1
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Krauss BA, Leroy PL, Krauss BS. Establishing trust with children. Eur J Pediatr 2024; 183:4185-4193. [PMID: 39136756 DOI: 10.1007/s00431-024-05704-2] [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: 06/28/2024] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 09/20/2024]
Abstract
Trust forms the bedrock of the doctor-patient relationship. While establishing trust is a foundational skill for healthcare providers who care for children, there is no systematic approach to teaching this skill set, nor is there formal training during medical school or residency. Traditionally, these skills have been taught by example, in an unstructured and ad hoc manner, with trainees picking it up along the way by observing and modeling their instructors. Here, we define and examine the elements of establishing trust and describe a methodology for establishing trust and managing a child's emotional state during medical encounters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin A Krauss
- Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA.
| | - Piet L Leroy
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Health Professions Education, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Baruch S Krauss
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Division of Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
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2
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Chen B, Goldstein N, Dziubek J, Sundai A, Zhao S, Harrahill A, Choi S, Prevosto V, Wang F. Reverse-engineering placebo analgesia. Curr Biol 2024; 34:4261-4271.e5. [PMID: 39241777 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.08.004] [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: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024]
Abstract
Placebo analgesia is a widely observed clinical phenomenon. Establishing a robust mouse model of placebo analgesia is needed for careful dissection of the underpinning circuit mechanisms. However, previous studies failed to observe consistent placebo effects in rodent models of chronic pain. We wondered whether strong placebo analgesia can be reverse engineered using general-anesthesia-activated neurons in the central amygdala (CeAGA) that can potently suppress pain. Indeed, in both acute and chronic pain models, pairing a context with CeAGA-mediated pain relief produced robust context-dependent analgesia, exceeding that produced by morphine in the same paradigm. CeAGA neurons receive monosynaptic inputs from temporal lobe areas that could potentially relay contextual cues directly to CeAGA neurons. However, in vivo imaging showed that CeAGA neurons were not reactivated in the conditioned context, despite mice displaying a strong analgesic phenotype. This finding suggests that the placebo-context-induced pain relief engages circuits beyond CeAGA neurons and relies on plasticity in other analgesic and/or nociceptive circuits. Our results show that conditioning with the activation of a central pain-suppressing circuit is sufficient to engineer placebo analgesia and that purposefully linking a context with an active treatment could be a means to harness the power of placebo for pain relief.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Chen
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 43 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Nitsan Goldstein
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 43 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Julia Dziubek
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 43 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Akili Sundai
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 43 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Shengli Zhao
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, 311 Research Drive, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Andrew Harrahill
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 43 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Seonmi Choi
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 43 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Vincent Prevosto
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 43 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Fan Wang
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 43 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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3
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Cusin C, Dillon DG, Belleau E, Normandin MD, Petibon Y, El-Fakri G, Dhaynaut M, Hooker J, Kaptchuk T, McKee M, Hayden E, Meyer A, Jahan A, Origlio J, Ang YS, Brunner D, Kang M, Long Y, Fava M, Pizzagalli DA. Novel multi-modal methodology to investigate placebo response in major depressive disorder. J Affect Disord 2024; 368:1-7. [PMID: 39233242 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.08.226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 08/23/2024] [Accepted: 08/31/2024] [Indexed: 09/06/2024]
Abstract
The neurobiological mechanisms underlying the placebo phenomenon in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) remain largely unknown. The progressive rise in rates of placebo responses within clinical trials over the past two decades may impede the detection of a true signal and thus present a major obstacle in new treatment development. Understanding the mechanisms would have several important implications, including (1) identifying biomarkers of placebo responders (thereby identifying those individuals who could benefit therapeutically from such interventions), (2) opening new avenues for manipulating such mechanisms to maximize symptom reduction, and (3) refining treatments with approaches that decrease (in clinical trials) or increase (in clinical practice) the placebo response. Here we investigated the research question: is the dopaminergic system one of the neurobiological underpinnings of the placebo response within MDD? Inspired by preclinical and clinical findings that have implicated dopamine in the occurrence, prediction, and expectation of reward, we hypothesized that dopaminergic activity in the mesolimbic system is a critical mediator of placebo response in MDD. To test this hypothesis, we designed a double-blind, placebo-controlled, sequential parallel comparison design clinical trial aimed at maximizing placebo antidepressant response. We integrated behavioral, imaging, and hemodynamic probes of mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic pathways within the context of manipulations of psychological constructs previously linked to placebo responses (e.g., expectation of improvement). The aim of this manuscript is to present the rationale of the study design and to demonstrate how a cross-modal methodology may be utilized to investigate the role of reward circuitry in placebo response in MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Cusin
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America.
| | | | - Emily Belleau
- McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, United States of America
| | - Marc D Normandin
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Yoann Petibon
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Georges El-Fakri
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Maeva Dhaynaut
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Jacob Hooker
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Ted Kaptchuk
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Madison McKee
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Emma Hayden
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Ashley Meyer
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Aava Jahan
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Julianne Origlio
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | | | - Devon Brunner
- McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, United States of America
| | - Min Kang
- McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, United States of America
| | - Yinru Long
- McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, United States of America
| | - Maurizio Fava
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
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4
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Jaltare KP, Meyers E, Torta DM. The Role of Pain Expectations in the Development of Secondary Pinprick Hypersensitivity: Behavioral-Neurophysiological Evidence and the Role of Pain-Related Fear. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2024; 25:104567. [PMID: 38750990 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2024.104567] [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: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Secondary mechanical hypersensitivity, a common symptom of neuropathic pain, reflects increased responsiveness of nociceptive pathways and can be induced temporarily in healthy volunteers using high-frequency electrical stimulation of the skin. Expectations modulate acute pain perception and fear of pain has been shown to attenuate and amplify the placebo and nocebo effects, respectively. However, the role of expectations and fear in the development of mechanical secondary hypersensitivity remains unclear. The modulatory role of fear and expectations in the development of mechanical secondary hypersensitivity remains so far mainly correlational. Here, we randomly assigned healthy participants (women) to a placebo, nocebo, or control group. In the experimental groups, participants' expectations of pain were manipulated using verbal suggestions accompanied by an inert treatment. Fear of pain was evaluated both in terms of fear of pain and via questionnaires. Sensitivity to mechanical stimulation was assessed by self-reported pinprick ratings before and after high-frequency stimulation; pinprick-evoked potentials elicited by the stimulation were recorded. The placebo group developed the least mechanical secondary hypersensitivity (smaller proximal-distal spread), while the nocebo group developed the most, but only when outliers were excluded. Higher expectations of pain predicted a greater development of mechanical secondary hypersensitivity. Anticipatory pain-related fear only mediated the relationship between unpleasantness expectations and perceived pinprick unpleasantness. Dispositional fear of pain moderated the relationship between expectations and the perceived intensity and unpleasantness of pinpricks. No group differences were observed in pinprick-evoked potentials. We provide preliminary evidence that both expectations and fear impact the development of mechanical secondary hypersensitivity. PERSPECTIVE: Expectations of pain may influence the development of secondary mechanical hypersensitivity. This effect is moderated by dispositional fear of pain and partially mediated by situational fear of pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ketan Prafull Jaltare
- Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Elke Meyers
- Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Diana M Torta
- Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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5
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Chapman S, Frostholm L, Chalder T, Graham C, de Thurah A, van Leeuwen T, Pedersen MM, Carstensen T, Weinman J. Preventing medication nonadherence: a framework for interventions to support early engagement with treatment. Health Psychol Rev 2024:1-15. [PMID: 39101263 DOI: 10.1080/17437199.2024.2385525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
ABSTRACTMedication nonadherence is common and results in avoidable morbidity, mortality, and burdens on healthcare systems. This paper proposes a preventative approach to medication nonadherence. We consider existing evidence on the prevalence and determinants of nonadherence early in a patient's medication-taking journey, and map these to potential opportunities for intervention. Many patients stop taking a new medication soon after they are prescribed it, often not collecting the medication. Early patterns of nonadherence are linked to later nonadherence via processes such as habit formation and symptom experiences. Known predictors of nonadherence may be present before someone starts a new treatment, when patients experience disruption to their lives and identity due to illness. Healthcare professionals typically have contact with patients around this time. We argue that it may be possible to prevent medication nonadherence: at the population level; by optimising the prescription process; and through low- and high-intensity interventions for patients with identified early barriers. We give examples of specific interventions and tools that might be needed to operationalise this approach in practice and propose new directions for research to promote early engagement with medication to prevent nonadherence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Chapman
- Centre for Adherence Research and Education, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lisbeth Frostholm
- Research Clinic for Functional Disorders and Psychosomatics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Trudie Chalder
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), Department of Psychological Medicine, School of Academic Psychiatry, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher Graham
- Department of Psychological Sciences and Health, University of Strathclyde, Strathclyde, United Kingdom
| | - Annette de Thurah
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Rheumatology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Tess van Leeuwen
- Centre for Adherence Research and Education, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
- Hogeschool Inholland, Inholland University of Applied Sciences, The Hague, Netherlands
| | - Majbritt Mostrup Pedersen
- Department of Clinical Medicine - Research Clinic for Functional Disorders, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Tina Carstensen
- Research Clinic for Functional Disorders and Psychosomatics, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - John Weinman
- Centre for Adherence Research and Education, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
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6
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Strigo IA, Craig ADB, Simmons AN. Expectation of pain and relief: A dynamical model of the neural basis for pain-trauma co-morbidity. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 163:105750. [PMID: 38849067 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105750] [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: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is highly co-morbid with chronic pain conditions. When present, PTSD significantly worsens chronic pain outcomes. Likewise, pain contributes to a more severe PTSD as evidenced by greater disability, more frequent use of harmful opioid analgesics and increased pain severity. The biomechanism behind this comorbidity is incompletely understood, however recent work strongly supports the widely-accepted role of expectation, in the entanglement of chronic pain and trauma symptoms. This work has shown that those with trauma have a maladaptive brain response while expecting stress and pain, whereas those with chronic pain may have a notable impairment in brain response while expecting pain relief. This dynamical expectation model of the interaction between neural systems underlying expectation of pain onset (traumatic stress) and pain offset (chronic pain) is biologically viable and may provide a biomechanistic insight into pain-trauma comorbidity. These predictive mechanisms work through interoceptive pathways in the brain critically the insula cortex. Here we highlight how the neural expectation-related mechanisms augment the existing models of pain and trauma to better understand the dynamics of pain and trauma comorbidity. These ideas will point to targeted complementary clinical approaches, based on mechanistically separable neural biophenotypes for the entanglement of chronic pain and trauma symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina A Strigo
- Emotion and Pain Laboratory, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care Center, 4150 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco, 401 Parnassus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
| | | | - Alan N Simmons
- Center of Excellence in Stress and Mental Health, San Diego Veterans Affairs Health Care Center, 3350 La Jolla Village Dr, San Diego, CA 92161, USA; Stress and Neuroimaging Laboratory, San Diego Veterans Affairs Health Care Center, 3350 La Jolla Village Drive, MC 151-B, San Diego, CA 92161, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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7
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van der Meulen M, Rischer KM, González Roldán AM, Terrasa JL, Montoya P, Anton F. Age-related differences in functional connectivity associated with pain modulation. Neurobiol Aging 2024; 140:1-11. [PMID: 38691941 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2024.04.008] [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: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Growing evidence suggests that aging is associated with impaired endogenous pain modulation, and that this likely underlies the increased transition from acute to chronic pain in older individuals. Resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) offers a valuable tool to examine the neural mechanisms behind these age-related changes in pain modulation. RsFC studies generally observe decreased within-network connectivity due to aging, but its relevance for pain modulation remains unknown. We compared rsFC within a set of brain regions involved in pain modulation between young and older adults and explored the relationship with the efficacy of distraction from pain. This revealed several age-related increases and decreases in connectivity strength. Importantly, we found a significant association between lower pain relief and decreased strength of three connections in older adults, namely between the periaqueductal gray and right insula, between the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and right insula, and between the ACC and left amygdala. These findings suggest that the functional integrity of the pain control system is critical for effective pain modulation, and that its function is compromised by aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marian van der Meulen
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
| | - Katharina M Rischer
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg
| | - Ana María González Roldán
- Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience and Clinical Psychology, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain
| | - Juan Lorenzo Terrasa
- Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience and Clinical Psychology, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain
| | - Pedro Montoya
- Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience and Clinical Psychology, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain
| | - Fernand Anton
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg
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8
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Botvinik-Nezer R, Petre B, Ceko M, Lindquist MA, Friedman NP, Wager TD. Placebo treatment affects brain systems related to affective and cognitive processes, but not nociceptive pain. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6017. [PMID: 39019888 PMCID: PMC11255344 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50103-8] [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: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Drug treatments for pain often do not outperform placebo, and a better understanding of placebo mechanisms is needed to improve treatment development and clinical practice. In a large-scale fMRI study (N = 392) with pre-registered analyses, we tested whether placebo analgesic treatment modulates nociceptive processes, and whether its effects generalize from conditioned to unconditioned pain modalities. Placebo treatment caused robust analgesia in conditioned thermal pain that generalized to unconditioned mechanical pain. However, placebo did not decrease pain-related fMRI activity in brain measures linked to nociceptive pain, including the Neurologic Pain Signature (NPS) and spinothalamic pathway regions, with strong support for null effects in Bayes Factor analyses. In addition, surprisingly, placebo increased activity in some spinothalamic regions for unconditioned mechanical pain. In contrast, placebo reduced activity in a neuromarker associated with higher-level contributions to pain, the Stimulus Intensity Independent Pain Signature (SIIPS), and affected activity in brain regions related to motivation and value, in both pain modalities. Individual differences in behavioral analgesia were correlated with neural changes in both modalities. Our results indicate that cognitive and affective processes primarily drive placebo analgesia, and show the potential of neuromarkers for separating treatment influences on nociception from influences on evaluative processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rotem Botvinik-Nezer
- Department of Psychology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA.
| | - Bogdan Petre
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Marta Ceko
- Institute of Cognitive Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Martin A Lindquist
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Naomi P Friedman
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Tor D Wager
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA.
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9
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Onysk J, Gregory N, Whitefield M, Jain M, Turner G, Seymour B, Mancini F. Statistical learning shapes pain perception and prediction independently of external cues. eLife 2024; 12:RP90634. [PMID: 38985572 PMCID: PMC11236420 DOI: 10.7554/elife.90634] [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] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The placebo and nocebo effects highlight the importance of expectations in modulating pain perception, but in everyday life we don't need an external source of information to form expectations about pain. The brain can learn to predict pain in a more fundamental way, simply by experiencing fluctuating, non-random streams of noxious inputs, and extracting their temporal regularities. This process is called statistical learning. Here, we address a key open question: does statistical learning modulate pain perception? We asked 27 participants to both rate and predict pain intensity levels in sequences of fluctuating heat pain. Using a computational approach, we show that probabilistic expectations and confidence were used to weigh pain perception and prediction. As such, this study goes beyond well-established conditioning paradigms associating non-pain cues with pain outcomes, and shows that statistical learning itself shapes pain experience. This finding opens a new path of research into the brain mechanisms of pain regulation, with relevance to chronic pain where it may be dysfunctional.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Onysk
- Computational and Biological Learning Unit, Department of Engineering, University of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
- Applied Computational Psychiatry Lab, Max Planck Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Queen Square Institute of Neurology and Mental Health Neuroscience Department, Division of Psychiatry, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Nicholas Gregory
- Computational and Biological Learning Unit, Department of Engineering, University of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Mia Whitefield
- Computational and Biological Learning Unit, Department of Engineering, University of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Maeghal Jain
- Computational and Biological Learning Unit, Department of Engineering, University of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Georgia Turner
- Computational and Biological Learning Unit, Department of Engineering, University of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Ben Seymour
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, John Radcliffe Hospital, HeadingtonOxfordUnited Kingdom
- Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet)OsakaJapan
| | - Flavia Mancini
- Computational and Biological Learning Unit, Department of Engineering, University of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
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10
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Stamp GE, Wadley AL, Iacovides S. Could Relationship-Based Learnt Beliefs and Expectations Contribute to Physiological Vulnerability of Chronic Pain? Making a Case to Consider Attachment in Pain Research. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2024:104619. [PMID: 38945383 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2024.104619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Pain is an interpersonal and inherently social experience. Pain perception and administration of medical treatment all occur in a particular environmental and social context. Early environmental influences and early learning experiences and interactions condition the body's response to different threats (like pain), ultimately shaping the underlying neurophysiology. These early interactions and experiences also determine what situations are perceived as threatening, as well as our belief in our own ability to self-manage, and our belief in others to offer support, during perceived threats. These beliefs intrinsically drive the combination of behaviors that emerge in response to perceived threats, including pain. Such behaviors can be categorized into attachment styles. In this interdisciplinary review, we synthesize and summarize evidence from the neurobiological, psychobiological, psychosocial, and psychobehavioral fields, to describe how these beliefs are embedded in the brain's prediction models to generate a series of expectations/perceptions around the level of safety/threat in different contexts. As such, these beliefs may predict how one experiences and responds to pain, with potentially significant implications for the development and management of chronic pain. Little attention has been directed to the effect of adult attachment style on pain in research studies and in the clinical setting. Using interdisciplinary evidence, we argue why we think this interaction merits further consideration and research. PERSPECTIVE: This review explores the influence of attachment styles on pain perception, suggesting a link between social connections and chronic pain development. It aligns with recent calls to emphasize the social context in pain research and advocates for increased focus on adult attachment styles in research and clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella Elisabeth Stamp
- Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
| | - Antonia Louise Wadley
- Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Stella Iacovides
- Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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11
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Poublan-Couzardot A, Talmi D. Pain perception as hierarchical Bayesian inference: A test case for the theory of constructed emotion. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2024; 1536:42-59. [PMID: 38837401 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15141] [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] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
An intriguing perspective about human emotion, the theory of constructed emotion considers emotions as generative models according to the Bayesian brain hypothesis. This theory brings fresh insight to existing findings, but its complexity renders it challenging to test experimentally. We argue that laboratory studies of pain could support the theory because although some may not consider pain to be a genuine emotion, the theory must at minimum be able to explain pain perception and its dysfunction in pathology. We review emerging evidence that bear on this question. We cover behavioral and neural laboratory findings, computational models, placebo hyperalgesia, and chronic pain. We conclude that there is substantial evidence for a predictive processing account of painful experience, paving the way for a better understanding of neuronal and computational mechanisms of other emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnaud Poublan-Couzardot
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon CRNL, Bron, France
| | - Deborah Talmi
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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12
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Yang M, Li QS, Baser RE, Li X, Hou J, Mao JJ. Nocebo expectations rather than placebo expectations affect topical pain relief: A randomized clinical trial. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 175:116728. [PMID: 38733772 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116728] [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: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Patients' expectations and beliefs regarding the potential benefits and harms of medical interventions may induce placebo and nocebo effects, and affect the response to pain therapies. In a randomized clinical trial, we examined the effect of placebo and nocebo expectations on pain relief and adverse events (AEs) in association with a topical treatment among 65 cancer survivors experiencing chronic musculoskeletal pain. Participants received either a 1% camphor-based topical pain patch or a placebo treatment for 14 days. We measured pain severity with the worst pain item of the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) at baseline and 14 days and treatment expectations at baseline with validated expectation questionnaires. We found that high vs. low nocebo expectations decreased pain severity improvements by 2.5 points (95% confidence interval [CI] -3.8 to -1.2; p<0.001) on a 0-10 numeric rating scale of the BPI and pain response rate by 42.7% (95% CI 0.2-0.6; p<0.001) at day 14, irrespective of placebo expectation status or treatment arms. Patients with high vs. low nocebo expectations in the true arm reported 22.4% more unwanted AEs. High nocebo expectations were associated with increased AEs by 39.5% (odds ratio: 12.0, 95% CI 1.2, 145.5; p=0.029) and decreased pain response in the true arm vs. placebo. Our study demonstrated that nocebo expectations, rather than placebo expectations, elevate the risk of AEs and compromise the effect of topical pain interventions. The findings raise the possibility that nocebo expectations may worsen somatic symptoms through heightening central pain amplification and should be further investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingxiao Yang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Harvard Medical School, 450 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Qing S Li
- Integrative Medicine Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 321 East 61st Street, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Raymond E Baser
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1250 First Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Xiaotong Li
- Integrative Medicine Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 321 East 61st Street, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Jason Hou
- Integrative Medicine Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 321 East 61st Street, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Jun J Mao
- Integrative Medicine Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 321 East 61st Street, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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Bhagavan C, Glue P, Evans W, Reynolds L, Turner T, King C, Russell BR, Morunga E, Mills JL, Layton G, Menkes DB. Effect of MDMA-assisted therapy on mood and anxiety symptoms in advanced-stage cancer (EMMAC): study protocol for a double-blind, randomised controlled trial. Trials 2024; 25:336. [PMID: 38773523 PMCID: PMC11110200 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-024-08174-x] [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: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Symptoms of anxiety and depression are common in patients with terminal illness and multiple challenges exist with timely and effective care in this population. Several centres have reported that one dose of the serotonergic psychedelic psilocybin, combined with therapeutic support, improves these symptoms for up to 6 months in this patient group. Drawing upon related therapeutic mechanisms, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted therapy may have the potential to achieve similar, positive mental health outcomes in this group. Preliminary evidence also supports the tolerability of MDMA-assisted therapy for anxiety and depression in advanced-stage cancer. METHODS Up to 32 participants with advanced-stage cancer and associated depression and anxiety will be randomised in a 1:1 ratio into one of two blinded parallel treatment arms. The intervention group will receive 120 mg (+ 60 mg optional supplemental dose) MDMA-assisted therapy. The psychoactive control group will receive 20 mg oral (+ 10 mg optional supplemental dose) methylphenidate-assisted therapy. For each medication-assisted therapy session, participants will undergo two 90-min therapeutic support sessions in the week preceding, and one 90-min support session the day after the experimental session. A battery of measures (mood, anxiety, quality of life, mystical experience, spiritual wellbeing, attitudes towards death, personality traits, holistic health and wellbeing, connectedness, demoralisation, expectations, qualitative data and safety measures) will be assessed at baseline and through to the end of the protocol. Participants will be followed up until either 12 months post-randomisation or death, whichever occurs first. DISCUSSION This study will examine the effect of MDMA-assisted therapy on symptoms of anxiety and depression in advanced-stage cancer. Potential therapeutic implications include establishing the safety and effectiveness of a novel treatment that may relieve mental suffering in patients with life-threatening illness. TRIAL REGISTRATION Trial registered on Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry. REGISTRATION NUMBER ACTRN12619001334190p. Date registered: 30/09/2019. URL: https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=378153&showOriginal=true&isReview=true.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiranth Bhagavan
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 22-30 Park Avenue, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand.
| | - Paul Glue
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Division of Health Sciences, University of Otago, 464 Cumberland Street, Central Dunedin, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand
| | - Will Evans
- Mana Health, 7 Ruskin St, Parnell, Auckland, 1052, New Zealand
| | - Lisa Reynolds
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 22-30 Park Avenue, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
| | - Thivya Turner
- Te Whatu Ora Southern, Dunedin Public Hospital, 201 Great King Street, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand
| | - Chris King
- Te Whatu Ora Southern, Dunedin Public Hospital, 201 Great King Street, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand
| | - Bruce R Russell
- School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, 18 Frederick Street, Dunedin North, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand
| | - Eva Morunga
- Te Whatu Ora Te Toka Tumai, Auckland City Hospital, 2 Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand
| | - Jessica Lee Mills
- University of Auckland, 6 Symonds Street, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
| | - Geoff Layton
- Ashburn Clinic, 496 Taieri Road, Halfway Bush, Dunedin, 9010, New Zealand
| | - David B Menkes
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Waikato Clinical Campus, Peter Rothwell Academic Centre, Pembroke Street, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand
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Arnold CA, Bagg MK, Harvey AR. The psychophysiology of music-based interventions and the experience of pain. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1361857. [PMID: 38800683 PMCID: PMC11122921 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1361857] [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: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
In modern times there is increasing acceptance that music-based interventions are useful aids in the clinical treatment of a range of neurological and psychiatric conditions, including helping to reduce the perception of pain. Indeed, the belief that music, whether listening or performing, can alter human pain experiences has a long history, dating back to the ancient Greeks, and its potential healing properties have long been appreciated by indigenous cultures around the world. The subjective experience of acute or chronic pain is complex, influenced by many intersecting physiological and psychological factors, and it is therefore to be expected that the impact of music therapy on the pain experience may vary from one situation to another, and from one person to another. Where pain persists and becomes chronic, aberrant central processing is a key feature associated with the ongoing pain experience. Nonetheless, beneficial effects of exposure to music on pain relief have been reported across a wide range of acute and chronic conditions, and it has been shown to be effective in neonates, children and adults. In this comprehensive review we examine the various neurochemical, physiological and psychological factors that underpin the impact of music on the pain experience, factors that potentially operate at many levels - the periphery, spinal cord, brainstem, limbic system and multiple areas of cerebral cortex. We discuss the extent to which these factors, individually or in combination, influence how music affects both the quality and intensity of pain, noting that there remains controversy about the respective roles that diverse central and peripheral processes play in this experience. Better understanding of the mechanisms that underlie music's impact on pain perception together with insights into central processing of pain should aid in developing more effective synergistic approaches when music therapy is combined with clinical treatments. The ubiquitous nature of music also facilitates application from the therapeutic environment into daily life, for ongoing individual and social benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn A. Arnold
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Caulfield Pain Management and Research Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Matthew K. Bagg
- School of Health Sciences, University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle, WA, Australia
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, WA, Australia
- Centre for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia
| | - Alan R. Harvey
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, WA, Australia
- School of Human Sciences and Conservatorium of Music, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
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Armstrong M, Castellanos J, Christie D. Chronic pain as an emergent property of a complex system and the potential roles of psychedelic therapies. FRONTIERS IN PAIN RESEARCH 2024; 5:1346053. [PMID: 38706873 PMCID: PMC11066302 DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2024.1346053] [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: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite research advances and urgent calls by national and global health organizations, clinical outcomes for millions of people suffering with chronic pain remain poor. We suggest bringing the lens of complexity science to this problem, conceptualizing chronic pain as an emergent property of a complex biopsychosocial system. We frame pain-related physiology, neuroscience, developmental psychology, learning, and epigenetics as components and mini-systems that interact together and with changing socioenvironmental conditions, as an overarching complex system that gives rise to the emergent phenomenon of chronic pain. We postulate that the behavior of complex systems may help to explain persistence of chronic pain despite current treatments. From this perspective, chronic pain may benefit from therapies that can be both disruptive and adaptive at higher orders within the complex system. We explore psychedelic-assisted therapies and how these may overlap with and complement mindfulness-based approaches to this end. Both mindfulness and psychedelic therapies have been shown to have transdiagnostic value, due in part to disruptive effects on rigid cognitive, emotional, and behavioral patterns as well their ability to promote neuroplasticity. Psychedelic therapies may hold unique promise for the management of chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Armstrong
- Department of Family & Community Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Joel Castellanos
- Division of Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, University of California, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Devon Christie
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Siewert J, Teut M, Brinkhaus B, Fisch S, Kummer S. The relevance of outcome expectations in group hypnosis for stress reduction: a secondary analysis of a multicenter randomized controlled trial. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1363037. [PMID: 38708017 PMCID: PMC11069319 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1363037] [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: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Background There is evidence that patients' positive outcome expectations prior to study interventions are associated with better treatment outcomes. Nevertheless, to date, only few studies have investigated whether individual outcome expectations affect treatment outcomes in hypnosis. Objective To examine whether outcome expectations to hypnosis prior to starting treatment were able to predict perceived stress, as measured on a visual analog scale (VAS), after 5 weeks. Methods We performed a secondary data analysis of a multicenter randomized controlled trial of intervention group participants only. Study participants with stress symptoms were randomized to 5 weekly sessions of a group hypnosis program for stress reduction and improved stress coping, plus 5 hypnosis audio recordings for further individual practice at home, as well as an educational booklet on coping with stress. Perceived stress for the following week was measured at baseline and after 5 weeks using a visual analog scale (0-100 mm; VAS). Hypnosis outcome expectations were assessed at baseline only with the Expectations for Treatment Scale (ETS). Unadjusted and adjusted linear regressions were performed to examine the association between baseline expectations and perceived stress at 5 weeks. Results Data from 47 participants (M = 45.02, SD = 13.40 years; 85.1% female) were analyzed. Unadjusted (B = 0.326, t = 0.239, p = 0.812, R2 = 0.001) and adjusted (B = 0.639, t = 0.470, p = 0.641, R2 = 0.168) linear regressions found that outcome expectations to hypnosis were not associated with a change in perceived stress between baseline and after 5 weeks in the intervention group. Conclusion Our findings suggest that the beneficial effect of group hypnosis in distressed participants were not associated with outcome expectations. Other mechanisms of action may be more important for the effect of hypnosis, which should be explored in future research.Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT03525093.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Siewert
- Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Teut
- Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Benno Brinkhaus
- Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Silvia Fisch
- Psychotherapie-Praxis Kupferstraße, Coesfeld, Germany
| | - Sonja Kummer
- Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Brown SL, Hope-Stone L, Hussain RN, Heimann H, van der Voort N, Cherry MG. Prevalence, temporal course and risk factors for phantom eye symptoms in uveal melanoma. Eye (Lond) 2024; 38:707-713. [PMID: 37752341 PMCID: PMC10920882 DOI: 10.1038/s41433-023-02756-w] [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: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Phantom eye symptoms (PES), particularly phantom visual sensations (PVS) and phantom eye pain (PEP), are common in enucleated patients and can lead to psychological distress. Current cross-sectional studies cannot examine the temporal course of symptoms, nor can they identify dynamic risk factors or consequences of PES. METHODS Cohort study of 105 enucleated uveal melanoma patients returning self-report questionnaires, within 4 weeks of diagnosis and 6-, 12- and 24-months post-treatment. Questionnaires measuring PVS and PEP symptoms in the week prior to completion, pain severity, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale scores and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy scale (FACT-G) measuring quality of life. RESULTS PVS and PEP emerged after 6 months, were relatively stable over the study and did not remit. PVS showed 6-, 12- and 24-month prevalence rates of 44.6%, 48.2% and 30.2%, and PEP 16.1%, 18.4% and 17.5% respectively. PVS were generally elementary, with only 10-15% of the total cohort experiencing complex sensations. PEP was generally neither prolonged nor intense, except in a small proportion. PVS and PEP were showed moderate associations but did not predict each other prospectively. Anxiety within 4 weeks of diagnosis was a risk factor for the initiation of PEP. Neither PVS nor PEP prospectively predicted anxiety, depression or quality of life. CONCLUSIONS PES were prevalent and non-remitting, beginning within 6 months of enucleation. PVS and PEP may not represent symptoms of a coherent syndrome. We discuss findings with reference to theories of phantom sensations, and directions for clinical practise and research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen L Brown
- School of Psychology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia.
- Department of Primary Care and Mental Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
| | - Laura Hope-Stone
- Department of Primary Care and Mental Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Liverpool Ocular Oncology Centre, Liverpool University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
| | - Rumana N Hussain
- Liverpool Ocular Oncology Centre, Liverpool University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
| | - Heinrich Heimann
- Liverpool Ocular Oncology Centre, Liverpool University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
| | - Nicola van der Voort
- Liverpool Ocular Oncology Centre, Liverpool University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
| | - M Gemma Cherry
- Department of Primary Care and Mental Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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Chen B, Goldstein N, Dziubek J, Zhao S, Harrahill A, Sundai A, Choi S, Prevosto V, Wang F. Reverse engineering placebo analgesia. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.12.579946. [PMID: 38405975 PMCID: PMC10888847 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.12.579946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Placebo analgesia is a widely observed clinical phenomenon. Establishing a robust mouse model of placebo analgesia is needed for careful dissection of the underpinning circuit mechanisms. However, previous studies failed to observe consistent placebo effects in rodent models of chronic pain. We wondered whether strong placebo analgesia can be reverse engineered using general anesthesia-activated neurons in the central amygdala (CeA GA ) that can potently suppress pain. Indeed, in both acute and chronic pain models, pairing a context with CeA GA -mediated pain relief produced robust context-dependent analgesia, exceeding that induced by morphine in the same paradigm. We reasoned that if the analgesic effect was dependent on reactivation of CeA GA neurons by conditioned contextual cues, the analgesia would still be an active treatment, rather than a placebo effect. CeA GA neurons indeed receive monosynaptic inputs from temporal lobe areas that could potentially relay contextual cues directly to CeA GA . However, in vivo imaging showed that CeA GA neurons were not re-activated in the conditioned context, despite mice displaying a strong analgesic phenotype, supporting the notion that the cue-induced pain relief is true placebo analgesia. Our results show that conditioning with activation of a central pain-suppressing circuit is sufficient to engineer placebo analgesia, and that purposefully linking a context with an active treatment could be a means to harness the power of placebo for pain relief.
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Żegleń M, Kryst Ł, Bąbel P. Diet, gym, supplements, or maybe it is all in your mind? A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies on placebo and nocebo effects in weight loss in adults. Obes Rev 2024; 25:e13660. [PMID: 37950372 DOI: 10.1111/obr.13660] [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: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION There is evidence that placebo and nocebo effects are significant for many conditions, but their impact on weight loss has not yet been well described. MATERIAL AND METHODS A systematic review of studies indexed on PubMed, Cochrane, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, TripDatabase, and Embase was carried out. Studies (1) with at least two study groups - placebo and a corresponding control group; (2) published in English; and (3) focusing on adults participating in weight loss programs or on placebo/nocebo effects in weight loss were included. Synthesis and meta-analysis of the results of studies with comparable research plans were performed. RESULTS Some preliminary trends suggesting placebo and nocebo effects in weight loss were found. Placebo effects manifested in trends towards a slightly greater reduction of Body Mass Index (BMI) and body fat ratio in the placebo compared with the control groups. On the other hand, in one study, it was found that the expectancy effects of taking oral weight-loss agents might be disadvantageous (i.e., because they elicit a nocebo effect on weight loss). CONCLUSION The findings suggest a possibility that the nocebo effect may occur when an intervention has a medical context. In contrast, the placebo effect can be observed in cases where the intervention is of a different nature. However, considering the low number of studies analyzing the use of placebos in weight loss, new primary research is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Żegleń
- Institute of Psychology, Pain Research Group, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Łukasz Kryst
- Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, University of Physical Education in Kraków, Poland
| | - Przemysław Bąbel
- Institute of Psychology, Pain Research Group, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
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Hellhammer J, Spitznagel-Schminke L, Hufnagel R. Kalium phosphoricum comp. in patients with neurasthenia: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Curr Med Res Opin 2024; 40:239-251. [PMID: 38099469 DOI: 10.1080/03007995.2023.2291169] [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: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This Phase IV placebo-controlled clinical trial was designed to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of the product Neurodoron (Kalium phosporicum comp., KPC) in patients with neurasthenia. METHODS This monocenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical trial (registration number: DRKS00003261) was conducted in an outpatient German trial site. Women and men aged 18 and above were randomized to receive either KPC or placebo if they reported typical symptoms of neurasthenia and a severe psychiatric disorder could be excluded. The primary objectives were a reduction in characteristic symptoms of nervous exhaustion and perceived stress as well as improvement in general health status after 6 weeks of treatment. RESULTS In total, 204 patients underwent screening, 78 were randomized in each treatment group, and 77 patients each received treatment (intention-to-treat (ITT) population = 154 patients). For none of the primary efficacy variables, an advantage in favor of KPC could be demonstrated in the pre-specified analysis (p-values between 0.505-0.773, Student's t-test). In a post-hoc analysis of intra-individual differences after 6 weeks treatment, a significant advantage of KPC vs. placebo was shown for characteristic symptoms of nervous exhaustion (irritability (p = 0.020); nervousness (p = 0.045), Student's t-test). Adverse event (AE) rates were similar between treatment groups, in both groups six AEs were assessed as causally related to treatment (severity mild or moderate). No AE resulted in discontinuation of treatment. CONCLUSIONS Trial treatment was well tolerated with only a few and minor AEs reported, confirming the markedly good safety of KPC. A significant improvement of neurasthenia was seen for the total study population at the end of the treatment period. Superiority of KPC vs. placebo could not be demonstrated with the pre-specified analysis with regards to a sum score of 12 typical symptoms, perceived stress, or general health status. However, the explorative post-hoc analysis revealed that KPC is superior to placebo in the characteristic symptoms irritability and nervousness. KPC could therefore be a beneficial treatment option for symptomatic relief of neurasthenia.
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Tabrizi R, Shourmaej Y, Pourdanesh F, Shafiei S, Moslemi H. Does lifestyle modification (physical exercise and listening to music) improve symptoms in patients with a temporomandibular disorder? A randomized clinical trial. Natl J Maxillofac Surg 2024; 15:55-58. [PMID: 38690258 PMCID: PMC11057608 DOI: 10.4103/njms.njms_23_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The aim of the study was to compare pain relief in temporomandibular disorder (TMD) patients with or without lifestyle modification. Materials and Methods This randomized clinical trial was performed on patients with TMD, who did not regularly exercise or listen to music. The participants were allocated into two groups. In the treatment group, the participants were instructed to exercise five times or more per week (30 minutes per session) and listen to the music of their choice five times or more per week (15 minutes per session) for 12 weeks. In the control group, the participants had their usual lifestyle without any modifications. The participants were examined for clicking and crepitus in the joint and maximum mouth opening before and after the intervention. The pain severity was also documented based on a visual analog scale. Results Thirty five patients were studied in each group. Twelve weeks after the intervention, the mean pain severity was 2.70 ± 0.73 in the treatment group and 4.63 ± 0.77 in the control group. The results of data analysis demonstrated a significant difference between the two groups regarding the mean pain severity at 12 weeks after the intervention (P <.001). Conclusions Lifestyle modification through physical exercise and listening to music may reduce pain in TMD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Tabrizi
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Shahid Beheshti Dental School, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Yasaman Shourmaej
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Shahid Beheshti Dental School, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fereydoun Pourdanesh
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Shahid Beheshti Dental School, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shervin Shafiei
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Shahid Beheshti Dental School, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamidreza Moslemi
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Shahid Beheshti Dental School, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Kerr PL, Gregg JM. The Roles of Endogenous Opioids in Placebo and Nocebo Effects: From Pain to Performance to Prozac. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 35:183-220. [PMID: 38874724 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-45493-6_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Placebo and nocebo effects have been well documented for nearly two centuries. However, research has only relatively recently begun to explicate the neurobiological underpinnings of these phenomena. Similarly, research on the broader social implications of placebo/nocebo effects, especially within healthcare delivery settings, is in a nascent stage. Biological and psychosocial outcomes of placebo/nocebo effects are of equal relevance. A common pathway for such outcomes is the endogenous opioid system. This chapter describes the history of placebo/nocebo in medicine; delineates the current state of the literature related to placebo/nocebo in relation to pain modulation; summarizes research findings related to human performance in sports and exercise; discusses the implications of placebo/nocebo effects among diverse patient populations; and describes placebo/nocebo influences in research related to psychopharmacology, including the relevance of endogenous opioids to new lines of research on antidepressant pharmacotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick L Kerr
- West Virginia University School of Medicine-Charleston, Charleston, WV, USA.
| | - John M Gregg
- Department of Surgery, VTCSOM, Blacksburg, VA, USA
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Liu T, Yu CP. How Do Expectations Modulate Pain? A Motivational Perspective. PERSPECTIVES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2023; 18:1508-1519. [PMID: 37369088 DOI: 10.1177/17456916231178701] [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] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Expectations can profoundly modulate pain experience, during which the periaqueductal gray (PAG) plays a pivotal role. In this article, we focus on motivationally evoked neural activations in cortical and brainstem regions both before and during stimulus administration, as has been demonstrated by experimental studies on pain-modulatory effects of expectations, in the hope of unraveling how the PAG is involved in descending and ascending nociceptive processes. This motivational perspective on expectancy effects on the perception of noxious stimuli sheds new light on psychological and neuronal substrates of pain and its modulation, thus having important research and clinical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Liu
- The Second Teaching Hospital, University of Jilin
| | - Cui-Ping Yu
- Department of Basic Medicine, Changchun Medical College
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Song SY, Jung YW, Shin W, Park M, Lee GW, Jeong S, An S, Kim K, Ko YB, Lee KH, Kang BH, Lee M, Yoo HJ. Endometriosis-Related Chronic Pelvic Pain. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2868. [PMID: 37893241 PMCID: PMC10603876 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11102868] [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: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Endometriosis, which is the presence of endometrial stroma and glands outside the uterus, is one of the most frequently diagnosed gynecologic diseases in reproductive women. Patients with endometriosis suffer from various pain symptoms such as dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and chronic pelvic pain. The pathophysiology for chronic pain in patients with endometriosis has not been fully understood. Altered inflammatory responses have been shown to contribute to pain symptoms. Increased secretion of cytokines, angiogenic factors, and nerve growth factors has been suggested to increase pain. Also, altered distribution of nerve fibers may also contribute to chronic pain. Aside from local contributing factors, sensitization of the nervous system is also important in understanding persistent pain in endometriosis. Peripheral sensitization as well as central sensitization have been identified in patients with endometriosis. These sensitizations of the nervous system can also explain increased incidence of comorbidities related to pain such as irritable bowel disease, bladder pain syndrome, and vulvodynia in patients with endometriosis. In conclusion, there are various possible mechanisms behind pain in patients with endometriosis, and understanding these mechanisms can help clinicians understand the nature of the pain symptoms and decide on treatments for endometriosis-related pain symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo Youn Song
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Chungnam National University Sejong Hospital, 20, Bodeum 7 ro, Sejong 30099, Republic of Korea; (S.Y.S.); (Y.W.J.); (W.S.)
| | - Ye Won Jung
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Chungnam National University Sejong Hospital, 20, Bodeum 7 ro, Sejong 30099, Republic of Korea; (S.Y.S.); (Y.W.J.); (W.S.)
| | - WonKyo Shin
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Chungnam National University Sejong Hospital, 20, Bodeum 7 ro, Sejong 30099, Republic of Korea; (S.Y.S.); (Y.W.J.); (W.S.)
| | - Mia Park
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, 33, Munhwa-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon 2868, Republic of Korea; (M.P.); (G.W.L.); (S.J.); (S.A.); (K.K.); (Y.B.K.); (K.H.L.); (B.H.K.); (M.L.)
| | - Geon Woo Lee
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, 33, Munhwa-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon 2868, Republic of Korea; (M.P.); (G.W.L.); (S.J.); (S.A.); (K.K.); (Y.B.K.); (K.H.L.); (B.H.K.); (M.L.)
| | - Soohwa Jeong
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, 33, Munhwa-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon 2868, Republic of Korea; (M.P.); (G.W.L.); (S.J.); (S.A.); (K.K.); (Y.B.K.); (K.H.L.); (B.H.K.); (M.L.)
| | - Sukjeong An
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, 33, Munhwa-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon 2868, Republic of Korea; (M.P.); (G.W.L.); (S.J.); (S.A.); (K.K.); (Y.B.K.); (K.H.L.); (B.H.K.); (M.L.)
| | - Kyoungmin Kim
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, 33, Munhwa-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon 2868, Republic of Korea; (M.P.); (G.W.L.); (S.J.); (S.A.); (K.K.); (Y.B.K.); (K.H.L.); (B.H.K.); (M.L.)
| | - Young Bok Ko
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, 33, Munhwa-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon 2868, Republic of Korea; (M.P.); (G.W.L.); (S.J.); (S.A.); (K.K.); (Y.B.K.); (K.H.L.); (B.H.K.); (M.L.)
| | - Ki Hwan Lee
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, 33, Munhwa-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon 2868, Republic of Korea; (M.P.); (G.W.L.); (S.J.); (S.A.); (K.K.); (Y.B.K.); (K.H.L.); (B.H.K.); (M.L.)
| | - Byung Hun Kang
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, 33, Munhwa-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon 2868, Republic of Korea; (M.P.); (G.W.L.); (S.J.); (S.A.); (K.K.); (Y.B.K.); (K.H.L.); (B.H.K.); (M.L.)
| | - Mina Lee
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Chungnam National University Hospital, 33, Munhwa-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon 2868, Republic of Korea; (M.P.); (G.W.L.); (S.J.); (S.A.); (K.K.); (Y.B.K.); (K.H.L.); (B.H.K.); (M.L.)
| | - Heon Jong Yoo
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Chungnam National University Sejong Hospital, 20, Bodeum 7 ro, Sejong 30099, Republic of Korea; (S.Y.S.); (Y.W.J.); (W.S.)
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Chen TC, Lin CS. Neuroimaging meta-analysis of brain mechanisms of the association between orofacial pain and mastication. J Oral Rehabil 2023; 50:1070-1081. [PMID: 37252887 DOI: 10.1111/joor.13526] [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: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are characterized by pain and impaired masticatory functions. The Integrated Pain Adaptation Model (IPAM) predicts that alterations in motor activity may be associated with increased pain in some individuals. The IPAM highlights the diversity of patients' responses to orofacial pain and suggests that such diversity is related to the sensorimotor network of the brain. It remains unclear whether the pattern of brain activation reflects the diversity of patients' responses underlying the association between mastication and orofacial pain. OBJECTIVE This meta-analysis aims to compare the spatial pattern of brain activation, as the primary outcome of neuroimaging studies, between studies of mastication (i.e. Study 1: mastication of healthy adults) and studies of orofacial pain (i.e. Study 2: muscle pain in healthy adults and Study 3: noxious stimulation of the masticatory system in TMD patients). METHODS Neuroimaging meta-analyses were conducted for two groups of studies: (a) mastication of healthy adults (Study 1, 10 studies) and (b) orofacial pain (7 studies), including muscle pain in healthy adults (Study 2) and noxious stimulation of the masticatory system in TMD patients (Study 3). Consistent loci of brain activation were synthesized using Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE) with an initial cluster-forming threshold (p < .05) and a threshold of cluster size (p < .05, familywise error-corrected). RESULTS The orofacial pain studies have shown consistent activation in pain-related regions, including the anterior cingulate cortex and the anterior insula (AIns). A conjunctional analysis of mastication and orofacial pain studies showed joint activation at the left AIns, the left primary motor cortex and the right primary somatosensory cortex. CONCLUSION The meta-analytical evidence suggests that the AIns, as a key region in pain, interoception and salience processing, contributes to the pain-mastication association. These findings reveal an additional neural mechanism of the diversity of patients' responses underlying the association between mastication and orofacial pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ta-Chung Chen
- Division of Prosthodontics, Department of Stomatology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Shu Lin
- Department of Dentistry, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- Institute of Brain Science, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
- Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
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Botvinik-Nezer R, Petre B, Ceko M, Lindquist MA, Friedman NP, Wager TD. Placebo treatment affects brain systems related to affective and cognitive processes, but not nociceptive pain. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.21.558825. [PMID: 37790543 PMCID: PMC10543005 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.21.558825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Placebo analgesia is a replicable and well-studied phenomenon, yet it remains unclear to what degree it includes modulation of nociceptive processes. Some studies find effects consistent with nociceptive effects, but meta-analyses show that these effects are often small. We analyzed placebo analgesia in a large fMRI study (N = 392), including placebo effects on brain responses to noxious stimuli. Placebo treatment caused robust analgesia in both conditioned thermal and unconditioned mechanical pain. Placebo did not decrease fMRI activity in nociceptive pain regions, including the Neurologic Pain Signature (NPS) and pre-registered spinothalamic pathway regions, with strong support from Bayes Factor analyses. However, placebo treatment affected activity in pre-registered analyses of a second neuromarker, the Stimulus Intensity Independent Pain Signature (SIIPS), and several associated a priori brain regions related to motivation and value, in both thermal and mechanical pain. Individual differences in behavioral analgesia were correlated with neural changes in both thermal and mechanical pain. Our results indicate that processes related to affective and cognitive aspects of pain primarily drive placebo analgesia.
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Krecké J, Dierolf AM, Rischer KM, Anton F, van der Meulen M. Baseline heart rate variability predicts placebo hypoalgesia in men, but not women. FRONTIERS IN PAIN RESEARCH 2023; 4:1213848. [PMID: 37799824 PMCID: PMC10547887 DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2023.1213848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Placebo hypoalgesic effects vary greatly across individuals, making them challenging to control for in clinical trials and difficult to use in treatment. We investigated the potential of resting vagally-mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) to help predict the magnitude of placebo responsiveness. Methods In two independent studies (total N = 77), we administered a placebo paradigm after measuring baseline HRV. In Study I, we delivered heat pain to the forearm, on skin patches treated with "real" and "control" cream (identical inactive creams). In Study II, electrical pulses to the forearm were modulated by sham transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. We combined data from both studies to evaluate the relationship between vagally-mediated HRV (vmHRV) parameters and the placebo response size, while also assessing sex differences in this relationship. Results and Discussion This revealed a positive association between vmHRV and the degree of pain relief, and this effect was driven by men. These results not only reveal new insights into the (sex-specific) mechanisms of placebo hypoalgesia, but also suggest that measuring vmHRV may be helpful in predicting placebo responsiveness. Given that placebo hypoalgesic effects contribute substantially to treatment outcomes, such a non-invasive and easily obtained predictor would be valuable in the context of personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joy Krecké
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | | | | | | | - Marian van der Meulen
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
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28
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Silva-Cardoso GK, Lazarini-Lopes W, Primini EO, Hallak JE, Crippa JA, Zuardi AW, Garcia-Cairasco N, Leite-Panissi CRA. Cannabidiol modulates chronic neuropathic pain aversion behavior by attenuation of neuroinflammation markers and neuronal activity in the corticolimbic circuit in male Wistar rats. Behav Brain Res 2023; 452:114588. [PMID: 37474023 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Chronic neuropathic pain (CNP) is a vast world health problem often associated with the somatosensory domain. This conceptualization is problematic because, unlike most other sensations that are usually affectively neutral and may present emotional, affective, and cognitive impairments. Neuronal circuits that modulate pain can increase or decrease painful sensitivity based on several factors, including context and expectation. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether subchronic treatment with Cannabidiol (CBD; 0.3, 3, and 10 mg/kg intraperitoneal route - i.p., once a day for 3 days) could promote pain-conditioned reversal, in the conditioned place preference (CPP) test, in male Wistar rats submitted to chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve. Then, we evaluated the expression of astrocytes and microglia in animals treated with CBD through the immunofluorescence technique. Our results demonstrated that CBD promoted the reversal of CPP at 3 and 10 mg/kg. In CCI animals, CBD was able to attenuate the increase in neuronal hyperactivity, measured by FosB protein expression, in the regions of the corticolimbic circuit: anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), complex basolateral amygdala (BLA), granular layer of the dentate gyrus (GrDG), and dorsal hippocampus (DH) - adjacent to subiculum (CA1). CBD also prevented the increased expression of GFAP and IBA-1 in CCI animals. We concluded that CBD effects on CNP are linked to the modulation of the aversive component of pain. These effects decrease chronic neuronal activation and inflammatory markers in regions of the corticolimbic circuit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gleice K Silva-Cardoso
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Science and Letters of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Brazil; National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM; CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Willian Lazarini-Lopes
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavioral Sciences, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP 14049-900, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Octaviano Primini
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Science and Letters of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jaime E Hallak
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavioral Sciences, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil; National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM; CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - José A Crippa
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavioral Sciences, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil; National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM; CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Antônio W Zuardi
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavioral Sciences, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil; National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM; CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Norberto Garcia-Cairasco
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavioral Sciences, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Physiology, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Christie R A Leite-Panissi
- Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Science and Letters of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Brazil; National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM; CNPq), São Paulo, Brazil.
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Gyimes IL, Valentini E. Reminders of Mortality: Investigating the Effects of Different Mortality Saliences on Somatosensory Neural Activity. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1077. [PMID: 37509009 PMCID: PMC10377243 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13071077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The Terror Management Theory (TMT) offered a great deal of generative hypotheses that have been tested in a plethora of studies. However, there is a still substantive lack of clarity about the interpretation of TMT-driven effects and their underlying neurological mechanisms. Here, we aimed to expand upon previous research by introducing two novel methodological manipulations aimed to enhance the effects of mortality salience (MS). We presented participants with the idea of the participants' romantic partner's death as well as increased the perceived threat of somatosensory stimuli. Linear mixed modelling disclosed the greater effects of MS directed at one's romantic partner on pain perception (as opposed to the participant's own mortality). The theta event-related oscillatory activity measured at the vertex of the scalp was significantly lower compared to the control condition. We suggest that MS aimed at one's romantic partner can result in increased effects on perceptual experience; however, the underlying neural activities are not reflected by a classical measure of cortical arousal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Istvan Laszlo Gyimes
- Centre for Brain Science, Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
| | - Elia Valentini
- Centre for Brain Science, Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK
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30
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Barbosa IR, da Cunha G, Luft C, Rübensam G, Freitas RDS, Greggio S, Venturin G, de Oliveira JR, da Costa JC, Campos MM. Fructose supplementation shifts rat brain metabolism in experimental migraine. Brain Res Bull 2023:110694. [PMID: 37353036 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2023.110694] [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: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
AIMS We have previously demonstrated that fructose supplementation (FS), given in a scheme used for inducing metabolic syndrome (MS), elicited pain relief in the nitroglycerin (NTG)-elicited rat migraine model. Herein, we evaluated whether FS could reestablish the impaired metabolic pathways in NTG-injected rats. MAIN METHODS Male Wistar rats (N=40) were divided into two groups for receiving 10-% FS or tap water. After 45 days, they were subdivided into NTG-injected (10mg/kg; 15 days) or controls. After the fourth NTG injection, 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F] FDG) micro-PET scanning was accomplished. The day after, euthanasia was performed, and blood was collected for glycemia and LDH analysis. The levels of energy molecules, TBARS, PGC-1α, and MCTS1 were evaluated in the brain cortices. The activated satellite glial cells (SGC) were assessed in the trigeminal ganglion (TG). KEY FINDINGS There were no variations of glycemia or LDH serum levels. NTG-injected rats showed a significant increase in glucose uptake in the hypothalamus (HT) vs. NTG-free rats. The FS-NTG group showed increased metabolism in the superior colliculus (SC) vs. the NTG group. Moreover, the glucose uptake was amplified in the inferior colliculus (IC) of the FS-NTG vs. FS group. The cortical inosine levels were significantly higher in FS-NTG rats vs. NTG or FS groups, with no changes in TBARS or MCTS1 levels, despite a minor decrease of PGC1-α contents in the FS+NTG group. Finally, there was a significant increase of activated SGC around TG in the FS-NTG rats. SIGNIFICANCE We provide novel evidence linking nutrition and metabolism with migraine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isadora R Barbosa
- PUCRS, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Porto Alegre/RS, Brasil; PUCRS, Curso de Graduação em Odontologia, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Porto Alegre/RS, Brasil
| | - Gabriela da Cunha
- PUCRS, Curso de Graduação em Odontologia, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Porto Alegre/RS, Brasil; PUCRS, Centro de Pesquisa em Toxicologia e Farmacologia, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Porto Alegre/RS, Brasil
| | - Carolina Luft
- PUCRS, Laboratório de Pesquisa em Biofísica Celular e Inflamação, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Rübensam
- PUCRS, Centro de Pesquisa em Toxicologia e Farmacologia, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Porto Alegre/RS, Brasil
| | - Raquel D S Freitas
- PUCRS, Centro de Pesquisa em Toxicologia e Farmacologia, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Porto Alegre/RS, Brasil; PUCRS, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina e Ciências da Saúde, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Porto Alegre/RS, Brasil
| | - Samuel Greggio
- PUCRS, Curso de Graduação em Biomedicina, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Porto Alegre/RS, Brasil
| | - Gianina Venturin
- PUCRS, Centro de Pesquisa Pré-clínica, Instituto do Cérebro (BraIns), Porto Alegre/RS, Brazil
| | - Jarbas R de Oliveira
- PUCRS, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Porto Alegre/RS, Brasil; PUCRS, Laboratório de Pesquisa em Biofísica Celular e Inflamação, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida Porto Alegre, Brazil; PUCRS, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina e Ciências da Saúde, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Porto Alegre/RS, Brasil
| | - Jaderson C da Costa
- PUCRS, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina e Ciências da Saúde, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Porto Alegre/RS, Brasil; PUCRS, Centro de Pesquisa Pré-clínica, Instituto do Cérebro (BraIns), Porto Alegre/RS, Brazil; PUCRS, Laboratório de Neurociências e Eletrofisiologia, Porto Alegre/RS, Brasil
| | - Maria M Campos
- PUCRS, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Porto Alegre/RS, Brasil; PUCRS, Curso de Graduação em Odontologia, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Porto Alegre/RS, Brasil; PUCRS, Centro de Pesquisa em Toxicologia e Farmacologia, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Porto Alegre/RS, Brasil; PUCRS, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina e Ciências da Saúde, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Porto Alegre/RS, Brasil.
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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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Morellini L, Izzo A, Celeghin A, Palermo S, Morese R. Sensory processing sensitivity and social pain: a hypothesis and theory. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1135440. [PMID: 37388415 PMCID: PMC10303917 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1135440] [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: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensory-processing sensitivity (SPS) defined, as a personality trait, seems to be characterized by emotional sensitivity, and stronger reactivity to both external and internal stimuli. SPS can represent a risk factor for developing clinical conditions during childhood and adolescence. This personality trait is not to be considered a pathological clinical condition, however, can expose to greater environmental vulnerability. In particular, the recent studies about SPS can be contextualized to social situations that evoke traumatic and stressful emotional responses such as social exclusion. We hypothesize that highly sensitive people (HSP) are more vulnerable to social exclusion and social pain. This hypothesis could help structure new educational and intervention models designed to improve coping strategies and promote HSP's psychophysical and social well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Morellini
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
| | - Alessia Izzo
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
| | | | - Sara Palermo
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Neuroradiology Unit, Diagnostic and Technology Department, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Rosalba Morese
- Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
- Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society, Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
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Vertsberger D, Talmon A, Ziadni M, Kong JT, Darnall BD, Manber R, Mackey S, Gross JJ. Intensity of Chronic Low Back Pain and Activity Interference: A Daily Diary Study of the Moderating Role of Cognitive Pain Coping Strategies. PAIN MEDICINE (MALDEN, MASS.) 2023; 24:442-450. [PMID: 36214626 PMCID: PMC10069845 DOI: 10.1093/pm/pnac151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Chronic low back pain (CLBP) has a significant negative impact on daily functioning, particularly for those with challenges coping adaptively with ongoing pain. However, the dynamics of pain coping in daily life remain understudied. Therefore, we examined the extent to which pain intensity interferes with daily activities, and assessed whether pain coping strategies (as assessed using daily diaries) moderated this link. METHOD We analyzed diary data from a sample of 84 participants with CLBP who completed daily diaries for up to 30 days rating pain intensity, pain interference with daily activities, and their use of pain coping strategies, including pain rumination (i.e., repetitive thinking about the pain and its causes), reappraisal (i.e., evaluating one's pain less negatively or more positively), and distraction (i.e., diverting attention from the pain). We hypothesized that these coping strategies would moderate the associations between pain and pain interference with daily activities, although in different directions. RESULTS Results suggest that pain rumination strengthens the association between pain intensity and pain interference both on the person and day level, while pain reappraisal and distraction weaken this association, at the day and person levels, respectively. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that those who are more preoccupied with their pain and those who are less likely to reappraise their pain have more pain interference with daily activities. These findings build on prior work on pain coping by using daily diaries and highlight two pain coping strategies that have particular relevance for reducing the impact of CLBP in daily life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Vertsberger
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Anat Talmon
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Maisa Ziadni
- Stanford Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Jiang-Ti Kong
- Stanford Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Beth D Darnall
- Stanford Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Rachel Manber
- Stanford Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Sean Mackey
- Stanford Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - James J Gross
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
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Büchel C. The role of expectations, control and reward in the development of pain persistence based on a unified model. eLife 2023; 12:81795. [PMID: 36972108 PMCID: PMC10042542 DOI: 10.7554/elife.81795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic, or persistent pain affects more than 10% of adults in the general population. This makes it one of the major physical and mental health care problems. Although pain is an important acute warning signal that allows the organism to take action before tissue damage occurs, it can become persistent and its role as a warning signal thereby inadequate. Although per definition, pain can only be labeled as persistent after 3 months, the trajectory from acute to persistent pain is likely to be determined very early and might even start at the time of injury. The biopsychosocial model has revolutionized our understanding of chronic pain and paved the way for psychological treatments for persistent pain, which routinely outperform other forms of treatment. This suggests that psychological processes could also be important in shaping the very early trajectory from acute to persistent pain and that targeting these processes could prevent the development of persistent pain. In this review, we develop an integrative model and suggest novel interventions during early pain trajectories, based on predictions from this model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Büchel
- Department of Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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35
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Harnessing the placebo effect to enhance emotion regulation effectiveness and choice. Sci Rep 2023; 13:2373. [PMID: 36759537 PMCID: PMC9911767 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29045-6] [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: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The placebo effect demonstrates how positive expectancies shape the effectiveness of various treatments. Across studies, placebo treatments are interventions (creams, pills, etc.) that are presented to individuals as, and are learned to be, beneficial for them. This study tested whether placebo-induced expectancies can be harnessed to improve individuals' internal emotion regulation attempts. Participants implemented two types of distraction, an emotion regulation strategy involving attentional disengagement, to attenuate fear of pain. In a typical conditioning paradigm, the placebo-distraction was introduced as an effective strategy (verbal suggestion) and was surreptitiously paired with reduced pain (conditioning), whereas the control-distraction was introduced as noneffective and was surreptitiously paired with increased pain. As predicted, we found that during a later test phase, where pain intensity was identical, the placebo-distraction resulted in reduced self-reported fear of pain, relative to the control-distraction. Moreover, we utilized a robust behavioral choice measure, demonstrating increased preferences for the placebo-distraction. We additionally tested whether these effects generalize to a different emotional context of fear of unpleasant pictures. In that context, the placebo-distraction was as effective as the control-distraction, but was substantially preferred. This study demonstrates that the placebo effect can be expanded to include individuals' internal attempts to influence their conditions.
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Bavbek S, Ozyigit LP, Baiardini I, Braido F, Roizen G, Jerschow E. Placebo, Nocebo, and Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Drug Allergy. THE JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY. IN PRACTICE 2023; 11:371-379. [PMID: 36521832 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2022.11.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sevim Bavbek
- Division of Allergy and Clinical of Immunology, Department of Chest Diseases, Ankara University, School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Leyla Pur Ozyigit
- Adult Allergy Service, Glenfield Hospital, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, United Kingdom
| | - Ilaria Baiardini
- Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy; Università di Genova, (DIMI), Genova, Italy
| | - Fulvio Braido
- Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy; Università di Genova, (DIMI), Genova, Italy
| | - Gigia Roizen
- Department of Immunology, Clinica Alemana De Santiago, Santiago, Chile
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Abstract
Pain is driven by sensation and emotion, and in turn, it motivates decisions and actions. To fully appreciate the multidimensional nature of pain, we formulate the study of pain within a closed-loop framework of sensory-motor prediction. In this closed-loop cycle, prediction plays an important role, as the interaction between prediction and actual sensory experience shapes pain perception and subsequently, action. In this Perspective, we describe the roles of two prominent computational theories-Bayesian inference and reinforcement learning-in modeling adaptive pain behaviors. We show that prediction serves as a common theme between these two theories, and that each of these theories can explain unique aspects of the pain perception-action cycle. We discuss how these computational theories and models can improve our mechanistic understandings of pain-centered processes such as anticipation, attention, placebo hypoalgesia, and pain chronification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Sage Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
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Mercadillo RE, Garza-Villarreal EA. Case Report: " I got my brain back" A patient's experience with music-induced analgesia for chronic pain. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1141829. [PMID: 37187565 PMCID: PMC10175678 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1141829] [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: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Listening to music has progressively been proposed as a complementary alternative for chronic pain; understanding its properties and its neurobiological bases is urgent. We show a phenomenological investigation of a woman who has lived 20 years with chronic pain. The inquiry involved her experience of the context in which she listens to music, the intensity and quality of pain, body mapping, memories, emotions, and cognition. The participant listens to music for different reasons, such as pain and anxiety relief, motivation to exercise, and quality of sleep, but all seem to revolve around different strategies for pain management. Experiences in physiological and cognitive aspects included perceived restorative sleep that may have improved the participant's general wellbeing and improved cognitive and motor performance as well as communication skills. The music enabled the participant not only to relieve pain but also withdrawal effects after discontinuing her opioid-based treatment. These effects may encompass endogenous opioid and dopamine mechanisms involving natural analgesia associated with pleasurable experiences. Future studies could consider phenomenological case studies and therapeutic accompaniment to reorient subjective properties of pain and expand quantitative and qualitative knowledge for more comprehensive reports on music and analgesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto E. Mercadillo
- Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Iztapalapa, Mexico City, Mexico
- CONACYT, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Eduardo A. Garza-Villarreal
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Campus Juriquilla, Queretaro, Mexico
- *Correspondence: Eduardo A. Garza-Villarreal,
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Habig K, Krämer HH, Lautenschläger G, Walter B, Best C. Processing of sensory, painful and vestibular stimuli in the thalamus. Brain Struct Funct 2023; 228:433-447. [PMID: 36239796 PMCID: PMC9944400 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-022-02582-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The thalamus plays an important role in the mediation and integration of various stimuli (e.g., somatosensory, pain, and vestibular). Whether a stimulus-specific and topographic organization of the thalamic nuclei exists is still unknown. The aim of our study was to define a functional, in vivo map of multimodal sensory processing within the human thalamus. METHODS Twenty healthy individuals (10 women, 21-34 years old) participated. Defined sensory stimuli were applied to both hands (innocuous touch, mechanical pain, and heat pain) and the vestibular organ (galvanic stimulation) during 3 T functional MRI. RESULTS Bilateral thalamic activations could be detected for touch, mechanical pain, and vestibular stimulation within the left medio-dorsal and right anterior thalamus. Heat pain did not lead to thalamic activation at all. Stimuli applied to the left body side resulted in stronger activation patterns. Comparing an early with a late stimulation interval, the mentioned activation patterns were far more pronounced within the early stimulation interval. CONCLUSIONS The right anterior and ventral-anterior nucleus and the left medio-dorsal nucleus appear to be important for the processing of multimodal sensory information. In addition, galvanic stimulation is processed more laterally compared to mechanical pain. The observed changes in activity within the thalamic nuclei depending on the stimulation interval suggest that the stimuli are processed in a thalamic network rather than a distinct nucleus. In particular, the vestibular network within the thalamus recruits bilateral nuclei, rendering the thalamus an important integrative structure for vestibular function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Habig
- Department of Neurology, Justus-Liebig-University, Klinikstrasse 33, 35392, Giessen, Germany.
| | - Heidrun H Krämer
- Department of Neurology, Justus-Liebig-University, Klinikstrasse 33, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Gothje Lautenschläger
- Department of Neurology, Justus-Liebig-University, Klinikstrasse 33, 35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Bertram Walter
- Bender Institute of Neuroimaging, Justus-Liebig-University, 35394, Giessen, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, Philipps University Marburg and Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Christoph Best
- Department of Neurology, Philipps-University Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
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Stress-induced hyperalgesia instead of analgesia in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. NEUROBIOLOGY OF PAIN (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2022; 13:100110. [PMID: 36561877 PMCID: PMC9764253 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynpai.2022.100110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Many individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) show impairments in their pain-modulatory capacity. Although stress plays an important role in chronic pain, it is not known if stress-induced analgesia (SIA) is affected in patients with CMP. We investigated SIA in 22 patients with CMP and 18 pain-free participants. Pain thresholds, pain tolerance and suprathreshold pain ratings were examined before and after a cognitive stressor that typically induces pain reduction (SIA). Whereas the controls displayed a significant increase in pain threshold in response to the stressor, the patients with CMP showed no analgesia. In addition, increased pain intensity ratings after the stressor indicated hyperalgesia (SIH) in the patients with CMP compared to controls. An exploratory analysis showed no significant association of SIA or SIH with spatial pain extent. We did not observe significant changes in pain tolerance or pain unpleasantness ratings after the stressor in patients with CMP or controls. Our data suggest that altered stress-induced pain modulation is an important mechanism involved in CMP. Future studies need to clarify the psychobiological mechanisms of these stress-induced alterations in pain processing and determine the role of contributing factors such as early childhood trauma, catastrophizing, comorbidity with mental disorders and genetic predisposition.
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Transcranial direct-current stimulation over the motor cortex in patients suffering from anxiety and depression related to rheumatoid arthritis: Study protocol for a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Brain Behav Immun Health 2022; 28:100566. [PMID: 36817508 PMCID: PMC9931926 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2022.100566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis is up to three times more prevalent in women. It is often associated with anxiety and depression, comorbidities causing psychic suffering and potentiating pain perception. It is also related to a higher risk of suicide among diagnosed patients. The high rates of discontinuation of conventional pharmacological treatments are the predominant factor in the search for new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of anxiety and depression. Transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) is a promising, safe and low-cost technique that is very associative with other therapies. When applied to the primary motor cortex (M1) it can induce long-term changes in the synaptic level leading to the improvement of neuroplasticity. The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of tDCS on the symptoms of anxiety and depression. The secondary aim is to evaluate the interference of tDCS on the inflammatory profile, cardiac autonomic behavior and quality of life of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The intervention consists of 10 consecutive sessions (once a day) applying tDCS with a 2mA current for 20 minutes. The electrode assembly on the scalp is in accordance with the International Electroencephalogram System 10-20 (EEG) and the anodal electrode is placed over the area of the primary motor cortex (M1 - C3 or C4) and the cathodal electrode on the supraorbital contralateral area (SO - Fp1 or Fp2). The analysis of continuous variables will be described by mean and standard deviation for parametric data and median and interquartile interval for nonparametric data. The evaluation of the effect of tDCS on the inflammatory profile, heart rate variability and quality of life will be obtained by the ANOVA two-way test. tDCS is expected to have a greater effect on reducing anxiety and depression symptoms compared to the placebo, being able to decrease inflammation and improve the quality of life of volunteers.
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Neumann M, Wirtz MA, Lutz G, Ernesti A, Edelhäuser F. Why context matters when changing the diet: A narrative review of placebo, nocebo, and psychosocial context effects and implications for outcome research and nutrition counselling. Front Nutr 2022; 9:937065. [PMID: 36386910 PMCID: PMC9650541 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.937065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Placebo (PE) and nocebo effects (NE) have been subjects of systematic research in medicine and psychotherapy for many decades to distinguish between the (specific) pharmacological effect of medication and the (unspecific) effect of the context. Despite this significant research, the awareness, operationalisation, and reflection of the multiplicity of PE, NE, and psychosocial context effects (PSCE) is currently limited when researching outcomes of diet changes in studies without randomisation and placebo control. This neglection is critical as it could systematically influence outcomes by moderating and mediating them and thus reducing the validity and evidence base of these studies. Therefore, we performed a (non-systematic) narrative review (NR) on the following objectives: (1) present a concise overview about the relevance of PE, NE, and PSCE in medicine and nutrition research; (2) review the current state of research on reflecting context effects when studying diet changes; (3) provide useful theoretical foundations via consideration and integration of micro- and macro context effects; (4) operationalise as hypotheses the potential PE, NE, and PSCE which are specific for researching diet changes; and (5) derive their impact for future research as well as for nutrition counselling. The electronic search in this NR for objective (2) identified N = 5 publications and for objective (4) we found N = 61 articles retrieved in the first round of search, additional references were identified by a manual and snowball search among the cited references resulting finally in N = 37. This NR offers a synoptical basis to foster awareness and operationalisation of a variety of PE, NE, and PSCE. Interdisciplinary research teams should monitor these factors using, e.g., qualitative, mixed-method studies, process evaluation, item bank approaches, moderator and mediator analysis that might reveal substantially new insights, and outcomes of relevance to science and nutrition counselling. Nevertheless, the present NR has several limitations, especially as it is non-systematic, because it is a very heterogeneous field of research, in which the topic we are investigating is usually regarded as marginal and subordinate. Therefore, future research should conduct systematic reviews and particularly theory-based primary studies (experimental research) on hypotheses of PE, NE, and PSCE in outcome research in diet changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Neumann
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health, Integrated Curriculum for Anthroposophic Medicine (ICURAM) and Institute of Integrative Medicine, Witten/Herdecke University, Witten, Germany
| | | | - Gabriele Lutz
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Gemeinschaftskrankenhaus Herdecke, Herdecke, Germany
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health, Witten/Herdecke University, Witten, Germany
| | - Alina Ernesti
- Department of Psychology and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Health, Witten/Herdecke University, Witten, Germany
| | - Friedrich Edelhäuser
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health, Integrated Curriculum for Anthroposophic Medicine (ICURAM) and Institute of Integrative Medicine, Witten/Herdecke University, Witten, Germany
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Rajagopalan D, Thomas J, Ring D, Fatehi A. Quantitative Patient-Reported Experience Measures Derived From Natural Language Processing Have a Normal Distribution and No Ceiling Effect. Qual Manag Health Care 2022; 31:210-218. [PMID: 35383720 DOI: 10.1097/qmh.0000000000000355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Patient-reported experience measures have the potential to guide improvement in health care delivery. Many patient-reported experience measures are limited by the presence of strong ceiling effects that limit their analytical utility. METHODS We used natural language processing to develop 2 new methods of evaluating patient experience using text comments and associated ordinal and categorical ratings of willingness to recommend from 1390 patients receiving specialty or nonspecialty care at our offices. One method used multivariable analysis based on linguistic factors to derive a formula to estimate the ordinal likelihood to recommend. The other method used the meaning extraction method of thematic analysis to identify words associated with categorical ratings of likelihood to recommend with which we created an equation to compute an experience score. We measured normality of the 2 score distributions and ceiling effects. RESULTS Spearman rank-order correlation analysis identified 36 emotional and linguistic constructs associated with ordinal rating of likelihood to recommend, 9 of which were independently associated in multivariable analysis. The calculation derived from this model corresponded with the original ordinal rating with an accuracy within 0.06 units on a 0 to 10 scale. This score and the score developed from thematic analysis both had a relatively normal distribution and limited or no ceiling effect. CONCLUSIONS Quantitative ratings of patient experience developed using natural language processing of text comments can have relatively normal distributions and no ceiling effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dayal Rajagopalan
- Department of Surgery and Perioperative Care, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin
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Meijers MC, Stouthard J, Evers AWM, Das E, Drooger HJ, Jansen SJAJ, Francke AL, Plum N, van der Wall E, Nestoriuc Y, Dusseldorp E, van Vliet LM. Possible alleviation of symptoms and side effects through clinicians' nocebo information and empathy in an experimental video vignette study. Sci Rep 2022; 12:16112. [PMID: 36167876 PMCID: PMC9515213 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19729-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
To alleviate anti-cancer treatment burden in advanced breast cancer, patient-clinician communication strategies based on nocebo-effect mechanisms are promising. We assessed distinct/combined effects on psychological outcomes (e.g. anxiety; main outcome) and side-effect expectations of (1) nocebo information about the (non)pharmacological origin of side effects, and (2) clinician-expressed empathy through reassurance of continuing support. Furthermore, we explored whether information and empathy effects on side-effect expectations were mediated by decreased anxiety. In a two-by-two experimental video-vignette design, 160 cancer patients/survivors and healthy women watched one of four videos differing in level of nocebo information (±) and empathy (±). Regression and mediation analysis were used to determine effects of information/empathy and explore anxiety's mediating role. Anxiety was not influenced by empathy or information (Stai-state: p = 0.295; p = 0.390, VAS p = 0.399; p = 0.823). Information improved (specific) side-effect coping expectations (p < 0.01). Empathy improved side-effect intensity expectations (p < 0.01 = specific; p < 0.05 = non-specific/partial) and specific side-effect probability expectations (p < 0.01), and increased satisfaction, trust, and self-efficacy (p < 0.001). No mediating effects were found of anxiety on expectations. Mainly empathy, but also nocebo information improved psychological outcomes and-mainly specific-side-effect expectations. Exploring the power of these communication elements in clinical practice is essential to diminish the anti-cancer treatment burden in advanced breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- M C Meijers
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Department of Health-, Medical and Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - J Stouthard
- Department of Medical Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - A W M Evers
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Department of Health-, Medical and Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Medical Delta, Leiden University, TU Delft, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - E Das
- Centre for Language Studies, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - H J Drooger
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Department of Health-, Medical and Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - S J A J Jansen
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Department of Health-, Medical and Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - A L Francke
- NIVEL, Netherlands Institute of Health Services Research, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - N Plum
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - E van der Wall
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Y Nestoriuc
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Helmut-Schmidt-University/University of the Federal Armed Forces, Hamburg, Germany
- Systemic Neuroscience, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - E Dusseldorp
- Methodology and Statistics Unit, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - L M van Vliet
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Department of Health-, Medical and Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK, Leiden, The Netherlands.
- Medical Delta, Leiden University, TU Delft, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Delft, The Netherlands.
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Eckert AL, Pabst K, Endres DM. A Bayesian model for chronic pain. FRONTIERS IN PAIN RESEARCH 2022; 3:966034. [PMID: 36303889 PMCID: PMC9595216 DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2022.966034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The perceiving mind constructs our coherent and embodied experience of the world from noisy, ambiguous and multi-modal sensory information. In this paper, we adopt the perspective that the experience of pain may similarly be the result of a probabilistic, inferential process. Prior beliefs about pain, learned from past experiences, are combined with incoming sensory information in a Bayesian manner to give rise to pain perception. Chronic pain emerges when prior beliefs and likelihoods are biased towards inferring pain from a wide range of sensory data that would otherwise be perceived as harmless. We present a computational model of interoceptive inference and pain experience. It is based on a Bayesian graphical network which comprises a hidden layer, representing the inferred pain state; and an observable layer, representing current sensory information. Within the hidden layer, pain states are inferred from a combination of priors p(pain), transition probabilities between hidden states p(paint+1∣paint) and likelihoods of certain observations p(sensation∣pain). Using variational inference and free-energy minimization, the model is able to learn from observations over time. By systematically manipulating parameter settings, we demonstrate that the model is capable of reproducing key features of both healthy- and chronic pain experience. Drawing on mathematical concepts, we finally simulate treatment resistant chronic pain and discuss mathematically informed treatment options.
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McParlin Z, Cerritelli F, Rossettini G, Friston KJ, Esteves JE. Therapeutic Alliance as Active Inference: The Role of Therapeutic Touch and Biobehavioural Synchrony in Musculoskeletal Care. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:897247. [PMID: 35846789 PMCID: PMC9280207 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.897247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Touch is recognised as crucial for survival, fostering cooperative communication, accelerating recovery, reducing hospital stays, and promoting overall wellness and the therapeutic alliance. In this hypothesis and theory paper, we present an entwined model that combines touch for alignment and active inference to explain how the brain develops "priors" necessary for the health care provider to engage with the patient effectively. We appeal to active inference to explain the empirically integrative neurophysiological and behavioural mechanisms that underwrite synchronous relationships through touch. Specifically, we offer a formal framework for understanding - and explaining - the role of therapeutic touch and hands-on care in developing a therapeutic alliance and synchrony between health care providers and their patients in musculoskeletal care. We first review the crucial importance of therapeutic touch and its clinical role in facilitating the formation of a solid therapeutic alliance and in regulating allostasis. We then consider how touch is used clinically - to promote cooperative communication, demonstrate empathy, overcome uncertainty, and infer the mental states of others - through the lens of active inference. We conclude that touch plays a crucial role in achieving successful clinical outcomes and adapting previous priors to create intertwined beliefs. The ensuing framework may help healthcare providers in the field of musculoskeletal care to use hands-on care to strengthen the therapeutic alliance, minimise prediction errors (a.k.a., free energy), and thereby promote recovery from physical and psychological impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe McParlin
- Clinical-Based Human Research Department, Foundation COME Collaboration, Pescara, Italy
| | - Francesco Cerritelli
- Clinical-Based Human Research Department, Foundation COME Collaboration, Pescara, Italy
| | | | - Karl J. Friston
- Institute of Neurology, Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jorge E. Esteves
- Clinical-Based Human Research Department, Foundation COME Collaboration, Pescara, Italy
- Malta ICOM Educational, Gzira, Malta
- University College of Osteopathy, London, United Kingdom
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de Oliveira Franco Á, da Silveira Alves CF, Vicuña P, Bandeira J, de Aratanha MA, Torres ILS, Fregni F, Caumo W. Hyper-connectivity between the left motor cortex and prefrontal cortex is associated with the severity of dysfunction of the descending pain modulatory system in fibromyalgia. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0247629. [PMID: 35622879 PMCID: PMC9140239 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The association between descending pain modulatory system (DPMS) dysfunction and fibromyalgia has been previously described, but more studies are required on its relationship with aberrant functional connectivity (FC) between the motor and prefrontal cortices. OBJECTIVES The objective of this cross-sectional observational study was to compare the intra- and interhemispheric FC between the bilateral motor and prefrontal cortices in women with fibromyalgia, comparing responders and nonresponders to the conditioned pain modulation (CPM) test. METHODS A cross-sectional sample of 37 women (23 responders and 14 nonresponders to the CPM test) with fibromyalgia diagnosed according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria underwent a standardized clinical assessment and an FC analysis using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. DPMS function was inferred through responses to the CPM test, which were induced by hand immersion in cold water (0-1°C). A multivariate analysis of covariance for main effects between responders and nonresponders was conducted using the diagnosis of multiple psychiatric disorders and the use of opioid and nonopioid analgesics as covariates. In addition, we analyzed the interaction between the CPM test response and the presence of multiple psychiatric diagnoses. RESULTS Nonresponders showed increased FC between the left motor cortex (lMC) and the left prefrontal cortex (lPFC) (t = -2.476, p = 0.01) and right prefrontal cortex (rPFC) (t = -2.363, p = 0.02), even when both were considered as covariates in the regression analysis (lMC-lPFC: β = -0.127, t = -2.425, p = 0.021; lMC-rPFC: β = -0.122, t = -2.222, p = 0.033). Regarding main effects, a significant difference was only observed for lMC-lPFC (p = 0.035). A significant interaction was observed between the psychiatric disorders and nonresponse to the CPM test in lMC-lPFC (β = -0.222, t = -2.275, p = 0.03) and lMC-rPFC (β = -0.211, t = -2.2, p = 0.035). Additionally, a significant interaction was observed between the CPM test and FC in these two region-of-interest combinations, despite the psychiatric diagnoses (lMC-lPFC: β = -0.516, t = -2.447, p = 0.02; lMC-rPFC: β = -0.582, t = -2.805, p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS Higher FC between the lMC and the bilateral PFC may be a neural marker of DPMS dysfunction in women with fibromyalgia, although its interplay with psychiatric diagnoses also seems to influence this association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Álvaro de Oliveira Franco
- Laboratory of Pain and Neuromodulation, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Camila Fernanda da Silveira Alves
- Laboratory of Pain and Neuromodulation, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Paul Vicuña
- Laboratory of Pain and Neuromodulation, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Janete Bandeira
- Postgraduate Program in Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | | | - Iraci L. S. Torres
- Postgraduate Program in Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Translational Nucleus: Pain Pharmacology and Neuromodulation, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Felipe Fregni
- Laboratory of Neuromodulation and Center for Clinical Research Learning, Physics and Rehabilitation Department, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Wolnei Caumo
- Laboratory of Pain and Neuromodulation, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Pain and Palliative Care Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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Sun YL, Yao M, Zhu YF, Yin MC, Liu JT, Chen X, Huang J, Dai YX, Wang WH, Ma ZB, Wang YJ, Cui XJ. Consideration in Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial on Neck Pain to Avoid the Placebo Effect in Analgesic Action. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:836008. [PMID: 35662695 PMCID: PMC9160467 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.836008] [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: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: In neck pain treatment, many therapies are focused on etiology, while it is well-known that placebo analgesia is also present in these therapies. The specific efficacy for etiology may be underestimated by ignoring their actual placebo effect. In this study, a logistic regression analysis is used to explore the risk factors causing different placebo responses in patients with neck pain among two RCTs. The probability of the placebo effect is predicted based on these risk factors. Methods: Trial A and Trial B were similarly designed, randomized, double-/single-blind, placebo-controlled trials in patients treating neck pain with Qishe pill or Shi-style manipulation. Both studies set a placebo pill twice a day or traction for every other day as control. For further analyses on the placebo effect in neck pain management, logistic regression was used to assess subgroup-placebo interactions. The odds ratio assessed a significant influence on the placebo effect. Results: In this pooled analysis, the total number of patients recruited for these two studies was 284, of which 162 patients received placebo treatment (placebo drug or traction for every other day). No statistically significant differences are found at baseline between the participants with placebo effect and non-placebo effect in the gender, age, and disease duration except in VAS and NDI at the initial time. There are numerically more patients with placebo effect in the shorter disease duration subgroup (< 4 months [76%]), higher initial VAS subgroup (>60 mm [90%]), and worse initial NDI subgroup (>24 [72%]) compared with the gender and age subgroup. An ROC curve is established to assess the model-data fit, which shows an area under the curve of 0.755 and a 95% confidence interval of 0.677–0.830. Participants who show placebo effect after 2 weeks have significantly lower VAS scores after 4 weeks, while there is no significant difference in NDI improvement between the two groups after 4 weeks. Conclusion: Neck pain patients with shorter disease duration are more likely to overscore their pain severity, because of their less experience in pain perception, tolerance, and analgesia expectation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue-Li Sun
- Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Spine Institute, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education of Chronic Musculoskeletal Disease, Shanghai, China
| | - Min Yao
- Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Spine Institute, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education of Chronic Musculoskeletal Disease, Shanghai, China
| | - Yue-Feng Zhu
- Spine Institute, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Huadong Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University Institute of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Shanghai, China
| | - Meng-Chen Yin
- Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Spine Institute, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education of Chronic Musculoskeletal Disease, Shanghai, China
| | - Jin-Tao Liu
- Suzhou TCM Hospital, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Suzhou, China
| | - Xin Chen
- Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
- Affiliated Hospital of Gansu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lanzhou, China
| | - Jin Huang
- Gansu Provincial Hospital of TCM, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yu-Xiang Dai
- Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Spine Institute, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education of Chronic Musculoskeletal Disease, Shanghai, China
- Suzhou TCM Hospital, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Suzhou, China
| | - Wen-Hao Wang
- Huadong Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University Institute of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Shanghai, China
| | - Zeng-Bin Ma
- Spine Institute, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Beijing Hospital, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yong-Jun Wang
- Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Spine Institute, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education of Chronic Musculoskeletal Disease, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Yong-Jun Wang, ; Xue-Jun Cui,
| | - Xue-Jun Cui
- Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Spine Institute, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education of Chronic Musculoskeletal Disease, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Yong-Jun Wang, ; Xue-Jun Cui,
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Ballantyne JC, Sullivan MD. Is Chronic Pain a Disease? THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2022; 23:1651-1665. [PMID: 35577236 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2022.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
It was not until the twentieth century that pain was considered a disease. Before that it was managed medically as a symptom. The motivations for declaring chronic pain a disease, whether of the body or of the brain, include increasing its legitimacy as clinical problem and research focus worthy of attention from healthcare and research organizations alike. But 1 problem with disease concepts is that having a disease favors medical solutions and tends to reduce patient participation. We argue that chronic pain, particularly chronic primary pain (recently designated a first tier pain diagnosis in International Diagnostic Codes 11), is a learned state that is not intransigent even if it has biological correlates. Chronic pain is sometimes a symptom, and may sometimes be its own disease. But here we question the value of a disease focus for much of chronic pain for which patient involvement is essential, and which may need a much broader societal approach than is suggested by the disease designation. PERSPECTIVE: This article examines whether designating chronic pain a disease of the body or brain is helpful or harmful to patients. Can the disease designation help advance treatment, and is it needed to achieve future therapeutic breakthrough? Or does it make patients over-reliant on medical intervention and reduce their engagement in the process of recovery?
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane C Ballantyne
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington.
| | - Mark D Sullivan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington
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50
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Darnall BD, Fields HL. Clinical and neuroscience evidence supports the critical importance of patient expectations and agency in opioid tapering. Pain 2022; 163:824-826. [PMID: 34382602 PMCID: PMC9009317 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Beth D. Darnall
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, United States
| | - Howard L. Fields
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, School of Medicine, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, San Francisco CA, United States
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