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Horn-Hofmann C, Jablonowski L, Madden M, Kunz M, Lautenbacher S. Is conditioned pain modulation (CPM) affected by negative emotional state? Eur J Pain 2024; 28:421-433. [PMID: 37837611 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.2192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Conditioned pain modulation (CPM) is an experimental paradigm, which describes the inhibition of responses to a noxious or strong-innocuous stimulus, the test stimulus (TS), by the additional application of a second noxious or strong-innocuous stimulus, the conditioning stimulus (CS). As inadequate CPM efficiency has been assumed to be predisposing for clinical pain, the search for moderating factors explaining inter-individual variations in CPM is ongoing. Psychological factors have received credits in this context. However, research concerning associations between CPM and trait factors relating to negative emotions has yielded disappointing results. Yet, the influence of anxious or fearful states on CPM has not attracted much interest despite ample evidence that negative affective states enhance pain. Our study aimed at investigating the effect of fear induction by symbolic threat on CPM. METHODS Thirty-seven healthy participants completed two experimental blocks: one presenting aversive pictures showing burn wounds (high-threat block) and one presenting neutral pictures (low-threat block). Both blocks contained a CPM paradigm with contact heat as TS and hot water as CS; subjective numerical ratings as well as contact-heat evoked potentials (CHEPs) were assessed. RESULTS We detected an overall inhibitory CPM effect for CHEPs amplitudes but not for pain ratings. However, we found no evidence for a modulation of CPM by threat despite threat ratings indicating that our manipulation was successful. DISCUSSION These results suggest that heat/thermal CPM is resistant to this specific type of symbolic threat induction and further research is necessary to examine whether it is resistant to fearful states in general. SIGNIFICANCE The attempt of modulating heat conditioned pain modulation (CPM) by emotional threat (fear/anxiety state) failed. Thus, heat CPM inhibition again appeared resistant to emotional influences. Pain-related brain potentials proved to be more sensitive for CPM effects than subjective ratings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lena Jablonowski
- Department of Physiological Psychology, University of Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany
| | - Melanie Madden
- Department of Physiological Psychology, University of Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany
| | - Miriam Kunz
- Medical Psychology and Sociology, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Lautenbacher
- Department of Physiological Psychology, University of Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany
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Rivel M, Achiron A, Dolev M, Stern Y, Zeilig G, Defrin R. Unique features of central neuropathic pain in multiple sclerosis: Results of a cluster analysis. Eur J Pain 2022; 26:1107-1122. [PMID: 35263811 PMCID: PMC9313873 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.1934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Background Central neuropathic pain (CNP) is an excruciating condition, prevalent in up to a third of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Identifying CNP among MS patients is particularly challenging considering the ample comorbid chronic pain conditions and sensory disturbances entailed by the disease. The aim was to identify sensory features unique to CNP beyond those of chronic pain and MS. Methods Participants were 112 MS patients: 44 with a diagnosis of CNP, 28 with a diagnosis of chronic musculoskeletal pain (MSP), and 40 pain free. Participants underwent testing of thermal and mechanical thresholds, thermal grill illusion (TGI), pain adaptation (PA), and offset analgesia (OA), and chronic pain was characterized. A two‐step cluster analysis was performed, and the association between the cluster membership and the clinical group membership (CNP, MSP, pain free) was evaluated. Results The CNP and MSP groups were similar in most of the chronic pain variables (e.g., severity, location and quality) and MS‐related variables (e.g., type, severity and medication intake). The three created clusters had unique sensory features: (1) ‘Hyposensitivity’ (increased thermal and touch thresholds) characterized the CNP group; (2) ‘Poor inhibition and hyperalgesia’ (worst PA and OA and decreased TGI threshold) characterized the MSP group; and (3) ‘Efficient inhibition’ (best PA and OA, smallest sensory loss) characterized the pain‐free group. Conclusions The unique sensory features of CNP and MSP provide insight into their pathophysiology, and evaluating them may increase the ability to provide individually based interventions. Efficient inhibition may protect MS patients from chronic pain. Significance Cluster analysis among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) revealed that while central neuropathic pain is associated with thermal and mechanical hypoesthesia, musculoskeletal pain is involved with reduced pain inhibition and hyperalgesia; sensory profiles that provide insights into the mechanisms of these conditions and may promote an individually based pain management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Rivel
- Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Professions, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University.,Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University
| | - Anat Achiron
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University.,Multiple Sclerosis Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University
| | - Mark Dolev
- Multiple Sclerosis Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer
| | - Yael Stern
- Multiple Sclerosis Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer
| | - Gabi Zeilig
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University.,Department of Neurological Rehabilitation, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Ruth Defrin
- Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Professions, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University.,Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University
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Osumi M, Sumitani M, Nobusako S, Sato G, Morioka S. Pain quality of thermal grill illusion is similar to that of central neuropathic pain rather than peripheral neuropathic pain. Scand J Pain 2022; 22:40-47. [PMID: 34019750 DOI: 10.1515/sjpain-2021-0020] [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: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Application of spatially interlaced innocuous warm and cool stimuli to the skin elicits illusory pain, known as the thermal grill illusion (TGI). This study aimed to discriminate the underlying mechanisms of central and peripheral neuropathic pain focusing on pain quality, which is considered to indicate the underlying mechanism(s) of pain. We compared pain qualities in central and peripheral neuropathic pain with reference to pain qualities of TGI-induced pain. METHODS Experiment 1:137 healthy participants placed their hand on eight custom-built copper bars for 60 s and their pain quality was assessed by the McGill Pain Questionnaire. Experiment 2: Pain quality was evaluated in patients suffering from central and peripheral neuropathic pain (42 patients with spinal cord injury, 31 patients with stroke, 83 patients with trigeminal neuralgia and 131 patients with postherpetic neuralgia). RESULTS Experiment 1: Two components of TGI-induced pain were found using principal component analysis: component 1 included aching, throbbing, heavy and burning pain, component 2 included itching, electrical-shock, numbness, and cold-freezing. Experiment 2: Multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) and cross tabulation analysis revealed specific pain qualities including aching, hot-burning, heavy, cold-freezing, numbness, and electrical-shock pain were associated with central neuropathic pain rather than peripheral neuropathic pain. CONCLUSIONS We found similar qualities between TGI-induced pain in healthy participants and central neuropathic pain rather than peripheral neuropathic pain. The mechanism of TGI is more similar to the mechanism of central neuropathic pain than that of neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michihiro Osumi
- Graduate School of Health Science, Kio University, Nara, Japan
- Neurorehabilitation Research Center, Kio University, Nara, Japan
| | - Masahiko Sumitani
- Department of Pain and Palliative Medicine, The University of Tokyo Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Nobusako
- Graduate School of Health Science, Kio University, Nara, Japan
- Neurorehabilitation Research Center, Kio University, Nara, Japan
| | - Gosuke Sato
- Neurorehabilitation Research Center, Kio University, Nara, Japan
| | - Shu Morioka
- Graduate School of Health Science, Kio University, Nara, Japan
- Neurorehabilitation Research Center, Kio University, Nara, Japan
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Rivel M, Achiron A, Dolev M, Stern Y, Zeilig G, Defrin R. Central neuropathic pain in multiple sclerosis is associated with impaired innocuous thermal pathways and neuronal hyperexcitability. PAIN MEDICINE 2021; 22:2311-2323. [PMID: 33734398 DOI: 10.1093/pm/pnab103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE About a third of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) suffer from chronic and excruciating central neuropathic pain (CNP). The mechanism underlying CNP in MS is not clear, since previous studies are scarce and their results are inconsistent. Our aim was to determine whether CNP in MS is associated with impairment of the spinothalamic-thalamocortical pathways (STTCs) and/or increased excitability of the pain system. DESIGN Cross sectional study. SETTING General hospital. SUBJECTS 47 MS patients with CNP, 42 MS patients without CNP, and 32 healthy controls. METHODS Sensory testing included the measurement of temperature, pain, and touch thresholds and the thermal grill illusion (TGI) for evaluating STTCs function, and hyperpathia and allodynia as indicators of hyperexcitability. CNP was characterized using interviews and questionnaires. RESULTS The CNP group had higher cold and warm thresholds (p < 0.01), as well as higher TGI perception thresholds (p < 0.05), especially in painful body regions compared to controls, whereas touch and pain thresholds values were normal. The CNP group also had a significantly greater prevalence of hyperpathia and allodynia. Regression analysis revealed that whereas presence of CNP was associated with a higher cold threshold, CNP intensity, and the number of painful body regions were associated with allodynia and hyperpathia, respectively. CONCLUSIONS CNP in MS is characterized by a specific impairment of STTC function; the innocuous thermal pathways, and by pain hyperexcitability. Whereas CNP presence is associated with STTC impairment, its severity and extent are associated with pain hyperexcitability. Interventions that reduce excitability level may therefore mitigate CNP severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Rivel
- Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Professions, Sackler Faculty of Medicine Tel Aviv University.,Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University
| | - Anat Achiron
- Multiple Sclerosis Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University
| | - Mark Dolev
- Multiple Sclerosis Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer
| | - Yael Stern
- Multiple Sclerosis Center, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer
| | - Gaby Zeilig
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University.,Department of Neurological Rehabilitation, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer
| | - Ruth Defrin
- Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Professions, Sackler Faculty of Medicine Tel Aviv University.,Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University
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Forstenpointner J, Berry D, Baron R, Borsook D. The cornucopia of central disinhibition pain - An evaluation of past and novel concepts. Neurobiol Dis 2020; 145:105041. [PMID: 32800994 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.105041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Revised: 07/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Central disinhibition (CD), as applied to pain, decreases thresholds of endogenous systems. This provokes onset of spontaneous or evoked pain in an individual beyond the ability of the nervous system to inhibit pain resulting from a disease or tissue damage. The original CD concept as proposed by Craig entails a shift from the lateral pain pathway (i.e. discriminative pain processing) towards the medial pain pathway (i.e. emotional pain processing), within an otherwise neurophysiological intact environment. In this review, the original CD concept as proposed by Craig is extended by the primary "nociceptive pathway damage - CD" concept and the secondary "central pathway set point - CD". Thereby, the original concept may be transferred into anatomical and psychological non-functional conditions. We provide examples for either primary or secondary CD concepts within different clinical etiologies as well as present surrogate models, which directly mimic the underlying pathophysiology (A-fiber block) or modulate the CD pathway excitability (thermal grill). The thermal grill has especially shown promising advancements, which may be useful to examine CD pathway activation in the future. Therefore, within this topical review, a systematic review on the thermal grill illusion is intended to stimulate future research. Finally, the authors review different mechanism-based treatment approaches to combat CD pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Forstenpointner
- Division of Neurological Pain Research and Therapy, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Str. 3, 24105 Kiel, Germany; Center for Pain and the Brain, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Delany Berry
- Center for Pain and the Brain, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ralf Baron
- Division of Neurological Pain Research and Therapy, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller-Str. 3, 24105 Kiel, Germany
| | - David Borsook
- Center for Pain and the Brain, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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Posada-Quintero HF, Kong Y, Nguyen K, Tran C, Beardslee L, Chen L, Guo T, Cong X, Feng B, Chon KH. Using electrodermal activity to validate multilevel pain stimulation in healthy volunteers evoked by thermal grills. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2020; 319:R366-R375. [PMID: 32726157 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00102.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
We have tested the feasibility of thermal grills, a harmless method to induce pain. The thermal grills consist of interlaced tubes that are set at cool or warm temperatures, creating a painful "illusion" (no tissue injury is caused) in the brain when the cool and warm stimuli are presented collectively. Advancement in objective pain assessment research is limited because the gold standard, the self-reporting pain scale, is highly subjective and only works for alert and cooperative patients. However, the main difficulty for pain studies is the potential harm caused to participants. We have recruited 23 subjects in whom we induced electric pulses and thermal grill (TG) stimulation. The TG effectively induced three different levels of pain, as evidenced by the visual analog scale (VAS) provided by the subjects after each stimulus. Furthermore, objective physiological measurements based on electrodermal activity showed a significant increase in levels as stimulation level increased. We found that VAS was highly correlated with the TG stimulation level. The TG stimulation safely elicited pain levels up to 9 out of 10. The TG stimulation allows for extending studies of pain to ranges of pain in which other stimuli are harmful.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Cara Tran
- University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
| | - Luke Beardslee
- Emory University School of Medicine Department of Surgery, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Longtu Chen
- University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
| | | | | | - Bin Feng
- University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
| | - Ki H Chon
- University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
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Kirimoto H, Tamaki H, Otsuru N, Yamashiro K, Onishi H, Nojima I, Oliviero A. Transcranial Static Magnetic Field Stimulation over the Primary Motor Cortex Induces Plastic Changes in Cortical Nociceptive Processing. Front Hum Neurosci 2018; 12:63. [PMID: 29497371 PMCID: PMC5818436 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2018.00063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2017] [Accepted: 02/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcranial static magnetic field stimulation (tSMS) is a novel and inexpensive, non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) technique. Here, we performed non-invasive modulation of intra-epidermal electrical stimulation-evoked potentials (IES-EPs) by applying tSMS or sham stimulation over the primary motor (M1) and somatosensory (S1) cortices in 18 healthy volunteers for 15 min. We recorded EPs after IES before, right after, and 10 min after tSMS. The IES-EP amplitude was significantly reduced immediately after tSMS over M1, whereas tSMS over S1 and sham stimulation did not affect the IES-EP amplitude. Thus, tSMS may affect cortical nociceptive processing. Although the results of intervention for experimental acute pain in healthy subjects cannot be directly translated into the clinical situation, tSMS may be a potentially useful NIBS method for managing chronic pain, in addition to standard of care treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hikari Kirimoto
- Department of Sensorimotor Neuroscience, Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Tamaki
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Naufumi Otsuru
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Koya Yamashiro
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Hideaki Onishi
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Ippei Nojima
- Human Cortical Physiology and Neurorehabilitation Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Antonio Oliviero
- FENNSI Group, Hospital Nacional de Parapléjicos, Servicio de Salud de Castilla La Mancha (SESCAM), Toledo, Spain
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