Pazmany E, Ly HG, Aerts L, Kano M, Bergeron S, Verhaeghe J, Peeters R, Tack J, Dupont P, Enzlin P, Van Oudenhove L. Brain responses to vestibular pain and its anticipation in women with Genito-Pelvic Pain/Penetration Disorder.
NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2017;
16:477-490. [PMID:
28932680 PMCID:
PMC5596304 DOI:
10.1016/j.nicl.2017.07.017]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Revised: 07/02/2017] [Accepted: 07/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Objective
In DSM-5, pain-related fear during anticipation of vaginal penetration is a diagnostic criterion of Genito-Pelvic Pain/Penetration Disorder (GPPPD). We aimed to investigate subjective and brain responses during anticipatory fear and subsequent induction of vestibular pain in women with GPPPD.
Methods
Women with GPPPD (n = 18) and age-matched healthy controls (HC) (n = 15) underwent fMRI scanning during vestibular pain induction at individually titrated pain threshold after a cued anticipation period. (Pain-related) fear and anxiety traits were measured with questionnaires prior to scanning, and anticipatory fear and pain intensity were rated during scanning using visual analog scales.
Results
Women with GPPPD reported significantly higher levels of anticipatory fear and pain intensity. During anticipation and pain induction they had stronger and more extensive brain responses in regions involved in cognitive and affective aspects of pain perception, but the group difference did not reach significance for the anticipation condition. Pain-related fear and anxiety traits as well as anticipatory fear ratings were positively associated with pain ratings in GPPPD, but not in HC. Further, in HC, a negative association was found between anticipatory fear ratings and brain responses in regions involved in cognitive and affective aspects of pain perception, but not in women with GPPPD.
Conclusions
Women with GPPPD are characterized by increased subjective and brain responses to vestibular pain and, to a lesser extent, its anticipation, with fear and anxiety associated with responses to pain, supporting the introduction of anticipatory fear as a criterion of GPPPD in DSM-5.
Both subjective and brain responses during anticipation and induction of vestibular pain are increased in women with GPPPD.
Between-group differences were found in brain regions involved in cognitive and affective aspects of the pain experience.
These results support the addition of pain-related fear and anxiety in the diagnostic criteria of GPPPD in DSM-5.
Collapse