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Startle modulation by heat pain with varying threat levels in chronic pain patients and pain-free controls
Horn-Hofmann, Claudia; Wolf, Daniel; Lautenbacher, Stefan; u. a. (2017): Startle modulation by heat pain with varying threat levels in chronic pain patients and pain-free controls, in: Journal of pain research, Albany, Auckland: Dove Medical Press, Jg. 10, S. 1178–7090, doi: 10.2147/JPR.S136416.
Title of the Journal:
Journal of pain research
ISSN:
1178-7090
Publisher Information:
Year of publication:
2017
Volume:
10
Pages:
Language:
English
DOI:
Abstract:
Background: Empirical evidence suggests that affective responses to pain are changed in chronic pain. The investigation of startle responses to pain might contribute to clarifying whether such alterations also expand to motivational defensive reactions. We aimed at comparing startle responses to tonic heat pain with high threat (HT) or low threat (LT) in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain and controls. As pain-related anxiety and catastrophizing are typically elevated in chronic pain, we expected to find stronger startle responses in patients specifically under experimental HT.
Methods: Patients with chronic musculoskeletal, preferentially, back pain (N = 19) and matched pain-free controls (N = 19) underwent two pain-related threat conditions (high and low) in balanced order. Only, in the HT condition, 50% of the trials were announced to include a short further noxious temperature increase at the end. Startle responses to loud tones were always assessed prior to a potential temperature increase in the phase of anticipation and were recorded by surface electromyogram.
Results: Surprisingly, we observed no differences in startle responses and ratings of emotional and pain responses between patients and controls despite significantly higher pain-related anxiety and catastrophizing in the patients. Overall, startle was potentiated in the HT condition, but only in participants who started with this condition.
Conclusion: Our results suggest that, in general, patients with pain are not more responsive emotionally to experimental threat manipulations despite elevated pain anxiety and catastrophizing. Instead, exaggerated responses in patients might be triggered only by individual concerns relating to pain, which are not sufficiently mirrored by our threat paradigm.
Methods: Patients with chronic musculoskeletal, preferentially, back pain (N = 19) and matched pain-free controls (N = 19) underwent two pain-related threat conditions (high and low) in balanced order. Only, in the HT condition, 50% of the trials were announced to include a short further noxious temperature increase at the end. Startle responses to loud tones were always assessed prior to a potential temperature increase in the phase of anticipation and were recorded by surface electromyogram.
Results: Surprisingly, we observed no differences in startle responses and ratings of emotional and pain responses between patients and controls despite significantly higher pain-related anxiety and catastrophizing in the patients. Overall, startle was potentiated in the HT condition, but only in participants who started with this condition.
Conclusion: Our results suggest that, in general, patients with pain are not more responsive emotionally to experimental threat manipulations despite elevated pain anxiety and catastrophizing. Instead, exaggerated responses in patients might be triggered only by individual concerns relating to pain, which are not sufficiently mirrored by our threat paradigm.
Keywords: ; ; ; ; ; ;
musculoskeletal pain
catastrophizing
anxiety
defensive motivation
experimental pain
startle reflex
threat induction
Peer Reviewed:
Yes:
International Distribution:
Yes:
Open Access Journal:
Yes:
Type:
Article
Activation date:
January 12, 2023
Project(s):
Versioning
Question on publication
Permalink
https://fis.uni-bamberg.de/handle/uniba/57605