Kim HS, Ritchie EV, Sears CR, Hodgins DC, Kowatch KR, McGrath DS. Affective impulsivity moderates the relationship between disordered gambling severity and attentional bias in electronic gaming machine (EGM) players. J Behav Addict 2022; 11:386-395. [PMID: 35895477 PMCID: PMC9295233 DOI: 10.1556/2006.2022.00043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Attentional bias to gambling-related stimuli is associated with increased severity of gambling disorder. However, the addiction-related moderators of attentional bias among those who gamble are largely unknown. Impulsivity is associated with attentional bias among those who abuse substances, and we hypothesized that impulsivity would moderate the relationship between disordered electronic gaming machine (EGM) gambling and attentional bias. METHODS We tested whether facets of impulsivity, as measured by the UPPS-P (positive urgency, negative urgency, sensation seeking, lack of perseverance, lack of premeditation) and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (cognitive, motor, non-planning) moderated the relationship between increased severity of gambling disorder, as measured by the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), and attentional bias. Seventy-five EGM players participated in a free-viewing eye-tracking paradigm to measure attentional bias to EGM images. RESULTS Attentional bias was significantly correlated with Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11) motor, positive urgency, and negative urgency. Only positive and negative urgency moderated the relationship between PGSI scores and attentional bias. For participants with high PGSI scores, higher positive and negative urgency were associated with larger attentional biases to EGM stimuli. DISCUSSION The results indicate that affective impulsivity is an important contributor to the association between gambling disorder and attentional bias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyoun S. Kim
- Department of Psychology, Toronto Metropolitan University (Formerly Ryerson University), Toronto, Canada
| | | | | | - David C. Hodgins
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | | | - Daniel S. McGrath
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada,Corresponding author. E-mail:
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Amaro-Díaz L, Montoro CI, Fischer-Jbali LR, Galvez-Sánchez CM. Chronic Pain and Emotional Stroop: A Systematic Review. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11123259. [PMID: 35743329 PMCID: PMC9224954 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11123259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience that persists for more than 3 months and is often accompanied by symptoms such as depression, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and cognitive impairment. Emotional dysregulation may also be involved in its etiology. Emotions are known to modulate the experience of pain by influencing cognition and behavior (emotional awareness, emotional expression and experience, and verbalizations). A useful task to explore emotional processing and emotional dysregulation is the emotional Stroop task. Despite the large number of studies using this task, their objectives are diverse; it is necessary to integrate them. The main objective of the present systematic review was to determine the extent of the abnormalities in behavioral performance (including attentional biases) and/or brain alterations in patients with chronic pain during the emotional Stroop task. This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Cochrane Collaboration guidelines and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement. The protocol was previously registered in the Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) international database. The selected articles were extracted from the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Fifteen studies were identified as eligible for systematic review. The studies reported alterations in brain regions related to pain and emotional regulation, as well as attentional bias and higher response time latencies (related to the words’ emotional load) in patients with chronic pain. The results confirm the validity of the emotional Stroop task to measure emotions and selective attention. As attentional bias towards negative information is often seen in chronic pain patients, and given the relation between selective attention and greater activation of the brain areas associated with pain and emotional processing, this type of task plays a crucial role in research on emotional and attentional processes among chronic pain patients. Further, attentional bias towards negative information has been associated with higher levels of pain. Taken together, the results suggest the need for cognitive training and an emotional approach to chronic pain therapies, especially targeting attentional biases and negative mood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Amaro-Díaz
- Department of Psychology, University of Jaén, 23071 Jaén, Spain;
| | - Casandra I. Montoro
- Department of Psychology, University of Jaén, 23071 Jaén, Spain;
- Correspondence: (C.I.M.); (C.M.G.-S.)
| | - Laura R. Fischer-Jbali
- Institute of Psychology, University of Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology, 6060 Hall in Tirol, Austria;
| | - Carmen M. Galvez-Sánchez
- Department of Psychology, University of Jaén, 23071 Jaén, Spain;
- Correspondence: (C.I.M.); (C.M.G.-S.)
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Xibo Z, Ying L, Todd J. EXPRESS: Testing links between pain-related biases in visual attention and recognition memory: An eye-tracking study based on an impending pain paradigm. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2022; 76:1057-1071. [PMID: 35570662 DOI: 10.1177/17470218221102922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Although separate lines of research have evaluated pain-related biases in attention or memory, laboratory studies examining links between attention and memory for pain-related information have received little consideration. In this eye-tracking experiment, we assessed relations between pain-related attention biases (ABs) and recognition memory biases (MBs) among 122 pain-free adults randomly assigned to impending pain (n = 59) versus impending touch (n = 63) conditions wherein offsets of trials that included pain images were followed by subsequent possibly painful and non-painful somatosensory stimulation, respectively. Gaze biases of participants were assessed during presentations of pain-neutral (P-N) and happy-neutral (H-N) face image pairs within these conditions. Subsequently, condition differences in recognition accuracy for previously-viewed versus novel pained and happy face images were examined. Overall gaze durations were significantly longer for pain (versus neutral) faces that signaled impending pain than impending non-painful touch, particularly among the less resilient in the former condition. Impending pain cohorts also exhibited comparatively better recognition accuracy for both pained and happy face images. Finally, longer gaze durations on pain faces that signaled potential pain, but not potential touch, were related to more accurate recognition of previously-viewed pain faces. In sum, pain cues that signal potential personal discomfort maintain visual attention more fully and are subsequently recognized more accuracy than are pain cues that signal non-painful touch stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuo Xibo
- Southwest University, Chongqing, China 26463
| | - Ling Ying
- Southwest University, Chongqing, China 26463
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39
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Central Nervous Activity during a Dot Probe Task with Facial Expressions in Fibromyalgia. Biol Psychol 2022; 172:108361. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Glogan E, Meulders M, Pfeiffer L, Vlaeyen JWS, Meulders A. Alike, But Not Quite: Comparing the Generalization of Pain-Related Fear and Pain-Related Avoidance. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2022; 23:1616-1628. [PMID: 35508274 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2022.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Pain-related fear and -avoidance crucially contribute to pain chronification. People with chronic pain may adopt costly avoidance strategies above and beyond what is necessary, aligning with experimental findings of excessive fear generalization to safe movements in these populations. Furthermore, recent evidence suggests that, when avoidance is costly, it can dissociate from fear. Here, we investigated whether concurrently measured pain-related fear and costly avoidance generalization correspond in one task. We also explored whether healthy participants avoid excessively despite associated costs, and if avoidance would decrease as a function of dissimilarity from a pain-associated movement. In a robotic arm-reaching task, participants could avoid a low-cost, pain-associated movement trajectory (T+), by choosing a high-cost non-painful movement trajectory (T-), at opposite ends of a movement plane. Subsequently, in the absence of pain, we introduced three movement trajectories (G1-3) between T+ and T-, and one movement trajectory on the side of T- opposite to T+ (G4), linearly increasing in costs from T+ to G4. Avoidance was operationalized as maximal deviation from T+, and as trajectory choice. Fear learning was measured using self-reported pain-expectancy, pain-related fear, and startle eye-blink electromyography. Self-reports generalized, both decreasing with increasing distance from T+. In contrast, all generalization trajectories were chosen equally, suggesting that avoidance-costs and previous pain balanced each other out. No effects emerged in the electromyography. These results add to a growing body of literature showing that (pain-related) avoidance, especially when costly, can dissociate from fear, calling for a better understanding of the factors motivating, and mitigating, disabling avoidance. PERSPECTIVE: This article presents a comparison of pain-related fear- and avoidance generalization, and an exploration of excessive avoidance in healthy participants. Our findings show that pain-related avoidance can dissociate from fear, especially when avoidance is costly, calling for a better understanding of the factors motivating and mitigating disabling avoidance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eveliina Glogan
- Centre for the Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Experimental Health Psychology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Michel Meulders
- Research Centre for Mathematics, Education, Econometrics and Statistics, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Research Group Quantitative Psychology and Individual Differences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Leon Pfeiffer
- Centre for the Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Johan W S Vlaeyen
- Centre for the Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Research Group Health Psychology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ann Meulders
- Centre for the Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Research Group Health Psychology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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41
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Etty S, George DN, Van Laarhoven AIM, Holle H. Acute Itch Induces Attentional Avoidance of Itch-related Information. Acta Derm Venereol 2022; 102:adv00691. [PMID: 35356997 PMCID: PMC9558318 DOI: 10.2340/actadv.v102.1626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Attention is known to modulate itch intensity. In contrast, the reverse relationship, i.e. the degree to which the presence of an acute itch affects attention, is currently not well understood. The aims of this study were to investigate whether acute itch induces an attentional bias towards or away from visual itch-related stimuli, and if so, whether it occurs in the early or later stages of processing. A volunteer sample of 60 healthy individuals were subjected to a skin prick (either histamine or placebo), followed by completion of a spatial cueing paradigm using itch-related and neutral words as cues, in order to obtain reaction time estimates of attentional bias. The results suggest that experience of acute itch induces attentional avoidance of visual itch threats. This attentional avoidance occurs at a later processing stage in the form of facilitated disengagement of attention from itch and/or delayed disengagement from neutral information.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Henning Holle
- Department of Psychology, University of Hull, HU6 7RX Hull, UK.
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Alba G, Vila J, Miranda JGV, Montoya P, Muñoz MA. Tonic pain reduces autonomic responses and EEG functional connectivity elicited by affective stimuli. Psychophysiology 2022; 59:e14018. [PMID: 35128683 PMCID: PMC9285073 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Guzmán Alba
- Brain, Mind and Behavior Research Center at University of Granada (CIMCYC‐UGR) Spain
| | - Jaime Vila
- Brain, Mind and Behavior Research Center at University of Granada (CIMCYC‐UGR) Spain
| | - José G. V. Miranda
- Institute of Physics, Laboratory of Biosystems Federal University of Bahia Salvador Brazil
| | - Pedro Montoya
- Research Institute of Health Sciences (IUNICS) University of Balearic Islands Palma Spain
| | - Miguel A. Muñoz
- Brain, Mind and Behavior Research Center at University of Granada (CIMCYC‐UGR) Spain
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43
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Broadbent P, Schoth DE, Liossi C. Association between attentional bias to experimentally induced pain and to pain-related words in healthy individuals: the moderating role of interpretation bias. Pain 2022; 163:319-333. [PMID: 34086628 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Attentional bias to pain-related information may contribute to chronic pain maintenance. It is theoretically predicted that attentional bias to pain-related language derives from attentional bias to painful sensations; however, the complex interconnection between these types of attentional bias has not yet been tested. This study aimed to investigate the association between attentional bias to pain words and attentional bias to the location of pain, as well as the moderating role of pain-related interpretation bias in this association. Fifty-four healthy individuals performed a visual probe task with pain-related and neutral words, during which eye movements were tracked. In a subset of trials, participants were presented with a cold pain stimulus on one hand. Pain-related interpretation and memory biases were also assessed. Attentional bias to pain words and attentional bias to the pain location were not significantly correlated, although the association was significantly moderated by interpretation bias. A combination of pain-related interpretation bias and attentional bias to painful sensations was associated with avoidance of pain words. In addition, first fixation durations on pain words were longer when the pain word and cold pain stimulus were presented on the same side of the body, as compared to on opposite sides. This indicates that congruency between the locations of pain and pain-related information may strengthen attentional bias. Overall, these findings indicate that cognitive biases to pain-related information interact with cognitive biases to somatosensory information. The implications of these findings for attentional bias modification interventions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Christina Liossi
- University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
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44
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Vermeir JF, White MJ, Johnson D, Crombez G, Van Ryckeghem DML. Gamified Web-Delivered Attentional Bias Modification Training for Adults With Chronic Pain: Protocol for a Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc 2022; 11:e32359. [PMID: 35084344 PMCID: PMC8943713 DOI: 10.2196/32359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background To date, research has found variable success in using attentional bias modification training (ABMT) procedures in pain samples. Several factors could contribute to these mixed findings, including boredom and low motivation. Indeed, training paradigms are repetitive, which can lead to disengagement and high dropout rates. A potential approach to overcoming some of these barriers is to attempt to increase motivation and engagement through gamification (ie, the use of game elements) of this procedure. To date, research has yet to explore the gamified format of ABMT for chronic pain and its potential for the transfer of benefits. Objective The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of a gamified web-delivered ABMT intervention in a sample of adults with chronic pain via a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Methods A total of 120 adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain, recruited from clinical (hospital outpatient waiting list) and nonclinical (wider community) settings, will be included in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 3-arm trial. Participants will be randomly assigned to complete 6 web-based sessions of dot-probe nongamified sham control ABMT, nongamified standard ABMT, or gamified ABMT across a period of 3 weeks. Active ABMT conditions will aim to train attention away from pain-relevant words. Participant outcomes will be assessed at pretraining, during training, immediately after training, and at the 1-month follow-up. Primary outcomes include pain intensity, pain interference, and behavioral and self-reported engagement. Secondary outcomes include attentional bias for pain, anxiety, depression, interpretation bias for pain, and perceived improvement. Results The ethical aspects of this research project have been approved by the human research ethics committees of the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (HREC/2020/QRBW/61743) and Queensland University of Technology (2000000395). Study recruitment commenced in August 2021 and is ongoing. Data collection and analysis are expected to be concluded by October 2022 and January 2023, respectively. Conclusions This trial will be the first to evaluate the effects of gamification techniques in a pain ABMT intervention. The findings will provide important information on the potential therapeutic benefits of gamified pain ABMT programs, shed light on the motivational influences of certain game elements in the context of pain, and advance our understanding of chronic pain. Trial Registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12620000803998; https://anzctr.org.au/ACTRN12620000803998.aspx International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) PRR1-10.2196/32359
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie F Vermeir
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Melanie J White
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Daniel Johnson
- Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Geert Crombez
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dimitri M L Van Ryckeghem
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.,Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
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Fernandes-Magalhaes R, Ferrera D, Peláez I, Martín-Buro MC, Carpio A, De Lahoz ME, Barjola P, Mercado F. Neural correlates of the attentional bias towards pain-related faces in fibromyalgia patients: An ERP study using a dot-probe task. Neuropsychologia 2022; 166:108141. [PMID: 34995568 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.108141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND One of the major cognitive deficits in fibromyalgia has been linked to the hypervigilance phenomenon. It is mainly reflected as a negative bias for allocating attentional resources towards both threatening and pain-related information. Although the interest in its study has recently grown, the neural temporal dynamics of the attentional bias in fibromyalgia still remains an open question. METHOD Fifty participants (25 fibromyalgia patients and 25 healthy control subjects) performed a dot-probe task. Two types of facial expressions (pain-related and neutral) were employed as signal stimuli. Then, as a target stimulus, a single dot replaced the location of one of these two faces. Event-related potentials (ERP) in response to facial expressions and target stimulation (i.e., dot) were recorded. Reaction time (RT) and accuracy measures in the experimental task were collected as behavioural outcomes. RESULTS Temporal dynamics of brain electrical activity were analysed on two ERP components (P2 and N2a) sensitive to the facial expressions meaning. Pain-related faces elicited higher frontal P2 amplitudes than neutral faces for the whole sample. Interestingly, an interaction effect between group and facial expressions was also found showing that pain-related faces elicited enhanced P2 amplitudes (at fronto-central regions, in this case) compared to neutral faces only when the group of patients was considered. Furthermore, higher P2 amplitudes were observed in response to pain-related faces in patients with fibromyalgia compared to healthy control participants. Additionally, a shorter latency of P2 (at centro-parietal regions) was also detected for pain-related facial expressions compared to neutral faces. Regarding the amplitude of N2a, it was lower for patients as compared to the control group. Non-relevant effects of the target stimulation on the ERPs were found. However, patients with fibromyalgia exhibited slower RT to locate the single dot for incongruent trials as compared to congruent and neutral trials. CONCLUSIONS Data suggest the presence of an attentional bias in fibromyalgia that it would be followed by a deficit in the allocation of attentional resources to further process pain-related information. Altogether the current results suggest that attentional biases in fibromyalgia might be explained by automatic attentional mechanisms, which seem to be accompanied by an alteration of more strategic or controlled attentional components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Fernandes-Magalhaes
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain; Clinical Foundation of the Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Ferrera
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Irene Peláez
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Alberto Carpio
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Eugenia De Lahoz
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Paloma Barjola
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Mercado
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain.
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Weng L, van Laarhoven AIM, Peerdeman KJ, Evers AWM. Do individual psychological characteristics predict induction and generalization of nocebo and placebo effects on pain and itch? Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:838578. [PMID: 35990075 PMCID: PMC9386339 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.838578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nocebo and placebo effects, i.e., adverse or beneficial treatment effects, respectively, putatively due to expectancies can modulate pain and itch. These effects can generalize within the pain or itch modality. Predicting the induction and generalization of these effects can be helpful in clinical practice. This study aims to investigate whether psychological characteristics related to the fear-avoidance model predict the induction and generalization of nocebo and placebo effects on pain and itch in young healthy participants. METHODS Data from two previous experiments were analyzed. In Experiment 1, we induced nocebo and placebo effects on heat pain and tested generalization to pressure pain and to cowhage-evoked itch (n = 33 in a nocebo group, n = 32 in a placebo group). In Experiment 2, we induced nocebo effects on cowhage-evoked itch and tested generalization to mechanical itch and to mechanical touch (n = 44). Potential predictors were anxiety- and stress symptoms, attention to pain/itch, and pain/itch catastrophizing. Multiple regression analyses were performed. RESULTS For nocebo effects, none of the individual psychological characteristics significantly predicted induction of nocebo effects nor their generalization. For placebo effects, only less stress symptoms, lower attention to pain, and higher pain catastrophizing weakly predicted a stronger generalization of placebo effects from heat pain to pressure pain. CONCLUSION The tested psychological characteristics may not play an important role in the induction and generalization of nocebo and placebo effects in healthy individuals. However, firm conclusions cannot be drawn with the current sample. Future studies should validate findings in larger and more diverse samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingling Weng
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands.,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Antoinette I M van Laarhoven
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands.,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Kaya J Peerdeman
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands.,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Andrea W M Evers
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands.,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands.,Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands.,Medical Delta, Leiden University, Technical University Delft, Rotterdam University, Rotterdam, Netherlands
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47
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Gong W, Yi B, Liu X, Luo F. The subsequent interruptive effects of pain on attention. Eur J Pain 2021; 26:786-795. [PMID: 34970813 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.1904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pain is known to interrupt attentional performance selectively. In a previous study we showed that the interruptive effect of thermal pain on attention could persist up to 1500 ms after painful stimulus offset, but whether the pain modality affects this subsequent interruptive effect remains unclear. METHODS The present study was conducted to determine the time course of the interruptive effect of electrically induced pain on orienting and executive attention using various intervals between electric stimulation and attentional tasks (0, 250, 500, 750, 1000, 1250, and 1500 ms) and three study groups (pain, non-pain, and control). We performed two separate experiments in which participants performed a spatial cue task (experiment 1) and the Stroop task (experiment 2). Participants in the pain and non-pain groups received brief electric somatosensory stimulation, and those in the control group received no physical stimulus. We compared the performance of the three groups under the interstimulus interval (ISI) conditions. RESULTS The impairment of orienting attention prevailed under the first six ISI conditions in the pain and non-pain groups (F2, 63 = 5.72, P < 0.01); executive attention was not affected (F1,66 = 1.64, P = 0.20), confirming the persistence of the interruptive effect after stimulus offset. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated the interruptive effect of somatic stimulation on subsequent orienting attention performance, with no effect on executive attention. These findings suggest that pain has differential effects on the components of attention, depending on its modality and salience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxiao Gong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, P.R. China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P.R. China
| | - Bing Yi
- Department of Psychology, Renmin University of China, Beijing, 100872, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoqian Liu
- School of Sociology, China University of Political Science and Law, Beijing, 100088, P.R. China
| | - Fei Luo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, P.R. China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P.R. China
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Cognitive biases among those with frequent or chronic headaches or migraines. Pain 2021; 163:1661-1669. [DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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The influence of social pain experience on empathic neural responses: the moderating role of gender. Exp Brain Res 2021; 240:53-69. [PMID: 34854933 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-021-06279-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Empathy for pain, the ability to share and understand the pain of others, plays an important role in the survival and development of individuals. Previous studies have found that social pain experience affects empathy for pain, but potential gender differences have not been considered. The stage of information processing during which gender is most likely to play a moderating role has yet to be clarified. In the current study, we set up two groups (social pain experience priming: social exclusion group; positive social interaction experience priming: social inclusion group) with a Cyberball game paradigm. We recorded the electrophysiological responses when participants were completing an empathy task. An early frontal P2 and N2 differentiation between painful stimuli and neutral stimuli was observed and females showed larger P2 amplitudes than males. At the P3 stage, in the social exclusion group, males showed similar parietal P3 amplitudes for painful and neutral stimuli, while females showed smaller P3 amplitudes for painful stimuli. At the central-parietal late positive potential (LPP) stage, females in the social inclusion group showed larger LPP amplitudes for painful stimuli than males. Our results suggest that gender plays a significant moderating role in how social pain experience affects empathy for pain during the late cognitive processing stage. Experiment 2 was designed to investigate the cognitive mechanism behind the results for the P3 component in females and the results partially confirmed our speculation. This study provides a neurophysiological basis for the dynamic gender differences in the effects of social pain experience on empathy for pain.
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Hasegawa T, Nishi K, Nakashima A, Moriuchi T, Iso N, Koseki H, Tabira T, Higashi T. Effects of attentional bias modification on chronic low back pain in older outpatients: A randomized crossover trial (pilot study). Medicine (Baltimore) 2021; 100:e27738. [PMID: 34766584 PMCID: PMC10545343 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000027738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In the present study, the effect of attentional bias modification (ABM) on older outpatients, with chronic low back pain, was examined. DESIGN This was a single-center, randomized, single-blinded, crossover trial and patients were randomly divided in a 1:1 allocation ratio into two groups: an ABM Leading group and an ABM Trailing group. PARTICIPANTS Forty-three outpatients with chronic low back pain participated. INTERVENTIONS Patients were evaluated four times and the treatments were ABM + Normal intervention or Normal intervention only. OUTCOMES Outcome measures included pain intensity on the Numerical Rating Scale, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Somatic Symptom Scale-8, and EuroQol 5 Dimension-3 levels questionnaire. In addition, we performed the 30-second Chair-Stand test and the Timed Up & Go test for physical function evaluations. RESULTS There was no change in pain intensity due to ABM. However, the total Pain Catastrophizing Scale score was significantly decreased, and the EuroQol 5 Dimension-3 levels questionnaire and 30-second chair-stand test were significantly improved (P <.05). TRIAL REGISTRATION The Health Science Ethics Committee, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University (permit number: 17060861), and the clinical trial was registered with UMIN (UMIN000029424).
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Hasegawa
- Wajinkai Medical Corporation, Wajinkai Hospital, Nagasaki, Japan
- Unit of Rehabilitation Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Keita Nishi
- Macroscopic Anatomy, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Akira Nakashima
- Unit of Rehabilitation Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Takefumi Moriuchi
- Unit of Rehabilitation Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Naoki Iso
- Unit of Rehabilitation Sciences, Tokyo Kasei University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Hironobu Koseki
- Unit of Rehabilitation Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Takayuki Tabira
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Toshio Higashi
- Unit of Rehabilitation Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
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