1
|
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; 25:104619. [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] [MESH Headings] [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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
da-Silva M, Pereira AR, Sampaio A, Coutinho J, González-Villar AJ. The effects of C-tactile stimulation on temporal summation of second pain: A study of the central and peripheral neural correlates. Brain Res 2024; 1846:149267. [PMID: 39374838 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2024.149267] [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: 06/13/2024] [Revised: 10/02/2024] [Accepted: 10/04/2024] [Indexed: 10/09/2024]
Abstract
Affective touch is mediated by specialized receptors sensitive to gentle and slow touch called C-tactile afferents (CT). The activation of these receptors has shown promise in reducing subjective pain ratings, however, how this type of touch can affect central sensitization processes is poorly studied. This work aimed to investigate if affective touch is able to modulate pain sensitization and its electrophysiological correlates during Temporal Summation of Second Pain (TSSP), a phenomenon characterized by an increase in pain perception due to repeated noxious stimuli. Thirty-seven participants underwent a TSSP protocol involving three conditions: TSSP alone, TSSP during vibrotactile stimulation, and TSSP during CT stimulation (administered with a brush mounted in a robot arm). We measured subjective pain ratings, electroencephalographic (N2-P2 complex) and electrocardiographic activity during these conditions. Participants reported a significantly lower increase of pain during CT stimulation compared to vibrotactile stimulation, but not to TSSP alone. In addition, TSSP was reduced when administered in the ipsilateral arm compared to the other somatosensory stimulation. Subjective reports of attention towards painful stimuli, amplitude of the N2-P2 complex, and heart rate were also reduced during CT stimulation. Conclusion: Our results indicated that the activation of CT receptors may reduce sensitization compared to other types of somatosensory stimulation, which is possibly related to the reduction of the attention devoted to nociceptive stimulation. Our results suggest that activation of CT receptors may alleviate the occurrence of central pain sensitization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Márcia da-Silva
- Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory (PNL), Research Center in Psychology (CIPsi), School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Ana Rita Pereira
- Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory (PNL), Research Center in Psychology (CIPsi), School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Adriana Sampaio
- Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory (PNL), Research Center in Psychology (CIPsi), School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Joana Coutinho
- Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory (PNL), Research Center in Psychology (CIPsi), School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Alberto J González-Villar
- Psychological Neuroscience Laboratory (PNL), Research Center in Psychology (CIPsi), School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kapos FP, Craig KD, Anderson SR, Bernardes SF, Hirsh AT, Karos K, Keogh E, Reynolds Losin EA, McParland JL, Moore DJ, Ashton-James CE. Social Determinants and Consequences of Pain: Toward Multilevel, Intersectional, and Life Course Perspectives. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2024; 25:104608. [PMID: 38897311 PMCID: PMC11402600 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2024.104608] [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: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Despite wide endorsement of a biopsychosocial framework for pain, social aspects of pain remain rarely addressed in the context of pain prevention and management. In this review, we aim to 1) examine the broad scope of social determinants and consequences of pain and their interactions across multiple levels of organization, and 2) provide a framework synthesizing existing concepts and potential areas for future work on social aspects of pain, drawing upon socioecological, intersectional, and life course approaches. Integrating interdisciplinary theory and evidence, we outline pathways through which multilevel social factors and pain may affect each other over time. We also provide a brief summary of intrapersonal aspects of pain, which are thought to operate at the interface between individuals and the social context. Progressing from micro- to macrolevel factors, we illustrate how social determinants of pain can directly or indirectly contribute to pain experiences, expression, risk, prognosis, and impact across populations. We consider 1) at the interpersonal level, the roles of social comparison, social relatedness, social support, social exclusion, empathy, and interpersonal conflict; 2) at the group or community level, the roles of intimacy groups, task groups, social categories, and loose associations; and 3) at the societal level, the roles of political, economic, and cultural systems, as well as their policies and practices. We present examples of multilevel consequences of pain across these levels and discuss opportunities to reduce the burden and inequities of pain by expanding multilevel social approaches in pain research and practice. PERSPECTIVE: Despite wide endorsement of a biopsychosocial framework for pain, social aspects of pain are often unclearly defined, hindering their use in pain prevention, management, and research. We summarize the scope of social aspects of pain and provide a framework synthesizing existing concepts and potential areas for future work.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Flavia P Kapos
- Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery & Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University Schoool of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina.
| | - Kenneth D Craig
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Steven R Anderson
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Sónia F Bernardes
- Centre for Social Research and Intervention, Iscte-Lisbon University Institute, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Adam T Hirsh
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Kai Karos
- Experimental Health Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Edmund Keogh
- Department of Psychology & Centre for Pain Research, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | | | - Joanna L McParland
- Department of Psychology, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - David J Moore
- School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Claire E Ashton-James
- Pain Management Research Institute, Kolling Institute, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Jaltare KP, Manresa JB, Niwa S, Torta DM. Verbal Support From a Stranger Reduces the Development of Mechanical Hypersensitivity: Behavioral and Neurophysiological Evidence. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2024; 25:104599. [PMID: 38866120 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2024.104599] [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: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Hand-holding reduces experimentally induced acute pain and buffers against the development of mechanical secondary hypersensitivity, an indirect proxy of central sensitization. Here, we tested if verbal support from a stranger, a common occurrence in clinical contexts, exerts the same effects. In this preregistered study, 44 healthy female participants were assigned to an alone or support group whereby a supportive female stranger encouraged them through the painful procedure leading to secondary mechanical hypersensitivity. Mechanical hypersensitivity was measured via self-reports and by the size of the anteroposterior and mediolateral spread of mechanical hypersensitivity. We investigated the moderating role of attachment style on self-reports and the effects of support on skin conductance level, salivary cortisol, and pinprick-evoked potentials. We also tested whether theta/beta ratio in the resting-state electroencephalogram predicted mechanical hypersensitivity. Self-reported ratings and the late part of the pinprick-evoked potentials were reduced in the support group, but the spread of mechanical hypersensitivity was not. Attachment anxiety and avoidance moderated the self-reported intensity such that individuals with higher attachment anxiety and avoidance scores reported lower intensity ratings in the support group. No significant effect of the verbal support was observed on skin conductance level and salivary cortisol. The theta/beta ratio did not predict the extent of hypersensitivity. Our data indicate that, in women, verbal support during intense pain leading to hypersensitivity is effective on some behavioral outcomes, but altogether the lack of group differences in cortisol, self-reported stress, and skin conductance does not provide strong support for the stress-buffering hypothesis. PERSPECTIVE: Verbal support by a stranger during a painful procedure leading to secondary mechanical hypersensitivity attenuated the development of some measures of mechanical hypersensitivity and associated neural responses in healthy female participants. No evidence was found for the role of stress. DATA AVAILABILITY: The authors will make all data available upon request.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ketan Prafull Jaltare
- Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - José Biurrun Manresa
- Institute for Research and Development in Bioengineering and Bioinformatics (IBB-CONICET-UNER), Oro Verde, Argentina
| | - Saya Niwa
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Diana M Torta
- Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Mauersberger H, Springer A, Fotopoulou A, Blaison C, Hess U. Pet dogs succeed where human companions fail: The presence of pet dogs reduces pain. Acta Psychol (Amst) 2024; 249:104418. [PMID: 39153318 DOI: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2024.104418] [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: 03/16/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Social support from family and friends, albeit associated with beneficial health effects, does not always help to cope with pain. This may be because humans elicit mixed expectations of social support and evaluative judgment. The present studies aimed to test whether pet dogs are a more beneficial source of support in a painful situation than human companions because they are not evaluative. For this, 74 (Study 1) and 50 (Study 2) women completed a cold-pressor task in the presence of either their own (S1) or an unfamiliar (S2) dog, a friend (S1), or an unknown human companion (S2), or alone. In both studies, participants reported less pain and exhibited less pain behavior in the presence of dogs compared to human companions. Reactions to pain were moderated by attitudes towards dogs in S2. This suggests that pet dogs may help individuals to cope with painful situations, especially if the individual in pain generally feels affectionate towards dogs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Anne Springer
- Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Aesthetic and Hand Surgery, University Hospital of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Aikaterini Fotopoulou
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational, and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Ursula Hess
- Department of Psychology, Humboldt-University, Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Krahé C, Koukoutsakis A, Fotopoulou A. Updating beliefs about pain following advice: Trustworthiness of social advice predicts pain expectations and experience. Cognition 2024; 246:105756. [PMID: 38442585 PMCID: PMC7616089 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2024.105756] [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: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Prior expectations influence pain experience. These expectations, in turn, rely on prior pain experience, but they may also be socially influenced. Yet, most research has focused on self rather than social expectations about pain, and hardly any studies examined their combined effects on pain. Here, we adopted a Bayesian learning perspective to investigate how explicitly communicated social expectations ('advice about pain tolerance') affect own pain expectations, and ultimately pain tolerance, under varying conditions of social epistemic uncertainty (trustworthiness of the advice). N = 72 female participants took part in a coldpressor (cold water) task before (self-learning baseline) and after (socially-influenced learning) receiving advice about their likely pain tolerance from a confederate, the trustworthiness of whom was experimentally manipulated. We used path analysis to test the hypothesis that social advice from a highly trustworthy confederate would influence participants' expectations about pain more than advice from a less trustworthy source, and that the degree of this social influence would in turn predict pain tolerance. We further used a simplified, Bayesian learning, computational approach for explicit belief updating to examine the role of latent parameters of precision optimisation in how participants subsequently changed their future pain expectations (prospective posterior beliefs) based on the combined effect of the confederate's advice on their own pain expectations, and their own task experience. Results confirmed that participants adjusted their pain expectations towards the confederate's advice more in the high- vs. low-trustworthiness condition, and this advice taking predicted their pain tolerance. Furthermore, the confederate's trustworthiness influenced how participants weighted the confederate's advice in relation to their own expectations and task experience in forming prospective posterior beliefs. When participants received advice from a less trustworthy confederate, their own sensory experience was weighted more highly than their socially-influenced prior expectations. Thus, explicit social advice appears to impact pain by influencing one's own pain expectations, but low social trustworthiness leads to these expectations becoming more malleable to novel, sensory learning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Krahé
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Athanasios Koukoutsakis
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Aikaterini Fotopoulou
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Jaltare KP, Vanderijst L, Karos K, Torta DM. The impact of the social context on the development of secondary hyperalgesia: an experimental study. Pain 2023; 164:2711-2724. [PMID: 37433188 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002971] [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: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Social support has been shown to reduce pain ratings and physiological responses to acute pain stimuli. Furthermore, this relationship is moderated by adult attachment styles. However, these effects have not been characterized in experimentally induced symptoms of chronic pain, such as secondary hyperalgesia (SH) which is characterized by an increased sensitivity of the skin surrounding an injury. We aimed to examine whether social support by handholding from a romantic partner can attenuate the development of experimentally induced SH. Thirty-seven women, along with their partners, participated in 2 experimental sessions 1 week apart. In both sessions, SH was induced using an electrical stimulation protocol. In the support condition, the partner was seated across from the participant holding the participant's hand during the electrical stimulation, whereas in the alone condition, the participant went through the stimulation alone. Heart rate variability was measured for both the participant as well as the partner before, during, and after the stimulation. We found that the width of the area of hyperalgesia was significantly smaller in the support condition. Attachment styles did not moderate this effect of social support on the area width. Increasing attachment avoidance was associated with both a smaller width of hyperalgesia and a smaller increase in the sensitivity on the stimulated arm. For the first time, we show that social support can attenuate the development of secondary hyperalgesia and that attachment avoidance may be associated with an attenuated development of secondary hyperalgesia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ketan Prafull Jaltare
- Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - Laetitia Vanderijst
- Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kai Karos
- Section Experimental Health Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maaastricht, the Netherlands
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Open University of the Netherlands, Heerlen, the Netherlands
| | - Diana M Torta
- Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Ellingsen DM, Isenburg K, Jung C, Lee J, Gerber J, Mawla I, Sclocco R, Grahl A, Anzolin A, Edwards RR, Kelley JM, Kirsch I, Kaptchuk TJ, Napadow V. Brain-to-brain mechanisms underlying pain empathy and social modulation of pain in the patient-clinician interaction. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2212910120. [PMID: 37339198 PMCID: PMC10293846 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2212910120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Social interactions such as the patient-clinician encounter can influence pain, but the underlying dynamic interbrain processes are unclear. Here, we investigated the dynamic brain processes supporting social modulation of pain by assessing simultaneous brain activity (fMRI hyperscanning) from chronic pain patients and clinicians during video-based live interaction. Patients received painful and nonpainful pressure stimuli either with a supportive clinician present (Dyadic) or in isolation (Solo). In half of the dyads, clinicians performed a clinical consultation and intake with the patient prior to hyperscanning (Clinical Interaction), which increased self-reported therapeutic alliance. For the other half, patient-clinician hyperscanning was completed without prior clinical interaction (No Interaction). Patients reported lower pain intensity in the Dyadic, relative to the Solo, condition. In Clinical Interaction dyads relative to No Interaction, patients evaluated their clinicians as better able to understand their pain, and clinicians were more accurate when estimating patients' pain levels. In Clinical Interaction dyads, compared to No Interaction, patients showed stronger activation of the dorsolateral and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC and vlPFC) and primary (S1) and secondary (S2) somatosensory areas (Dyadic-Solo contrast), and clinicians showed increased dynamic dlPFC concordance with patients' S2 activity during pain. Furthermore, the strength of S2-dlPFC concordance was positively correlated with self-reported therapeutic alliance. These findings support that empathy and supportive care can reduce pain intensity and shed light on the brain processes underpinning social modulation of pain in patient-clinician interactions. Our findings further suggest that clinicians' dlPFC concordance with patients' somatosensory processing during pain can be boosted by increasing therapeutic alliance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dan-Mikael Ellingsen
- Department of Physics and Computational Radiology, Division of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo0372, Norway
- Department of Psychology, Pedagogy and Law, School of Health Sciences, Kristiania University College, Oslo0107, Norway
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massa, chusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - Kylie Isenburg
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massa, chusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - Changjin Jung
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massa, chusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
- KM Research Science Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon461-24, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeungchan Lee
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massa, chusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - Jessica Gerber
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massa, chusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - Ishtiaq Mawla
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massa, chusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - Roberta Sclocco
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massa, chusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
- Department of Radiology, Logan University, Chesterfield, MO63017
| | - Arvina Grahl
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massa, chusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - Alessandra Anzolin
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massa, chusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
| | - Robert R. Edwards
- Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA02115
| | - John M. Kelley
- School of Social Sciences, Communication, and Humanities, Endicott College, Beverley, MA02115
- Program in Placebo Studies & Therapeutic Encounter, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02215
| | - Irving Kirsch
- Program in Placebo Studies & Therapeutic Encounter, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02215
| | - Ted J. Kaptchuk
- Program in Placebo Studies & Therapeutic Encounter, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02215
| | - Vitaly Napadow
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massa, chusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA02129
- Department of Radiology, Logan University, Chesterfield, MO63017
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Camerman E, Scheveneels S, Bosmans G. In safe hands: Attachment figures' safety properties and the link with attachment style. Behav Res Ther 2023; 163:104274. [PMID: 36803742 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2023.104274] [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: 06/05/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
According to the Learning Theory of Attachment, naturalistic learning experiences about others' responsiveness during distress are an underlying mechanism in the development of attachment. Previous studies have demonstrated attachment figures' unique safety-inducing effects in highly controlled conditioning procedures. Yet, neither have studies examined the presumed influence of safety learning on state attachment, nor have they examined how attachment figures' safety-inducing effects relate to attachment styles. To address these gaps, a differential fear conditioning paradigm was used in which pictures of participants' attachment figure and two control stimuli served as safety cues (CS-). US-expectancy and distress ratings were measured as indicators of fear responding. Results indicate that attachment figures evoked enhanced safety responding compared to control safety cues at the start of acquisition, which was maintained throughout acquisition and when presented together with a danger cue. Attachment figures' safety-inducing effects were reduced in individuals with higher attachment avoidance, although attachment style did not affect the rate of new safety learning. Finally, safe experiences with the attachment figure in the fear conditioning procedure resulted in diminished anxious state attachment. Adding to previous work, these findings underscore the importance of learning processes for attachment development and attachment figures' provision of safety.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eline Camerman
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Sara Scheveneels
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Guy Bosmans
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Sharvit G, Schweinhardt P. The influence of social signals on the self-experience of pain: A neuroimaging review. Front Neurol 2022; 13:856874. [PMID: 36090868 PMCID: PMC9459049 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.856874] [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: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Researchers in cognitive neuroscience have investigated extensively how psychological factors shape the processing and perception of pain using behavioral, physiological, and neuroimaging methods. However, social influences of pain, an essential part of biopsychosocial pain models, have received relatively little attention. This is particularly true for the neurobiological mechanisms underlying social modulations on pain. Therefore, this review discusses the findings of recent neuroimaging studies measuring the effects of social manipulations on pain perception (e.g., verbal and non-verbal social signals, social interaction style, conformity, social support, and sociocultural mediators). Finally, a schematic summary of the different social modulatory themes is presented.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gil Sharvit
- Department of Chiropractic Medicine, Integrative Spinal Research, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich (ZNZ), University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Gil Sharvit
| | - Petra Schweinhardt
- Department of Chiropractic Medicine, Integrative Spinal Research, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich (ZNZ), University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Keizer A, Heijman JO, Dijkerman HC. Do transdiagnostic factors influence affective touch perception in psychiatric populations? Curr Opin Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2021.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
|
12
|
von Mohr M, Kirsch LP, Fotopoulou A. Social touch deprivation during COVID-19: effects on psychological wellbeing and craving interpersonal touch. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:210287. [PMID: 34527270 PMCID: PMC8424338 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.210287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Social touch has positive effects on social affiliation and stress alleviation. However, its ubiquitous presence in human life does not allow the study of social touch deprivation 'in the wild'. Nevertheless, COVID-19-related restrictions such as social distancing allowed the systematic study of the degree to which social distancing affects tactile experiences and mental health. In this study, 1746 participants completed an online survey to examine intimate, friendly and professional touch experiences during COVID-19-related restrictions, their impact on mental health and the extent to which touch deprivation results in craving touch. We found that intimate touch deprivation during COVID-19-related restrictions is associated with higher anxiety and greater loneliness even though this type of touch is still the most experienced during the pandemic. Moreover, intimate touch is reported as the type of touch most craved during this period, thus being more prominent as the days practising social distancing increase. However, our results also show that the degree to which individuals crave touch during this period depends on individual differences in attachment style: the more anxiously attached, the more touch is craved; with the reverse pattern for avoidantly attached. These findings point to the important role of interpersonal and particularly intimate touch in times of distress and uncertainty.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mariana von Mohr
- Lab of Action and Body, Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, London, UK
- Departamento de Psicología, Universidad Iberoamericana, México, Mexico
| | - Louise P. Kirsch
- Institute for Intelligent Systems and Robotics (ISIR), Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- Université de Paris, INCC UMR 8002, 75006, Paris, France
| | - Aikaterini Fotopoulou
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Meijer LL, Ruis C, van der Smagt MJ, Scherder EJA, Dijkerman HC. Neural basis of affective touch and pain: A novel model suggests possible targets for pain amelioration. J Neuropsychol 2021; 16:38-53. [PMID: 33979481 PMCID: PMC9290016 DOI: 10.1111/jnp.12250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Pain is one of the most common health problems and has a severe impact on quality of life. Yet, a suitable and efficient treatment is still not available for all patient populations suffering from pain. Interestingly, recent research shows that low threshold mechanosensory C‐tactile (CT) fibres have a modulatory influence on pain. CT‐fibres are activated by slow gentle stroking of the hairy skin, providing a pleasant sensation. Consequently, slow gentle stroking is known as affective touch. Currently, a clear overview of the way affective touch modulates pain, at a neural level, is missing. This review aims to present such an overview. To explain the interaction between affective touch and pain, first the neural basis of the affective touch system and the neural processing of pain will be described. To clarify these systems, a schematic illustration will be provided in every section. Hereafter, a novel model of interactions between affective touch and pain systems will be introduced. Finally, since affective touch might be suitable as a new treatment for chronic pain, possible clinical implications will be discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Carla Ruis
- Utrecht University, The Netherlands.,University Medical Centre Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Neural correlates of sex-related differences in attachment dimensions. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2021; 21:191-211. [PMID: 33560494 PMCID: PMC7994245 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-020-00859-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate sex-related differences in the electrophysiological response to socioemotional stimuli (positive, negative, and ambiguous) depicting couple interactions. The associations between anxiety and avoidance attachment dimensions (measured with the Experiences in Close Relationships–Revised questionnaire) and the strength of cortico-limbic circuit intensity was explored, recorded using a 256-Hydrocel Geodesic Sensor-Net. Event-related potentials (ERPs) and standardized low-resolution electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA) data were analyzed for a total sample of 74 participants. Regression analyses showed that the women presented increased brain intensity compared with that in men, and the avoidance score was positively associated with brain intensity, particularly in response to negative socioemotional stimuli. The interaction sex per avoidance was a significant predictor of intensity in many brain areas, with women displaying significantly more pronounced positive associations between avoidance and brain intensity than men. In conclusion, the findings of the present study showed that women appeared to be more emotionally involved during the socioemotional task. Avoidance was positively associated with intensity of the cingulate and prefrontal regions, and these associations were more pronounced in women than in men. These findings suggested that avoidance seems to represent two different socioemotional strategies, in which women appear to activate an avoidant strategy to modulate increased emotional involvement in relationships, whereas men appear to adopt avoidance with a more intense emotional suppression.
Collapse
|
15
|
Kraus J, Roman R, Lacinová L, Lamoš M, Brázdil M, Fredrikson M. Imagery-induced negative affect, social touch and frontal EEG power band activity. Scand J Psychol 2020; 61:731-739. [PMID: 32572974 DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Social touch seems to modulate emotions, but its brain correlates are poorly understood. Here, we investigated if frontal power band activity in the electroencephalogram (EEG) during aversive mental imagery is modulated by social touch from one's romantic partner and a stranger. We observed the highest theta and beta power when imaging alone, next so when being touched by a stranger, with lowest theta and beta activity during holding hands with the loved one. Delta power was higher when being alone than with a stranger or a partner, with no difference between the two. Gamma power was highest during the stranger condition and lower both when being alone and with the partner, while alpha power did not change as a function of social touch. Theta power displayed a positive correlation with electrodermal activity supporting its relation to emotional arousal. Attachment style modulated the effect of touch on the EEG as only secure but not insecure partner bonding was associated with theta power reductions. Because theta power was sensitive to the experimental perturbations, mapped onto peripheral physiological arousal and reflected partner attachment style we suggest that frontal theta power might serve as an EEG derived bio-marker for social touch in emotionally significant dyads.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Kraus
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.,Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.,HUME lab - Experimental Humanities Laboratory, Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Robert Roman
- Centre for Neuroscience, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Lacinová
- Institute for Research on Children, Youth, and Family, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Lamoš
- Centre for Neuroscience, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Milan Brázdil
- Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Mats Fredrikson
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Long M, Verbeke W, Ein-Dor T, Vrtička P. A functional neuro-anatomical model of human attachment (NAMA): Insights from first- and second-person social neuroscience. Cortex 2020; 126:281-321. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2020.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
|
17
|
Kraus J, Roman R, Jurkovičová L, Mareček R, Mikl M, Brázdil M, Frick A. Social support modulates subjective and neural responses to sad mental imagery. Behav Brain Res 2020; 380:112433. [PMID: 31843658 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Revised: 11/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Mental imagery related to the recent death of a loved one is associated with intense sadness and distress. Social relations, such as with one's significant other, can regulate negative emotions and provide comfort, but the neural correlates of social comfort are largely unknown. In this functional magnetic resonance imaging study, we examined brain responses to sad mental imagery and how these are modulated by holding hands with one's romantic partner. We found that mental imagery of a recently deceased loved one was associated with increased reactivity in the dorsal striatum, medial prefrontal cortex, anterior and posterior cingulate cortex, thalamus and cerebellum. Holding hands with one's partner as compared to being alone or holding hands with a stranger provided subjective comfort and reduced neural reactivity in the dorsal striatum without affecting the vividness of the imagery. Our findings indicate an important role for the dorsal striatum in sad mental imagery and social comfort and suggest that tactile social support by one's romantic partner regulates subjective distress through other processes than mere distraction from the mental imagery.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Kraus
- Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Nobels Väg 9, 171 65 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Robert Roman
- Centre for Neuroscience, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Jurkovičová
- Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Radek Mareček
- Centre for Neuroscience, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Mikl
- Centre for Neuroscience, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Milan Brázdil
- Centre for Neuroscience, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Andreas Frick
- The Beijer Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Husargatan 3, 752 39 Uppsala, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Kraus J, Frick A, Roman R, Jurkovičová L, Mareček R, Mikl M, Brázdil M, Fredrikson M. Soothing the emotional brain: modulation of neural activity to personal emotional stimulation by social touch. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2019; 14:1179-1185. [PMID: 31820813 PMCID: PMC7057286 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsz090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Revised: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Social touch may modulate emotions, but the neurobehavioral correlates are poorly understood. Here, we investigated neural responses to a picture of a deceased close person and if neural activity and connectivity are modulated by social touch from one's romantic partner. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we found altered reactivity in several brain areas including the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the anterior insula in response to the personal picture compared to a picture of an unfamiliar person. Hand holding with the romantic partner, compared to being alone, reduced reactivity in the ACC and cerebellum and provided subjective comfort. To separate physical touch from the emotional effect of partner presence, we evaluated hand holding with the partner relative to a stranger and found reduced reactivity in the anterior insula. Connectivity between the anterior insula and the ACC was reduced during partner touch, and the connectivity strength was negatively related to attachment security, with higher reported partner security associated with weaker connectivity. Overall, holding hands with one's partner attenuates reactivity in emotional brain areas and reduces between-region connectivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Kraus
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.,Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Andreas Frick
- The Beijer Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Robert Roman
- Centre for Neuroscience, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | | | - Radek Mareček
- Centre for Neuroscience, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Mikl
- Centre for Neuroscience, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Milan Brázdil
- Centre for Neuroscience, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Mats Fredrikson
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Brain activity sustaining the modulation of pain by empathetic comments. Sci Rep 2019; 9:8398. [PMID: 31182760 PMCID: PMC6558033 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44879-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Empathetic verbal feedback from others has been shown to alleviate the intensity of experimental pain. To investigate the brain changes associated with this effect, we conducted 3T-fMRI measurements in 30 healthy subjects who received painful thermal stimuli on their left hand while overhearing empathetic, neutral or unempathetic comments, supposedly made by experimenters, via headsets. Only the empathetic comments significantly reduced pain intensity ratings. A whole-brain BOLD analysis revealed that both Empathetic and Unempathetic conditions significantly increased the activation of the right anterior insular and posterior parietal cortices to pain stimuli, while activations in the posterior cingulate cortex and precuneus (PCC/Prec) were significantly stronger during Empathetic compared to Unempathetic condition. BOLD activity increased in the DLPFC in the Empathetic condition and decreased in the PCC/Prec and vmPFC in the Unempathetic condition. In the Empathetic condition only, functional connectivity increased significantly between the vmPFC and the insular cortex. These results suggest that modulation of pain perception by empathetic feedback involves a set of high-order brain regions associated with autobiographical memories and self-awareness, and relies on interactions between such supra-modal structures and key nodes of the pain system.
Collapse
|
20
|
Cataldo A, Ferrè ER, Haggard P. Thermonociceptive interaction: interchannel pain modulation occurs before intrachannel convergence of warmth. J Neurophysiol 2019; 121:1798-1808. [PMID: 30864857 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00341.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Nonnoxious warmth reduces both perceived pain intensity and the amplitude of EEG markers of pain. However, the spatial properties of thermonociceptive interaction, and the level of sensory processing at which it occurs, remain unclear. We investigated whether interchannel warmth-pain interactions occur before or after intrachannel spatial summation of warmth. Warm stimuli were applied to the fingers of the right hand. Their number and location were manipulated in different conditions. A concomitant noxious test pulse was delivered to the middle finger using a CO2 laser. We replicated the classical suppressive effect of warmth on both perceived pain intensity and EEG markers. Importantly, inhibition of pain was not affected by the location and the number of thermal stimuli, even though they increased the perceived intensity of warmth. Our results therefore suggest that the inhibitory effect of warmth on pain is not somatotopically organized. The results also rule out the possibility that warmth affects nociceptive processing after intrachannel warmth summation. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We used spatial summation of warmth as a model to investigate thermonociceptive interactions. Painful CO2 laser pulses were delivered during different thermal conditions. We found that warmth inhibited pain regardless of its location. Crucially, spatial summation of multiple warm stimuli did not further inhibit pain. These findings suggest that warmth-pain interaction occurs independently of or after spatial summation of warmth.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Cataldo
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London , London , United Kingdom.,Centre for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna , Cesena , Italy.,Institute of Philosophy, University of London , London , United Kingdom
| | - Elisa Raffaella Ferrè
- Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway University of London , Surrey , United Kingdom
| | - Patrick Haggard
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London , London , United Kingdom.,Institute of Philosophy, University of London , London , United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
von Mohr M, Krahé C, Beck B, Fotopoulou A. The social buffering of pain by affective touch: a laser-evoked potential study in romantic couples. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2019; 13:1121-1130. [PMID: 30247679 PMCID: PMC6234321 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsy085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Pain is modulated by social context. Recent neuroimaging studies have shown that romantic partners can provide a potent form of social support during pain. However, such studies have only focused on passive support, finding a relatively late-onset modulation of pain-related neural processing. In this study, we examined for the first time dynamic touch by one’s romantic partner as an active form of social support. Specifically, 32 couples provided social, active, affective (vs active but neutral) touch according to the properties of a specific C-tactile afferent pathway to their romantic partners, who then received laser-induced pain. We measured subjective pain ratings and early N1 and later N2-P2 laser-evoked potentials (LEPs) to noxious stimulation, as well as individual differences in adult attachment style. We found that affective touch from one’s partner reduces subjective pain ratings and similarly attenuates LEPs both at earlier (N1) and later (N2-P2) stages of cortical processing. Adult attachment style did not affect LEPs, but attachment anxiety had a moderating role on pain ratings. This is the first study to show early neural modulation of pain by active, partner touch, and we discuss these findings in relation to the affective and social modulation of sensory salience.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mariana von Mohr
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Charlotte Krahé
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Brianna Beck
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
| | - Aikaterini Fotopoulou
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
The presence of others reduces dyspnea and cortical neural processing of respiratory sensations. Biol Psychol 2019; 140:48-54. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2018.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
|
23
|
A Systematic Review of the Processes Underlying the Main and the Buffering Effect of Social Support on the Experience of Pain. Clin J Pain 2018; 34:1061-1076. [DOI: 10.1097/ajp.0000000000000624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
24
|
Che X, Cash R, Chung S, Fitzgerald PB, Fitzgibbon BM. Investigating the influence of social support on experimental pain and related physiological arousal: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 92:437-452. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Revised: 07/09/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
|
25
|
Van Ryckeghem DM, Van Damme S, Eccleston C, Crombez G. The efficacy of attentional distraction and sensory monitoring in chronic pain patients: A meta-analysis. Clin Psychol Rev 2017; 59:16-29. [PMID: 29126746 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2017.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2017] [Revised: 06/02/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Attentional strategies, such as distraction and sensory monitoring, are often offered to reduce pain and pain-related distress. However, evidence for their efficacy in chronic pain patients is equivocal. We report a meta-analysis on the efficacy of distraction and sensory monitoring in chronic pain patients, and explore possible methodological and theoretical moderators. The scientific literature was searched for relevant articles, which were coded for methodological quality and several theoretical and methodological moderator variables. Only 10 articles fulfilled the search criteria. Eight studies allowed us to compare distraction with a control condition, two studies to compare sensory monitoring with a control condition, and four studies to compare the effect of distraction with the effect of sensory monitoring. Overall, results indicate that distraction did not differ from control in altering pain experience (k=8; Hedges' g=0.10, ns) and distress (k=2; Hedges' g=0.549). Sensory monitoring did also not alter pain experience (k=2; Hedges' g=-0.21, ns) and distress (k=1; Hedges' g=-0.191, ns). We found no evidence to support the superiority of distraction or sensory monitoring in altering pain compared to control conditions. We offer guidance for future theory-driven research to investigate distraction and sensory monitoring in this largely unexplored field, albeit one replete with methodological difficulties.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dimitri Ml Van Ryckeghem
- Institute for Health and Behaviour, INSIDE, University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg; Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium.
| | - Stefaan Van Damme
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Christopher Eccleston
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium; Centre for Pain Research, University of Bath, UK
| | - Geert Crombez
- Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Belgium; Centre for Pain Research, University of Bath, UK
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Maister L, Hodossy L, Tsakiris M. You Fill My Heart: Looking at One's Partner Increases Interoceptive Accuracy. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [PMID: 28649576 PMCID: PMC5472092 DOI: 10.1037/cns0000110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The integration of external and internal bodily signals provides a coherent, multisensory experience of one’s own body. The ability to accurately detect internal bodily sensations is referred to as interoceptive accuracy (IAcc). Previous studies found that IAcc can be increased when people with low IAcc engage in self-processing such as when looking in the mirror or at a photograph of one’s own face. However, the way the self is represented changes depending on the context. Specifically, in social situations, the self is experienced in relation to significant others and not as an isolated individual. Intriguingly, in a relational context romantic partners can be used as social mirrors for one’s self. We here investigated whether directing one’s attention to romantic partners would enhance one’s IAcc, similar to the effect of self-face observation when the self is processed in isolation. During a heartbeat counting task, both concurrent self-face and partner-face observation improved accuracy in those with initially low IAcc; however, this improvement was significantly greater for the partner’s face. These results suggest that significant others may play an important role in determining the quality of one’s self-awareness. Given that high interoceptive awareness is linked to better emotion regulation, increased IAcc during partner observation is likely to have an adaptive role in maintaining stable and secure romantic relationships through greater emotion regulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lara Maister
- Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London
| | - Lilla Hodossy
- Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London
| | - Manos Tsakiris
- Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Fotopoulou A, Tsakiris M. Mentalizing homeostasis: The social origins of interoceptive inference. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/15294145.2017.1294031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
|
28
|
Hamilton AFDC, Lind F. Audience effects: what can they tell us about social neuroscience, theory of mind and autism? ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 4:159-177. [PMID: 27867833 PMCID: PMC5095155 DOI: 10.1007/s40167-016-0044-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
An audience effect arises when a person’s behaviour changes because they believe someone else is watching them. Though these effects have been known about for over 110 years, the cognitive mechanisms of the audience effect and how it might vary across different populations and cultures remains unclear. In this review, we examine the hypothesis that the audience effect draws on implicit mentalising abilities. Behavioural and neuroimaging data from a number of tasks are consistent with this hypothesis. We further review data suggest that how people respond to audiences may vary over development, personality factors, cultural background and clinical diagnosis including autism and anxiety disorder. Overall, understanding and exploring the audience effect may contribute to our models of social interaction, including reputation management and mentalising.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antonia F de C Hamilton
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, Alexandra House, 17 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3AZ UK
| | - Frida Lind
- University of Surrey, Guildford, UK.,Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, Alexandra House, 17 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3AZ UK
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Krahé C, Drabek MM, Paloyelis Y, Fotopoulou A. Affective touch and attachment style modulate pain: a laser-evoked potentials study. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2016; 371:rstb.2016.0009. [PMID: 28080967 PMCID: PMC5062098 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Affective touch and cutaneous pain are two sub-modalities of interoception with contrasting affective qualities (pleasantness/unpleasantness) and social meanings (care/harm), yet their direct relationship has not been investigated. In 50 women, taking into account individual attachment styles, we assessed the role of affective touch and particularly the contribution of the C tactile (CT) system in subjective and electrophysiological responses to noxious skin stimulation, namely N1 and N2-P2 laser-evoked potentials. When pleasant, slow (versus fast) velocity touch was administered to the (non-CT-containing) palm of the hand, higher attachment anxiety predicted increased subjective pain ratings, in the same direction as changes in N2 amplitude. By contrast, when pleasant touch was administered to CT-containing skin of the arm, higher attachment anxiety predicted attenuated N1 and N2 amplitudes. Higher attachment avoidance predicted opposite results. Thus, CT-based affective touch can modulate pain in early and late processing stages (N1 and N2 components), with the direction of effects depending on attachment style. Affective touch not involving the CT system seems to affect predominately the conscious perception of pain, possibly reflecting socio-cognitive factors further up the neurocognitive hierarchy. Affective touch may thus convey information about available social resources and gate pain responses depending on individual expectations of social support. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Interoception beyond homeostasis: affect, cognition and mental health’.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Krahé
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Marianne M Drabek
- Arthritis Research UK Pain Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Yannis Paloyelis
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Aikaterini Fotopoulou
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Crucianelli L, Cardi V, Treasure J, Jenkinson PM, Fotopoulou A. The perception of affective touch in anorexia nervosa. Psychiatry Res 2016; 239:72-8. [PMID: 27137964 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2016.01.078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2015] [Revised: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 01/17/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a disorder characterized by restricted eating, fears of gaining weight, and body image distortions. The etiology remains unknown; however impairments in social cognition and reward circuits contribute to the onset and maintenance of the disorder. One possibility is that AN is associated with reduced perceived pleasantness during social interactions. We therefore examined the perception of interpersonal, 'affective touch' and its social modulation in AN. We measured the perceived pleasantness of light, dynamic stroking touches applied to the forearm of 25 AN patients and 30 healthy controls using C Tactile (CT) afferents-optimal (3cm/s) and non-optimal (18cm/s) velocities, while simultaneously displaying images of faces showing rejecting, neutral and accepting expressions. CT-optimal touch, but not CT non-optimal touch, elicited significantly lower pleasantness ratings in AN patients compared with healthy controls. Pleasantness ratings were modulated by facial expressions in both groups in a similar fashion; namely, presenting socially accepting faces increased the perception of touch pleasantness more than neutral and rejecting faces. Our findings suggest that individuals with AN have a disordered, CT-based affective touch system. This impairment may be linked to their weakened interoceptive perception and distorted body representation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Crucianelli
- School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, UK
| | - Valentina Cardi
- Section of Eating Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK
| | - Janet Treasure
- Section of Eating Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK
| | - Paul M Jenkinson
- School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
Xie X, Mulej Bratec S, Schmid G, Meng C, Doll A, Wohlschläger A, Finke K, Förstl H, Zimmer C, Pekrun R, Schilbach L, Riedl V, Sorg C. How do you make me feel better? Social cognitive emotion regulation and the default mode network. Neuroimage 2016; 134:270-280. [PMID: 27095057 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2015] [Revised: 03/19/2016] [Accepted: 04/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Socially-induced cognitive emotion regulation (Social-Reg) is crucial for emotional well-being and social functioning; however, its brain mechanisms remain poorly understood. Given that both social cognition and cognitive emotion regulation engage key regions of the default-mode network (DMN), we hypothesized that Social-Reg would rely on the DMN, and that its effectiveness would be associated with social functioning. During functional MRI, negative emotions were elicited by pictures, and - via short instructions - a psychotherapist either down-regulated participants' emotions by employing reappraisal (Reg), or asked them to simply look at the pictures (Look). Adult Attachment Scale was used to measure social functioning. Contrasting Reg versus Look, aversive emotions were successfully reduced during Social-Reg, with increased activations in the prefrontal and parietal cortices, precuneus and the left temporo-parietal junction. These activations covered key nodes of the DMN and were associated with Social-Reg success. Furthermore, participants' attachment security was positively correlated with both Social-Reg success and orbitofrontal cortex involvement during Social-Reg. In addition, specificity of the neural correlates of Social-Reg was confirmed by comparisons with participants' DMN activity at rest and their brain activations during a typical emotional self-regulation task based on the same experimental paradigm without a psychotherapist. Our results provide first evidence for the specific involvement of the DMN in Social-Reg, and the association of Social-Reg with individual differences in attachment security. The findings suggest that DMN dysfunction, found in many neuropsychiatric disorders, may impair the ability to benefit from Social-Reg.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiyao Xie
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany; Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany; TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Satja Mulej Bratec
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany; Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany; TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Gabriele Schmid
- Department of Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Chun Meng
- Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany; TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Anselm Doll
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany; Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany; TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Afra Wohlschläger
- Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany; TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Kathrin Finke
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Hans Förstl
- Department of Psychiatry, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Claus Zimmer
- Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Reinhard Pekrun
- Department of Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Leonhard Schilbach
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Valentin Riedl
- Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany; TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany; Department of Nuclear Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Christian Sorg
- Department of Neuroradiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany; TUM-NIC Neuroimaging Center, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany; Department of Psychiatry, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Paloyelis Y, Krahé C, Maltezos S, Williams SC, Howard MA, Fotopoulou A. The Analgesic Effect of Oxytocin in Humans: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Cross-Over Study Using Laser-Evoked Potentials. J Neuroendocrinol 2016; 28:10.1111/jne.12347. [PMID: 26660859 PMCID: PMC5103211 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2015] [Revised: 12/04/2015] [Accepted: 12/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin is a neuropeptide regulating social-affiliative and reproductive behaviour in mammals. Despite robust preclinical evidence for the antinociceptive effects and mechanisms of action of exogenous oxytocin, human studies have produced mixed results regarding the analgesic role of oxytocin and are yet to show a specific modulation of neural processes involved in pain perception. In the present study, we investigated the analgesic effects of 40 IU of intranasal oxytocin in 13 healthy male volunteers using a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over design and brief radiant heat pulses generated by an infrared laser that selectively activate Aδ- and C-fibre nerve endings in the epidermis, at the same time as recording the ensuing laser-evoked potentials (LEPs). We predicted that oxytocin would reduce subjective pain ratings and attenuate the amplitude of the N1, N2 and P2 components. We observed that oxytocin attenuated perceived pain intensity and the local peak amplitude of the N1 and N2 (but not of P2) LEPs, and increased the latency of the N2 component. Importantly, for the first time, the present study reports an association between the analgesic effect of oxytocin (reduction in subjective pain ratings) and the oxytocin-induced modulation of cortical activity after noxious stimulation (attenuation of the N2 LEP). These effects indicate that oxytocin modulates neural processes contributing to pain perception. The present study reports preliminary evidence that is consistent with electrophysiological studies in rodents showing that oxytocin specifically modulates Aδ/C-fibre nociceptive afferent signalling at the spinal level and provides further specificity to evidence obtained in humans indicating that oxytocin may be modulating pain experience by modulating activity in the cortical areas involved in pain processing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Y Paloyelis
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - C Krahé
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - S Maltezos
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Science, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK
| | - S C Williams
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - M A Howard
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - A Fotopoulou
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Peculiarities of insight: Clinical implications of self-representations. J Biosci 2016; 41:3-8. [PMID: 26949081 DOI: 10.1007/s12038-015-9582-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
|