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To describe contextual factors (CFs) used by nurses to increase placebo and to prevent nocebo effects.
Learn More >Musculoskeletal pain is a prevalent health challenge for all age groups worldwide, but most notably in older adults. Social isolation is the consequence of a decrease in social network size with a reduction in the number of social contacts. Loneliness is the psychological embodiment of social isolation and represents an individual's perception of dissatisfaction in the quality or quantity of their social contacts. This study aims to determine whether a relationship exists between musculoskeletal pain and social isolation and loneliness.
Learn More >Most arthritides are associated with pain and psychological distress (clinically significant depression and anxiety). Pain and depression are mutually exacerbating; both may continue even when joint involvement appears well controlled. Area covered: There is strong evidence that arthritis-related stress impacts the central nervous system and, together with peripheral inflammatory changes, can cause central sensitization that can lead to chronic pain and worsening of affective distress. Cytokines and chemokines participate both in joint inflammation and in central sensitization. We review evidence of these relationships in five arthritides, namely rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, gout, and in osteoarthritis of the hips and knees. Central sensitization in these conditions results in long-lasting pain and psychological distress. Expert Commentary: Chronic pain and depression are important but often neglected in the clinical assessment and treatment of arthritis. The potential role of biologic cytokines and Janus kinase inhibitors in dealing with these symptoms needs further study.
Learn More >The Fear-Avoidance Model (FAM) is a leading theoretical paradigm for explaining persistent pain following musculoskeletal injury. The model suggests that as injuries heal, pain-related outcomes are increasingly determined by psychological, rather than physiological factors. Increasing literature, however, suggests that neurophysiological processes related to pain sensitivity also play an important role in chronicity. To date, there has been limited research that has specifically explored the role of pain sensitivity within the FAM. This study addresses this gap by evaluating whether clinical measures of pain sensitivity help explain FAM-related outcomes, beyond model-relevant psychological predictors.
Learn More >Fibromyalgia (FM) is a generalized chronic pain condition associated with multiple cognitive impairments, including altered inhibitory processes. Inhibition is a key component of human executive functions and shares neural substrate with pain processing, which may explain the inhibitory deficits in FM. Here, we investigated the integrity of brain inhibitory mechanisms in these patients.
Learn More >Persistent breast pain (PBP) is prevalent among breast cancer survivors and has powerful negative psychological consequences. The present study provided a first test of the hypothesis that: (a) pain catastrophizing, (b) heightened perceived risk of cancer, and (c) worry that pain indicates cancer may be independent mediating links between breast cancer survivors' experiences of PBP and heightened emotional distress.
Learn More >To assess the measurement properties of the Migraine-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire version 2.1 (MSQv2.1) electronic patient-reported outcome (ePRO) Role Function-Restrictive (RFR) domain to evaluate the functional impact of migraine in patients with episodic (EM) or chronic migraine (CM) enrolled in clinical trials.
Learn More >Children of mothers with chronic pain are at increased risk for poor health, but few studies have examined what characteristics of maternal chronic pain may be associated with children's risk. This study identified subgroups of mothers based on patterns of pain, physical function, and emotional function on the 29-item Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System® (PROMIS-29®) and evaluated associations between maternal subgroups and children's pain and emotional functioning.
Learn More >Although the association of gray matter morphology alterations and pain-related psychosocial characteristics with pain intensity and chronification in people with chronic spinal pain is evident, research on their mutual interaction is scarce and does not account for possible gender differences. Gender-based differences are, however, of utmost importance to consider when examining pain neurobiology.
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