Anger and pain sensitivity in chronic low back pain patients and pain-free controls: the role of endogenous opioids

Change in Endogenous Pain Modulation Depending on Emotional States in Healthy Subjects: A Randomized Controlled Trial

INTRODUCTION

Chronic pain is a public health issue, leading to substantial healthcare costs and diminished quality of life for sufferers. While the role of anxiety in pain modulation has been extensively studied, the effects of other emotional states on the body's pain control mechanisms remain less understood. This study sought to explore how different emotions (happiness, anger, sadness, and interest) affect conditioned pain modulation (CPM) and the wind-up phenomenon in healthy adults.

METHODS

This randomized controlled, cross-over trial involved 28 healthy participants aged 18-60. Participants watched video clips designed to induce specific emotions: happiness, anger, sadness, and interest. Emotional states were assessed using a 7-point Likert scale. Pain modulation was measured using CPM and the wind-up phenomenon. CPM was assessed with a hot water bath as the conditioning stimulus and pressure pain tolerance as the test stimulus. Wind-up was measured using pinprick needle stimulators and a visual analog scale. Data were analyzed using paired t tests to compare pre- and post-emotion induction values.

RESULTS

Significant changes in emotional self-assessment values were observed for all emotions. Happiness increased CPM (4.6 ± 11.4, p = 0.04277), while sadness - 9.9 ± 23.1, p = 0.03211) and anger - 9.1 ± 23.3, p = 0.04804) decreased it. Interest did not significantly alter CPM (- 5.1 ± 25.8, p = 0.31042). No significant effects were found for the wind-up phenomenon across any emotional states.

CONCLUSION

This study shows that emotional states significantly affect the body's ability to modulate pain. Positive emotions like happiness enhance pain inhibition, while negative emotions such as sadness and anger impair it. These findings suggest that emotional modulation techniques could be integrated into pain management strategies to improve patient outcomes. Further research should explore a broader range of emotions and include objective measures to validate these results.

Neural and Psychosocial Mechanisms Underlying Alcohol Use and Pain Interactions: Overview of Current Evidence and Future Directions

Purpose of Review

A growing body of research indicates bidirectional associations between alcohol use and pain. In this review, we highlight common neural and psychosocial mechanisms underlying pain and alcohol use and identify current gaps in the literature regarding alcohol/pain interactions. We also suggest future directions for the field moving forward, including more nuanced conceptualization of alcohol's negative reinforcing effects in the context of pain, broader use of clinically-relevant experimental pain induction modalities, and characterization of age, biological sex, gender, race, and ethnicity as moderators of pain/alcohol interactions.

Recent Findings

Acute alcohol intake has analgesic and negative-reinforcing effects in the context of pain, and chronic heavy alcohol use appears to increase risk for development of chronic pain. At the same time, pain, both acute and chronic, acts as a proximal antecedent for alcohol use and is associated with relapse risk for individuals in recovery from alcohol use disorder.

Summary

Although the links between alcohol use and pain are increasingly appreciated, significant gaps in understanding remain and systematic study of alcohol/pain interactions at all levels, including basic, preclinical, translational, and interventional, is needed.

Machine learning algorithms distinguish discrete digital emotional fingerprints for web pages related to back pain

Back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Its emergence relates not only to the musculoskeletal degeneration biological substrate but also to psychosocial factors; emotional components play a pivotal role. In modern society, people are significantly informed by the Internet; in turn, they contribute social validation to a "successful" digital information subset in a dynamic interplay. The Affective component of medical pages has not been previously investigated, a significant gap in knowledge since they represent a critical biopsychosocial feature. We tested the hypothesis that successful pages related to spine pathology embed a consistent emotional pattern, allowing discrimination from a control group. The pool of web pages related to spine or hip/knee pathology was automatically selected by relevance and popularity and submitted to automated sentiment analysis to generate emotional patterns. Machine Learning (ML) algorithms were trained to predict page original topics from patterns with binary classification. ML showed high discrimination accuracy; disgust emerged as a discriminating emotion. The findings suggest that the digital affective "successful content" (collective consciousness) integrates patients' biopsychosocial ecosystem, with potential implications for the emergence of chronic pain, and the endorsement of health-relevant specific behaviors. Awareness of such effects raises practical and ethical issues for health information providers.

Opioid antagonism in humans: a primer on optimal dose and timing for central mu-opioid receptor blockade

Non-human animal studies outline precise mechanisms of central mu-opioid regulation of pain, stress, affiliation and reward processing. In humans, pharmacological blockade with non-selective opioid antagonists such as naloxone and naltrexone is typically used to assess involvement of the mu-opioid system in such processing. However, robust estimates of the opioid receptor blockade achieved by opioid antagonists are missing. Dose and timing schedules are highly variable and often based on single studies. Here, we provide a detailed analysis of central opioid receptor blockade after opioid antagonism based on existing positron emission tomography data. We also create models for estimating opioid receptor blockade with intravenous naloxone and oral naltrexone. We find that common doses of intravenous naloxone (0.10-0.15 mg/kg) and oral naltrexone (50 mg) are more than sufficient to produce full blockade of central MOR (>90% receptor occupancy) for the duration of a typical experimental session (~60 min), presumably due to initial super saturation of receptors. Simulations indicate that these doses also produce high KOR blockade (78-100%) and some DOR blockade (10% with naltrexone and 48-74% with naloxone). Lower doses (e.g., 0.01 mg/kg intravenous naloxone) are estimated to produce less DOR and KOR blockade while still achieving a high level of MOR blockade for ~30 min. The models and simulations form the basis of two novel web applications for detailed planning and evaluation of experiments with opioid antagonists. These tools and recommendations enable selection of appropriate antagonists, doses and assessment time points, and determination of the achieved receptor blockade in previous studies.

Parameters of anger as related to sensory-affective components of pain

Objectives

Comorbid with chronic pain are negative emotions, anger being particularly salient. To evaluate specific relationships between pain and anger, the present study deconstructed anger into five parameters and dichotomized pain into sensory vs. affective components. Hypotheses were (i) anger parameters would be significantly and positively correlated with affective pain more so than with sensory pain, and (ii) individual parameters would be differentially related to pain components.

Methods

The Anger Parameters Scale (APS) was used to rate five parameters of anger: frequency, duration, intensity, latency, and threshold. Also rated was the physical sensation of pain and the degree of distress from pain. The volunteer sample comprised n=51 chronic pain patients, varying in ethnicity/race and educational level.

Results

Descriptive statistics revealed: APS total M=71.52, SD=16.68, Sensory pain M=6.27, SD=2.15, Affective pain M=5.76, SD=2.28. Sensory and affective pain were highly correlated, r=0.70. APS total was significantly associated with affective pain (r=+0.28) but hardly with sensory pain (r=0.12). Two anger parameters significantly correlated with affective pain: anger frequency (r=+0.30, p<0.05) and anger threshold (r=+0.33, p<0.05). Secondarily, certain educational levels (but not gender and ethnicity/race) were associated with significantly higher APS total scores.

Conclusions

Scores for all variables were in the mid-range. As hypothesized, anger was more strongly correlated with distress/suffering of pain than with physical sensation of pain, though both pain components were closely coupled. Specific findings regarding frequency and threshold imply that being angry often and being oversensitive to provocation are associated with greater distress in this context. In deconstructing anger and dichotomizing pain, the present study extends previous research by elaborating on what aspects of anger are most related to which components of pain. Moreover, certain educational levels with higher levels of anger may need special attention. Further research could examine if treatment of anger might lead to corresponding changes in chronic pain.

A Theoretical Endogenous Opioid Neurobiological Framework for Co-occurring Pain, Trauma, and Non-suicidal Self-injury

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Individuals with chronic pain are significantly more likely to have experienced overwhelming trauma early and often in key developmental years. There is increasing acknowledgment that childhood trauma disrupts how individuals process and cope with both physical and emotional pain. Emerging studies acknowledge elevated rates of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in chronic pain populations. This review provides a theoretical framework to understand the relationship between NSSI behavior and pain experience in persons with chronic pain and childhood trauma histories. We discuss how NSSI may act to regulate neurobiological (e.g., endogenous opioid systems) and psychological (e.g., heightened negative affect and emotion dysregulation) systems affected by childhood trauma, leading to temporary pain relief and a cycle of negative reinforcement perpetuating NSSI. As these concepts are greatly understudied in pain populations, this review focuses on key areas relevant to chronic pain that may provide a testable, conceptual framework to support hypothesis generation, future empirical investigation, and intervention efforts.

RECENT FINDINGS

See Fig. 1. See Fig. 1.

The Link between Fibromyalgia Syndrome and Anger: A Systematic Review Revealing Research Gaps

Anger has been associated with increased pain perception, but its specific connection with Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) has not yet been established in an integrated approach. Therefore, the present systematic review focuses on exploring this connection, and based on this connection, delimiting possible gaps in the research, altogether aimed at improving FMS clinical intervention and guiding future research lines. Anger is considered a basic negative emotion that can be divided into two dimensions: anger-in (the tendency to repress anger when it is experienced) and anger-out (the leaning to express anger through verbal or physical means). The current systematic review was performed based on the guidelines of the PRISMA and Cochrane Collaborations. The Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) international database was forehand used to register the review protocol. The quality of chosen articles was assessed and the main limitations and research gaps resulting from each scientific article were discussed. The search included PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. The literature search identified 13 studies eligible for the systematic review. Levels of anger-in have been shown to be higher in FMS patients compared to healthy participants, as well as patients suffering from other pain conditions (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis). FMS patients had also showed higher levels of state and trait anxiety, worry and angry rumination than other chronic pain patients. Anger seems to amplify pain especially in women regardless FMS condition but with a particularly greater health-related quality of life´s impact in FMS patients. In spite of the relevance of emotions in the treatment of chronic pain, including FMS, only two studies have proposed intervention programs focus on anger treatment. These two studies have observed a positive reduction in anger levels through mindfulness and a strength training program. In conclusion, anger might be a meaningful therapeutic target in the attenuation of pain sensitivity, and the improvement of the general treatment effects and health-related quality of life in FMS patients. More intervention programs directed to reduce anger and contribute to improve well-being in FMS patients are needed.

Associations between anger and chronic primary pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Anger is a negative emotion characterized by antagonism toward someone or something, is rooted in an appraisal or attribution of wrongdoing, and is accompanied by an action tendency to undo the wrongdoing. Anger is prevalent in individuals with chronic pain, especially those with chronic primary pain. The associations between anger and pain-related outcomes (e.g., pain intensity, disability) have been examined in previous studies. However, to our knowledge, no systematic review or meta-analysis has summarized the findings of anger-pain associations through a focus on chronic primary pain. Hence, we sought to summarize the findings on the associations of anger-related variables with pain and disability in individuals with chronic primary pain.

METHODS

All studies reporting at least one association between anger-related variables and the two pain-related outcomes in individuals with chronic primary pain were eligible. We searched electronic databases using keywords relevant to anger and chronic primary pain. Multiple reviewers independently screened for study eligibility, data extraction, and methodological quality assessment.

RESULTS

Thirty-eight studies were included in this systematic review, of which 20 provided data for meta-analyses (2,682 participants with chronic primary pain). Of the included studies, 68.4% had a medium methodological quality. Evidence showed mixed results in the qualitative synthesis. Most anger-related variables had significant positive pooled correlations with small to moderate effect sizes for pain and disability.

CONCLUSIONS

Through a comprehensive search, we identified several key anger-related variables associated with pain-related outcomes. In particular, associations with perceived injustice were substantial.

Greater Conditioned Pain Modulation Is Associated With Enhanced Morphine Analgesia in Healthy Individuals and Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain

OBJECTIVES

Conditioned pain modulation (CPM) protocols index magnitude of descending pain inhibition. This study evaluated whether the degree of CPM, controlling for CPM expectancy confounds, was associated with analgesic and subjective responses to morphine and whether chronic pain status or sex moderated these effects.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Participants included 92 individuals with chronic low back pain and 99 healthy controls, none using daily opioid analgesics. In a cross-over design, participants attended 2 identical laboratory sessions during which they received either intravenous morphine (0.08 mg/kg) or saline placebo before undergoing evoked pain assessment. In each session, participants engaged in ischemic forearm and heat pain tasks, and a CPM protocol combining ischemic pain (conditioning stimulus) and heat pain (test stimulus). Placebo-controlled morphine outcomes were derived as differences in pain and subjective effects across drug conditions.

RESULTS

In hierarchical regressions controlling for CPM expectancies, greater placebo-condition CPM was associated with less subjective morphine unpleasantness (P=0.001) and greater morphine analgesia (P's<0.05) on both the ischemic pain task (Visual Analog Scale Pain Intensity and Unpleasantness) and heat pain task (Visual Analog Scale Pain Intensity, McGill Pain Questionnaire-Sensory, and Present Pain Intensity subscales). There was no moderation by sex or chronic low back pain status, except for the ischemic Present Pain Intensity outcome for which a significant 2-way interaction (P<0.05) was noted, with men showing a stronger positive relationship between CPM and morphine analgesia than women.

DISCUSSION

Results suggest that CPM might predict analgesic and subjective responses to opioid administration. Further evaluation of CPM as an element of precision pain medicine algorithms may be warranted.

Pain and Evil: From Local Nociception to Misery Following Social Harm

Experiencing pain, especially when chronic, is an excruciating condition that should be regarded as a syndrome, if not a disease. People suffering from chronic pain tend to develop psychological discomfort mostly due to lack of acceptance, disbelief, blame. The complexity of pain pathophysiology, plus a wide range of negative psychosocial factors, leads to a more complex suffering that deserves attention and multidisciplinary treatments. The possibility that chronic pain may occur following physical aggression, torture, or persecution raises the issue of evil as a major contributor to pain in its worst representation - when individuals or groups are attacked based on racial, social, gender, religious, political, or other grounds. To explore the complex issue of chronic pain following physical or psychological harm, and to underscore the need for a multidisciplinary approach to reduce the burden of chronic pain, we discuss the biological mechanisms underlying pain state. We seek to clarify those factors leading to pain chronification, as well as personal and social attitudes that confound patients with chronic pain. The importance of family and social environment is also investigated, as well as personality traits of chronic pain patients that may further hamper successful treatment. The presence of chronic pain, modulated by, for example, acceptance of being a victim of premeditated physical and social violence, makes the issue more difficult to comprehend.

Negative Affect-Related Factors Have the Strongest Association with Prescription Opioid Misuse in a Cross-Sectional Cohort of Patients with Chronic Pain

OBJECTIVE

Increased opioid prescription to relieve pain among patients with chronic pain is associated with increased risk for misuse, potentially leading to substance use disorders and overdose death. We aimed to characterize the relative importance and identify the most significant of several potential risk factors for the severity of self-reported prescribed opioid misuse behaviors.

METHODS

A sample of 1,193 patients (mean age ± SD = 50.72 ± 14.97 years, 64.04% female) with various chronic pain conditions completed a multidimensional registry assessing four pain severity measures and 14 physical, mental, and social health status factors using the National Institutes of Health's Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS). A validated PROMIS measure of medication misuse was completed by 692 patients who endorsed currently taking opioid medication. Patients taking opioid medications were compared across all measures with those who do not take opioid medications. Subsequently, a data-driven regression analysis was used to determine which measures best explained variability in severity of misuse. We hypothesized that negative affect-related factors, namely anxiety, anger, and/or depression, would be key predictors of misuse severity due to their crucial role in chronic pain and substance use disorders.

RESULTS

Patients taking opioid medications had significantly greater impairment across most measures. Above and beyond demographic variables, the only and most significant predictors of prescribed opioid misuse severity were as follows: anxiety (β = 0.15, P = 0.01), anger (β = 0.13, P = 0.02), Pain Intensity-worst (β = 0.09, P = 0.02), and depression (β = 0.13, P = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that anxiety, anger, and depression are key factors associated with prescribed opioid misuse tendencies in patients with chronic pain and that they are potential targets for therapeutic intervention.

Measuring anger in patients experiencing chronic pain - A systematic review

Anger is prevalent in chronic pain and has been associated with pain perception, disability, behavior and treatment outcome. Objectives were (1) to survey in the context of chronic pain the application (and omission) of validated anger self-report instruments, (2) to discuss the instruments found in the context of emotion theories and (3) to identify a possible instrument preference. A systematic search of textbooks and review articles was first performed on validated instruments designed to measure the cognitive, the motivational and the subjective feeling component of anger. Thereafter, a systematic review aimed at finding chronic pain studies from 2005 to 2019 reporting on these instruments. Textbooks and reviews listed 16 validated self-report anger measurement instruments. 28 papers applying four of these were identified and two new instruments were additionally detected. The State-Trait Anger Expression (STAXI) and its precursors were most commonly used. Studies on chronic low back pain patients prevailed. In conclusion, anger in chronic pain patients is reliably measurable at low cost with self-report tools. The STAXI-II qualifies best for this purpose based on its extensive validation history. The majority of instruments lack sufficient theoretical and psychometric adequacy. A more detailed exploration of the cognitive anger component in chronic pain patients in future research is recommended.

Opioid system and human emotions

Emotions are states of vigilant readiness that guide human and animal behaviour during survival-salient situations. Categorical models of emotions posit neurally and physiologically distinct basic human emotions (anger, fear, disgust, happiness, sadness and surprise) that govern different survival functions. Opioid receptors are expressed abundantly in the mammalian emotion circuit, and the opioid system modulates a variety of functions related to arousal and motivation. Yet, its specific contribution to different basic emotions has remained poorly understood. Here, we review how the endogenous opioid system and particularly the μ receptor contribute to emotional processing in humans. Activation of the endogenous opioid system is consistently associated with both pleasant and unpleasant emotions. In general, exogenous opioid agonists facilitate approach-oriented emotions (anger, pleasure) and inhibit avoidance-oriented emotions (fear, sadness). Opioids also modulate social bonding and affiliative behaviour, and prolonged opioid abuse may render both social bonding and emotion recognition circuits dysfunctional. However, there is no clear evidence that the opioid system is able to affect the emotions associated with surprise and disgust. Taken together, the opioid systems contribute to a wide array of positive and negative emotions through their general ability to modulate the approach versus avoidance motivation associated with specific emotions. Because of the protective effects of opioid system-mediated prosociality and positive mood, the opioid system may constitute an important factor contributing to psychological and psychosomatic resilience.

LINKED ARTICLES

This article is part of a themed section on Emerging Areas of Opioid Pharmacology. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v175.14/issuetoc.

Expectancy Effects on Conditioned Pain Modulation Are Not Influenced by Naloxone or Morphine

BACKGROUND

Recent studies suggest that participant expectations influence pain ratings during conditioned pain modulation testing. The present study extends this work by examining expectancy effects among individuals with and without chronic back pain after administration of placebo, naloxone, or morphine.

PURPOSE

This study aims to identify the influence of individual differences in expectancy on changes in heat pain ratings obtained before, during, and after a forearm ischemic pain stimulus.

METHODS

Participants with chronic low back pain (n = 88) and healthy controls (n = 100) rated heat pain experience (i.e., "test stimulus") before, during, and after exposure to ischemic pain (i.e., "conditioning stimulus"). Prior to testing, participants indicated whether they anticipated that their heat pain would increase, decrease, or remain unchanged during ischemic pain.

RESULTS

Analysis of the effects of expectancy (pain increase, decrease, or no change), drug (placebo, naloxone, or morphine), and group (back pain, healthy) on changes in heat pain revealed a significant main effect of expectancy (p = 0.001), but no other significant main effects or interactions. Follow-up analyses revealed that individuals who expected lower pain during ischemia reported significantly larger decreases in heat pain as compared with those who expected either no change (p = 0.004) or increased pain (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The present findings confirm that expectancy is an important contributor to conditioned pain modulation effects, and therefore significant caution is needed when interpreting findings that do not account for this individual difference. Opioid mechanisms do not appear to be involved in these expectancy effects.

Psychosocial factors predict opioid analgesia through endogenous opioid function

Use of opioid analgesics for management of chronic nonmalignant pain has become common, yet there are presently no well-validated predictors of optimal opioid analgesic efficacy. We examined whether psychosocial factors (eg, depressive symptoms) predicted changes in spontaneous low back pain after administration of opioid analgesics, and whether endogenous opioid (EO) function mediated these relationships. Participants with chronic low back pain but who were not chronic opioid users (N = 89) underwent assessment of low back pain intensity pre- and post-drug in 3 (counterbalanced) conditions: (1) placebo, (2) intravenous naloxone, and (3) intravenous morphine. Comparison of placebo condition changes in back pain intensity to those under naloxone and morphine provided indexes of EO function and opioid analgesic responses, respectively. Results showed that (1) most psychosocial variables were related significantly and positively to morphine analgesic responses for low back pain, (2) depressive symptoms, trait anxiety, pain catastrophizing, and pain disability were related negatively to EO function, and (3) EO function was related negatively to morphine analgesic responses for low back pain. Bootstrapped mediation analyses showed that links between morphine analgesic responses and depressive symptoms, trait anxiety, pain catastrophizing, and perceived disability were partially mediated by EO function. Results suggest that psychosocial factors predict elevated analgesic responses to opioid-based medications, and may serve as markers to identify individuals who benefit most from opioid therapy. Results also suggest that people with greater depressive symptoms, trait anxiety, pain catastrophizing, and perceived disability may have deficits in EO function, which may predict enhanced response to opioid analgesics.

Pacinian Signals Determine the Direction and Magnitude of the Effect of Vibration on Pain

Although the ability of vibration to reduce pain has been extensively documented, an occasional participant reports that vibration increases pain. For pain patients, such reports may reflect pathophysiology, but this is unlikely in studies of experimental pain in healthy participants. In the present series of experiments on 27 pain-free individuals, we manipulated both the frequency (12, 50, and 80 Hz) and amplitude of vibration to more fully characterize vibratory pain modulation. The noxious stimulus was pressure applied to a finger, and vibration was delivered to the fleshy palmar pad at the base of the same finger. Subjects continuously reported pain on a Visual Analog Scale. Intermittent vibration was used to minimize peripheral vibratory adaptation. Pain records at 12 and 50 Hz were similar; pooling them revealed significant hypoalgesia at the highest amplitude. At 80 Hz, in contrast, the middle amplitude produced hypoalgesia, but a significant shift toward hyperalgesia occurred at the highest amplitude. The strong correlation ( r = .81) between the Pacinian-weighted power of a vibration and the absolute value of the pain modulation it produces indicates that the Pacinian system plays a key role in vibratory hypoalgesia or hyperalgesia.

Pain and multiple facets of anger and hostility in a sample seeking treatment for problematic anger

A number of studies have reported associations between pain and anger in samples with chronic pain, but research has mostly overlooked associations between pain and anger in those with problematic anger. The present study explored associations between pain severity and a variety of anger and hostility constructs in a sample seeking anger treatment (n =131). Zero-order correlations and partial correlations were used to examine associations between pain, anger, and hostility, controlling for depressive symptoms. Hierarchical regression models examined potential interaction effects of gender on associations between pain and these outcomes. Pain severity was positively associated with trait anger, outward anger expression, hostile interpretation bias, hostile ideation, and inability to forgive others. These associations were independent of co-occurring depressive symptoms, with some exceptions. Gender moderated the association between pain and hostile ideation such that pain was positively associated with hostile ideation in women but not men. Pain severity was uniquely associated with multiple outcomes of relevance to individuals undergoing treatment for problematic anger. Clinical implications will be discussed.

Endogenous Opioid Function and Responses to Morphine: The Moderating Effects of Anger Expressiveness

Long-term use of opioid analgesics may be ineffective or associated with significant negative side effects for some people. At present, there is no sound method of identifying optimal opioid candidates. Individuals with chronic low back pain (n = 89) and healthy control individuals (n = 102) underwent ischemic pain induction with placebo, opioid blockade (naloxone), and morphine in counterbalanced order. They completed the Spielberger Anger-Out subscale. Endogenous opioid function × Anger-out × Pain status (chronic pain, healthy control) interactions were tested for morphine responses to ischemic threshold, tolerance, and pain intensity (McGill Sensory and Affective subscales) and side effects. For individuals with chronic pain and healthy control participants, those with low endogenous opioid function and low anger-out scores exhibited the largest morphine analgesic responses, whereas those with high anger-out and low endogenous opioid function showed relatively weaker morphine analgesic responses. Further, individuals with chronic pain with low endogenous opioid function and low anger-out scores also reported the fewest negative effects to morphine, whereas those with low endogenous opioid function and high anger-out reported the most. Findings point toward individuals with chronic pain who may strike a favorable balance of good analgesia with few side effects, as well as those who have an unfavorable balance of poor analgesia and many side effects.

PERSPECTIVE

We sought to identify optimal candidates for opioid pain management. Low back pain patients who express anger and also have deficient endogenous opioid function may be poor candidates for opioid therapy. In contrast, low back patients who tend not to express anger and who also have deficient endogenous opioid function may make optimal candidates for opioid therapy.

Spiritual Struggle Among Patients Seeking Treatment for Chronic Headaches: Anger and Protest Behaviors Toward God

This study examined anger and protest behaviors toward God among 80 US adults seeking treatment for chronic headaches (66 women, 14 men; 71 completed treatment). Measures were administered before and after an intensive 3-week outpatient treatment program. At both times, anger and protest toward God correlated with lower pain acceptance, more emotional distress, and greater perceived disability. However, when considered simultaneously, anger predicted sustained distress, whereas protest behaviors (e.g., complaining, questioning, arguing) predicted both reduced distress and an increased sense of meaning. These findings suggest the utility of distinguishing between anger toward God and behaviors suggesting assertiveness toward God.

Contributions of physical function and satisfaction with social roles to emotional distress in chronic pain: a Collaborative Health Outcomes Information Registry (CHOIR) study

Individuals with chronic pain show greater vulnerability to depression or anger than those without chronic pain, and also show greater interpersonal difficulties and physical disability. The present study examined data from 675 individuals with chronic pain during their initial visits to a tertiary care pain clinic using assessments from Stanford University's Collaborative Health Outcomes Information Registry (CHOIR). Using a path modeling analysis, the mediating roles of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information Systems (PROMIS) Physical Function and PROMIS Satisfaction with Social Roles and Activities were tested between pain intensity and PROMIS Depression and Anger. Pain intensity significantly predicted both depression and anger, and both physical function and satisfaction with social roles mediated these relationships when modeled in separate 1-mediator models. Notably, however, when modeled together, ratings of satisfaction with social roles mediated the relationship between physical function and both anger and depression. Our results suggest that the process by which chronic pain disrupts emotional well-being involves both physical function and disrupted social functioning. However, the more salient factor in determining pain-related emotional distress seems to be disruption of social relationships, than global physical impairment. These results highlight the particular importance of social factors to pain-related distress, and highlight social functioning as an important target for clinical intervention in chronic pain.

Social pain and physical pain: shared paths to resilience

Although clinical models have traditionally defined pain by its consequences for the behavior and internal states of the sufferer, recent evidence has highlighted the importance of examining pain in the context of the broader social environment. Neuroscience research has highlighted commonalities of neural pathways connecting the experience of physical and social pain, suggesting a substantial overlap between these phenomena. Further, interpersonal ties, support and aspects of the social environment can impair or promote effective adaptation to chronic pain through changes in pain perception, coping and emotional states. The current paper reviews the role of social factors in extant psychological interventions for chronic pain, and discusses how greater attention to these factors may inform future research and clinical care.

The Contribution of Differential Opioid Responsiveness to Identification of Opioid Risk in Chronic Pain Patients

The Screener and Opioid Assessment for Patients with Pain-Revised (SOAPP-R) predicts increased risk of opioid misuse in chronic pain patients. We evaluated whether higher SOAPP-R scores are associated with greater opioid reinforcing properties, potentially contributing to their predictive utility. Across 2 counterbalanced laboratory sessions, 55 chronic low back pain sufferers completed the SOAPP-R at baseline and measures of back pain intensity, evoked pain responsiveness (thermal, ischemic), and subjective opioid effects after receiving intravenous morphine (.08 mg/kg) or saline placebo. Morphine effect measures were derived for all outcomes, reflecting the difference between morphine and placebo condition values. Higher SOAPP-R scores were significantly associated with greater desire to take morphine again, less feeling down and feeling bad, and greater reductions in sensory low back pain intensity following morphine administration. This latter effect was due primarily to SOAPP-R content assessing medication-specific attitudes and behavior. Individuals exceeding the clinical cutoff (18 or higher) on the SOAPP-R exhibited significantly greater morphine liking, desire to take morphine again, and feeling sedated; less feeling bad; and greater reductions in sensory low back pain following morphine. The SOAPP-R may predict elevated opioid risk in part by tapping into individual differences in opioid reinforcing effects.

PERSPECTIVE

Based on placebo-controlled morphine responses, associations were observed between higher scores on a common opioid risk screener (SOAPP-R) and greater desire to take morphine again, fewer negative subjective morphine effects, and greater analgesia. Opioids may provide the best analgesia in those patients at greatest risk of opioid misuse.

Negative affectivity, emotion regulation, and coping in migraine and probable migraine: a New Zealand case-control study

BACKGROUND

Migraine is a prevalent and disabling health condition. While there have been some suggestions that personality may be linked to migraine incidence, dose-response links to disability or impact are yet to be conducted and multivariate analyses are uncommon.

PURPOSE

The purposes of this study are to evaluate the personality characteristics differentiating migraine and probable migraine sufferers from matched controls in multivariate models and assess the possibility of a dose-response relationship.

METHODS

Fifty migraine sufferers and 50 age-, sex-, and ethnicity-matched controls in New Zealand completed personality measures including negative affectivity, coping, and monitoring-blunting.

RESULTS

Logistic regressions indicated that migraine status was concurrently predicted by Type D negative affectivity, more frequent venting and planning coping, and lower monitoring. There was little evidence to suggest a consistent dose-response type effect of personality on migraine; lower impact and disability were associated with greater openness to experiences, acceptance, and behavioural disengagement.

CONCLUSIONS

A personality profile characterised by moderate levels of negative emotion and irritability together with failures in inhibitory self-regulation may be associated with an increased risk of strict and probable migraine.

Group process as a mechanism of change in the group treatment of anger and aggression

Angry reactions can present unique challenges to the process of conducting group therapy, especially when providing group treatment to participants who have histories of angry or aggressive behavior. This article briefly reviews relevant literature and describes a group-based violence reduction training program (VRTP). The VRTP conceptualizes anger and aggression from a frustration-aggression framework and employs treatment derived from research in the area of social problem-solving. An emphasis is placed on how fostering group experiences consistent with Irving Yalom's classic work on the theory and practice of group therapy can reinforce skill acquisition and general treatment responsiveness. Management of the group process is a plausible mechanism of change in group treatment of anger. We highlight the challenges and benefits of dealing with anger-infused communication while ensuring the integrity of the overall group process. Case examples are provided for illustration of VRTP. Future research can answer important questions about group process and mechanisms of change in group-based treatments for anger and aggression.

Relationship between endogenous opioid function and opioid analgesic adverse effects

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Our recent work indicates that endogenous opioid activity influences analgesic responses to opioid medications. This secondary analysis evaluated whether endogenous opioid activity is associated with degree of opioid analgesic adverse effects, and whether chronic pain status and sex affect these adverse effects.

METHODS

Using a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover design, 51 subjects with chronic low back pain and 38 healthy controls participated in 3 separate sessions, undergoing 2 laboratory-evoked pain tasks (ischemic and thermal) after receiving placebo, naloxone, or morphine. Endogenous opioid system function was indexed by the difference in pain responses between the placebo and naloxone conditions. These measures were examined for associations with morphine-related adverse effects.

RESULTS

Chronic pain subjects reported significantly greater itching and unpleasant bodily sensations with morphine than controls (P < 0.05). Across groups, only 6 of 112 possible associations between adverse effects and blockade effects were significant. For the ischemic task, higher endogenous opioid function was associated with greater itching (visual analog scale [VAS]; P < 0.05), numbness (tolerance; P < 0.001), dry mouth (tolerance; P < 0.05), and unpleasant bodily sensations (VAS; P < 0.05). For the thermal task, higher endogenous opioid function was associated with greater numbness (VAS; P < 0.05) and feeling carefree (VAS; P < 0.05). There were no significant main or interaction effects of chronic pain status or sex on these findings.

CONCLUSIONS

No consistent relationships were observed between endogenous opioid function and morphine-related adverse effects. This is in stark contrast to our previous observation of strong relationships between elevated endogenous opioid function and smaller morphine analgesic effects.

Pilot study of a compassion meditation intervention in chronic pain

BACKGROUND

The emergence of anger as an important predictor of chronic pain outcomes suggests that treatments that target anger may be particularly useful within the context of chronic pain. Eastern traditions prescribe compassion cultivation to treat persistent anger. Compassion cultivation has been shown to influence emotional processing and reduce negativity bias in the contexts of emotional and physical discomfort, thus suggesting it may be beneficial as a dual treatment for pain and anger. Our objective was to conduct a pilot study of a 9-week group compassion cultivation intervention in chronic pain to examine its effect on pain severity, anger, pain acceptance and pain-related interference. We also aimed to describe observer ratings provided by patients' significant others and secondary effects of the intervention.

METHODS

Pilot clinical trial with repeated measures design that included a within-subjects wait-list control period. Twelve chronic pain patients completed the intervention (F= 10). Data were collected from patients at enrollment, treatment baseline and post-treatment; participant significant others contributed data at the enrollment and post-treatment time points.

RESULTS

In this predominantly female sample, patients had significantly reduced pain severity and anger and increased pain acceptance at post-treatment compared to treatment baseline. Significant other qualitative data corroborated patient reports for reductions in pain severity and anger.

CONCLUSIONS

Compassion meditation may be a useful adjunctive treatment for reducing pain severity and anger, and for increasing chronic pain acceptance. Patient reported reductions in anger were corroborated by their significant others. The significant other corroborations offer a novel contribution to the literature and highlight the observable emotional and behavioral changes in the patient participants that occurred following the compassion intervention. Future studies may further examine how anger reductions impact relationships with self and others within the context of chronic pain.

Anger arousal and behavioral anger regulation in everyday life among patients with chronic low back pain: Relationships to patient pain and function

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to determine the degree to which patient anger arousal and behavioral anger regulation (expression, inhibition) occurring in the course of daily life was related to patient pain and function as rated by patients and their spouses.

METHOD

Married couples (N = 105) (one spouse with chronic low back pain) completed electronic daily diaries, with assessments 5 times/day for 14 days. Patients completed items on their own state anger, behavioral anger expression and inhibition, and pain-related factors. Spouses completed items on their observations of patient pain-related factors. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to test concurrent and lagged relationships.

RESULTS

Patient-reported increases in state anger were related to their reports of concurrent increases in pain and pain interference and to spouse reports of patient pain and pain behavior. Patient-reported increases in behavioral anger expression were related to lagged increases in pain intensity and interference and decreases in function. Most of these relationships remained significant with state anger controlled. Patient-reported increases in behavioral anger inhibition were related to concurrent increases in pain interference and decreases in function, which also remained significant with state anger controlled. Patient-reported increases in state anger were related to lagged increases in spouse reports of patient pain intensity and pain behaviors.

CONCLUSIONS

Results indicate that in patients with chronic pain, anger arousal and behavioral anger expression and inhibition in everyday life are related to elevated pain intensity and decreased function as reported by patients. Spouse ratings show some degree of concordance with patient reports.

WHOQOL Pain and Discomfort Module: development and validity testing of the Italian version

Background:

The World Health Organization Quality of Life scale Pain and Discomfort Module (WHOQOL PDM) was designed to assess quality of life (QoL) in adults with chronic pain. It comprises 16 items covering four facets of pain: relief, anger/frustration, vulnerability/fear/worry, and uncertainty.

Aim:

The purpose of this study was to validate the Italian version of the WHOQOL PDM.

Methods:

Chronic pain was assessed in 400 patients using the WHOQOL PDM and other pain scales, together with scales measuring associated symptoms, depression, anxiety, and QoL.

Results:

The WHOQOL PDM shows good internal consistency, concurrent validity (it was significantly associated with all the WHOQOL BREF domains), construct validity (it was significantly associated with other pain scales), and discriminant validity (there were significant differences among different groups of patients).

Conclusions:

The Italian version of the WHOQOL PDM is a brief, useful, and valid tool for assessing chronic pain and its impact on patients’ QoL.

Alexithymia, anger and psychological distress in patients with myofascial pain: a case-control study

Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate psychological distress, anger and alexithymia in a group of patients affected by myofascial pain (MP) in the facial region.

Methods: 45 MP patients [mean (SD) age: 38.9 (11.6)] and 45 female healthy controls [mean (SD) age: 37.8 (13.7)] were assessed medically and psychologically. The medically evaluation consisted of muscle palpation of the pericranial and cervical muscles. The psychological evaluation included the assessment of depression (Beck Depression Inventory—short form), anxiety [State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Form Y (STAI-Y)], emotional distress [Distress Thermometer (DT)], anger [State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory—2 (STAXI-2)], and alexithymia [Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS)].

Results: the MP patients showed significantly higher scores in the depression, anxiety and emotional distress inventories. With regard to anger, only the Anger Expression-In scale showed a significant difference between the groups, with higher scores for the MP patients. In addition, the MP patients showed significantly higher alexithymic scores, in particular in the Difficulty in identifying feelings (F1) subscale of the TAS-20. Alexithymia was positively correlated with the Anger Expression-In scale. Both anger and alexithymia showed significant positive correlations with anxiety scores, but only anger was positively correlated with depression.

Conclusion: A higher prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms associated with a higher prevalence of alexithymia and expression-in modality to cope with anger was found in the MP patients. Because the presence of such psychological aspects could contribute to generate or exacerbate the suffering of these patients, our results highlight the need to include accurate investigation of psychological aspects in MP patients in normal clinical practice in order to allow clinicians to carry out more efficacious management and treatment strategies.

Endogenous opioid function mediates the association between laboratory-evoked pain sensitivity and morphine analgesic responses

Predictors of responsiveness to opioid analgesic medications are not well understood. This study tested whether individual differences in endogenous opioid (EO) function are associated with analgesic responsiveness to morphine. In randomized, counterbalanced order over 3 sessions, 45 chronic low back pain participants and 31 healthy controls received an opioid antagonist (8 mg naloxone), morphine (0.08 mg/kg), or placebo. Participants then engaged in 2 laboratory-evoked pain tasks (ischemic and thermal). Outcomes included pain threshold, pain tolerance, and pain ratings. Indexes of EO function and morphine analgesic responsiveness were derived for each measure as the difference in pain responses between the placebo condition and naloxone or morphine condition, respectively. For all 7 pain measures across the 2 laboratory pain tasks, greater EO function was associated with significantly lower morphine analgesic responsiveness (P<0.001-P=0.02). Morphine reduced pain responses of low EO individuals to levels similar to those of high EO individuals receiving placebo. Higher placebo condition-evoked pain sensitivity was associated with significantly greater morphine analgesic responsiveness for 5 of 7 pain measures (P<0.001-P=0.02). These latter associations were significantly mediated by EO function for 4 of these 5 pain outcomes (all P values<0.05). In the laboratory-evoked pain context, opioid analgesic medications may supplement inadequate EO analgesia, with little incremental benefit in those with preexisting high EO function. Implications for personalized medicine are discussed.

Anger regulation style, anger arousal and acute pain sensitivity: evidence for an endogenous opioid "triggering" model

Findings suggest that greater tendency to express anger is associated with greater sensitivity to acute pain via endogenous opioid system dysfunction, but past studies have not addressed the role of anger arousal. We used a 2 × 2 factorial design with Drug Condition (placebo or opioid blockade with naltrexone) crossed with Task Order (anger-induction/pain-induction or pain-induction/anger-induction), and with continuous Anger-out Subscale scores. Drug × Task Order × Anger-out Subscale interactions were tested for pain intensity during a 4-min ischemic pain task performed by 146 healthy people. A significant Drug × Task Order × Anger-out Subscale interaction was dissected to reveal different patterns of pain intensity changes during the pain task for high anger-out participants who underwent pain-induction prior to anger-induction compared to those high in anger-out in the opposite order. Namely, when angered prior to pain, high anger-out participants appeared to exhibit low pain intensity under placebo that was not shown by high anger-out participants who received naltrexone. Results hint that people with a pronounced tendency to express anger may suffer from inadequate opioid function under simple pain-induction, but may experience analgesic benefit to some extent from the opioid triggering properties of strong anger arousal.

Associations between daily chronic pain intensity, daily anger expression, and trait anger expressiveness: an ecological momentary assessment study

Links between elevated trait anger expressiveness (anger-out) and greater chronic pain intensity are well documented, but pain-related effects of expressive behaviors actually used to regulate anger when it is experienced have been little explored. This study used ecological momentary assessment methods to explore prospective associations between daily behavioral anger expression and daily chronic pain intensity. Forty-eight chronic low back pain (LBP) patients and 36 healthy controls completed electronic diary ratings of momentary pain and behavioral anger expression in response to random prompts 4 times daily for 7 days. Across groups, greater trait anger-out was associated with greater daily behavioral anger expression (P<0.001). LBP participants showed higher levels of daily anger expression than controls (P<0.001). Generalized estimating equation analyses in the LBP group revealed a lagged main effect of greater behavioral anger expression on increased chronic pain intensity in the subsequent assessment period (P<0.05). Examination of a trait×situation model for anger-out revealed prospective associations between elevated chronic pain intensity and later increases in behavioral anger expression that were restricted largely to individuals low in trait anger-out (P<0.001). Trait×situation interactions for trait anger suppression (anger-in) indicated similar influences of pain intensity on subsequent behavioral anger expression occurring among low anger-in persons (P<0.001). Overlap with trait and state negative affect did not account for study findings. This study for the first time documents lagged within-day influences of behavioral anger expression on subsequent chronic pain intensity. Trait anger regulation style may moderate associations between behavioral anger expression and chronic pain intensity.

Suppression of anger and subsequent pain intensity and behavior among chronic low back pain patients: the role of symptom-specific physiological reactivity

Suppression of anger may be linked to heightened pain report and pain behavior during a subsequent painful event among chronic low back patients, but it is not clear whether these effects are partly accounted for by increased physiological reactivity during suppression. Chronic low back pain patients (N = 58) were assigned to Suppression or No Suppression conditions for a "cooperative" computer maze task during which a confederate harassed them. During baseline and maze task, patients' lower paraspinal and trapezius muscle tension, blood pressure and heart rate were recorded. After the maze task, patients underwent a structured pain behavior task (behaviors were videotaped and coded). Results showed that: (a) Suppression condition patients revealed greater lower paraspinal muscle tension and systolic blood pressure (SBP) increases during maze task than No Suppression patients (previously published results showed that Suppression condition patients exhibited more pain behaviors than No Suppression patients); (b) residualized lower paraspinal and SBP change scores were related significantly to pain behaviors; (c) both lower paraspinal and SBP reactivity significantly mediated the relationship between Condition and frequency of pain behaviors. Results suggest that suppression-induced lower paraspinal muscle tension and SBP increases may link the actual suppression of anger during provocation to signs of clinically relevant pain among chronic low back pain patients.

What do plasma beta-endorphin levels reveal about endogenous opioid analgesic function?

Plasma levels of beta-endorphin (BE), an endogenous opioid analgesic, are often reported as they relate to acute and chronic pain outcomes. However, little is known about what resting plasma BE levels might reveal about functioning of the endogenous opioid antinociceptive system. This study directly examined associations between resting plasma BE and subsequent endogenous opioid analgesic responses to acute pain in 39 healthy controls and 37 individuals with chronic low back pain (LBP). Resting baseline levels of plasma BE were assessed. Next, participants received opioid blockade (8 mg naloxone i.v.) or placebo in a double-blind, randomized, crossover design. Participants then underwent two acute pain stimuli: finger pressure (FP) pain and ischaemic (ISC) forearm pain. Blockade effects (naloxone minus placebo pain ratings) were derived to index endogenous opioid analgesic function. In placebo condition analyses for both pain stimuli, higher resting BE levels were associated with subsequently greater reported pain intensity (p's < 0.05), with this effect occurring primarily in healthy controls (BE × Participant Type interactions, p's < 0.05). In blockade effect analyses across both pain tasks, higher resting plasma BE predicted less subsequent endogenous opioid analgesia (smaller blockade effects; p's < 0.05). For the ISC task, these links were significantly more prominent in LBP participants (BE × Participant Type Interactions, p's < 0.05). Results suggest that elevated resting plasma BE may be a potential biomarker for reduced endogenous opioid analgesic capacity, particularly among individuals with chronic pain. Potential clinical implications are discussed.

Interacting effects of trait anger and acute anger arousal on pain: the role of endogenous opioids

OBJECTIVE

Elevated trait anger (TRANG; heightened propensity to experience anger) is associated with greater pain responsiveness, possibly via associations with deficient endogenous opioid analgesia. This study tested whether acute anger arousal moderates the impact of TRANG on endogenous opioid analgesia.

METHODS

Ninety-four chronic low back pain (LBP) participants and 85 healthy controls received opioid blockade (8 mg of naloxone) or placebo in a randomized, counterbalanced order in separate sessions. Participants were randomly assigned to undergo either a 5-minute anger recall interview (ARI) or a neutral control interview across both drug conditions. Immediately after the assigned interview, participants engaged sequentially in finger pressure and ischemic forearm pain tasks. Opioid blockade effects were derived (blockade minus placebo condition pain ratings) to index opioid antinociceptive function.

RESULTS

Placebo condition TRANG by interview interactions (p values < .05) indicated that TRANG was hyperalgesic only in the context of acute anger arousal (ARI condition; p values < .05). Blockade effect analyses suggested that these hyperalgesic effects were related to deficient opioid analgesia. Significant TRANG by interview interactions (p values < .05) for both pain tasks indicated that elevated TRANG was associated with smaller blockade effects (less endogenous opioid analgesia) only in the ARI condition (p values < .05). Results for ischemic task visual analog scale intensity blockade effects suggested that associations between TRANG and impaired opioid function were most evident in LBP participants when experiencing anger (type by interview by TRANG interaction; p < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Results indicate that hyperalgesic effects of TRANG are most prominent when acute anger is aroused and suggest that endogenous opioid mechanisms contribute.

Anger suppression and subsequent pain behaviors among chronic low back pain patients: moderating effects of anger regulation style

BACKGROUND

Suppression of anger is linked to subsequent pain intensity among chronic low back patients, but it is not clear whether anger regulation style (trait anger-out, anger-in) moderates these effects or if aroused anger accounts for links between anger regulation style and pain.

METHOD

Chronic low back pain patients (N=58) were assigned to Suppression or No Suppression conditions for a task with harassing confederate and then underwent structured pain behavior procedures. Spielberger Anger Expression Inventory tapped trait anger-out (AOS) and anger-in (AIS).

RESULTS

Regressions tested Emotion Regulation condition × AOS and AIS effects on outcomes. AOS was related to grimacing and sighing for Suppression condition patients. AIS was related negatively to guarding and bracing for Suppression condition patients. Anger report partly mediated effects for AOS and AIS.

CONCLUSIONS

Anger regulation style moderated effects of state anger suppression on subsequent pain behaviors, effects that were partly explained by aroused anger.

Anger suppression predicts pain, emotional, and cardiovascular responses to the cold pressor

BACKGROUND

Manipulated anger suppression has been shown to heighten pain and anger responses to pain.

PURPOSE

We examined whether individual differences in self-reported anger suppression predicted pain, anger, and blood pressure responses to acute pain.

METHODS

Healthy participants (N = 47) underwent an anger-provoking speech task followed by a cold pressor pain task. Participants reported their degree of suppression of thoughts and feelings related to the speech. Pain intensity ratings were obtained throughout the cold pressor. Self-reported anger, anxiety and positive emotion, as well as ratings of sensory, general distress, and anger-specific elements of pain were obtained following the cold pressor. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate (HR) were recorded throughout.

RESULTS

Self-reported suppression predicted greater pain intensity ratings, perception of sensory and anger-specific elements of pain, and self-reported anger in response to the cold pressor. Associations between self-reported suppression and pain intensity and ratings of anger-specific elements of pain were statistically mediated by pain-induced changes in self-reported anger, whereas the effect of suppression on sensory pain ratings was not. Self-reported suppression was also correlated inversely with SBP responses to the cold pressor.

CONCLUSIONS

Consistent with an ironic process model and prior studies involving experimental manipulation of suppression, self-reported suppression of anger predicted greater pain intensity and perception of the anger-specific element of pain. Findings also suggest that suppression might attenuate homeostatic pressor responses to acute pain.

Endogenous opioids may buffer effects of anger arousal on sensitivity to subsequent pain

Evidence suggests that anger and pain are related, yet it is not clear by what mechanisms anger may influence pain. We have proposed that effects of anger states and traits on pain sensitivity are partly opioid mediated. In this study, we test the extent to which analgesic effects of acute anger arousal on subsequent pain sensitivity are opioid mediated by subjecting healthy participants to anger-induction and pain either under opioid blockade (oral naltrexone) or placebo. Participants were 160 healthy individuals. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-subjects opioid blockade design is used, with participants assigned randomly to one of two drug conditions (placebo or naltrexone), and to one of two Task Orders (anger-induction followed by pain or vice versa). Results of ANOVAs show significant Drug Condition x Task Order interactions for sensory pain ratings (MPQ-Sensory) and angry and nervous affect during pain-induction, such that participants who underwent anger-induction prior to pain while under opioid blockade (naltrexone) reported more pain, and anger and nervousness than those who underwent the tasks in the same order, but did so on placebo. Results suggest that for people with intact opioid systems, acute anger arousal may trigger endogenous opioid release that reduces subsequent responsiveness to pain. Conversely, impaired endogenous opioid function, such as that found among some chronic pain patients, may leave certain people without optimal buffering from the otherwise hyperalgesic affects of anger arousal, and so may lead to greater pain and suffering following upsetting or angry events.

Anger management style moderates effects of attention strategy during acute pain induction on physiological responses to subsequent mental stress and recovery: a comparison of chronic pain patients and healthy nonpatients

OBJECTIVES

To examine whether high trait anger-out chronic low back (CLBP) patients would show exceptionally large symptom-specific lower paraspinal (LP) responses, compared with healthy nonpatients, during pain induction, a subsequent mental stressor, and recovery when they were urged to suppress awareness of pain and suffering.

METHODS

CLBP patients (n = 93) and nonpatients (n = 105) were assigned randomly to one of four attention strategy conditions for use during pain induction: sensory-focus, distraction, suppression, or control. All participants underwent a cold pressor, and then performed mental arithmetic. They completed the anger-out (AOS) and anger-in (AIS) subscales of the Anger Expression Inventory.

RESULTS

General Linear Model procedures were used to test Attention Strategy Condition x Patient/Nonpatient Status x AOS (or AIS) x Period interactions for physiological indices. Significant interactions were found such that: a) high trait anger-out patients in the Suppression condition seemed to show the greatest LP reactivity during the mental arithmetic followed by the slowest recovery compared with other conditions; b) high trait anger-out patients and nonpatients in the Suppression condition seemed to show the slowest systolic blood pressure recoveries compared with other conditions.

CONCLUSIONS

Results extend previous work by suggesting that an anger-out style moderates effects of how attention is allocated during pain on responses to and recovery from a subsequent mental stressor. Results provide further evidence that trait anger-out and trait anger-in among CLBP patients are associated with increased LP muscle tension during and after pain and mental stress.

[Development and evaluation of a school-based anger management program (SAMP) for adolescents]

PURPOSE

This study was done to develop a school-based anger management program (SAMP) of 4 sessions and examine its effects on the anger, anger expression, psychosomatic responses, psychosocial responses, and immunologic responses in adolescents.

METHODS

A quasi-experimental study using a nonequivalent control group, pre-post design with repeated measures was used. Chi-square test, t-test, paired t-test, and Fisher's exact test were used to analyze the data.

RESULTS

There were no differences between the experimental and control groups in outcome variables except for lymphocytes. However, following additional analyses, statistically significant differences by time point were observed for pain sensitivity, T cell, Helper T (Th) cell, Suppressor (Ts) cell and Natural Killer (NK) cell post-treatment, entrapment and psychosomatic symptoms at the 4-week follow-up, and resilience at the 10-week follow-up for the experimental group.

CONCLUSION

Although some modifications in contents and administration will be required to increase the effectiveness of the program for anger management, SAMP can be used to promote anger management ability in adolescents.