Psychology

Existing data demonstrate reduced delta power during sleep in patients with depression and chronic pain. However, there has been little examination of the relationship between delta power and pain-reports, or pain-catastrophizing. We recruited female participants (n=111) with insomnia and temporomandibular disorder, and measured nocturnal and daytime measures of pain and pain catastrophizing, and calculated relative nocturnal delta (0.5-4 Hz) power during sleep. We fit linear regression models, and further examined the moderating effect of depressive symptom severity. Lower relative delta power across the whole night was significantly associated with greater nocturnal pain (B = -20.276, p = 0.025, R = 0.214). Lower relative delta power during the first-third of the night, was associated with greater nocturnal pain (B = -17.807, p = 0.019, R = 0.217), next-day pain (B = 13.876, p = 0.039, R = 0.195), and next-morning pain (B = -15.751, p = 0.022, R = 0.198). Lower relative delta power during the final-third of the night was significantly associated with greater nocturnal (B = -17.602, p = 0.029, R = 0.207) and next-morning pain (3: B = -14.943, p = 0.042, R = 0.187). Depressive symptom severity did not moderate these relationships. Delta power was not significantly associated with nocturnal or daytime pain catastrophizing. These findings demonstrate that greater relative delta power during sleep is associated with lower nocturnal and next-day pain in patients with temporomandibular disorder. This data may guide the use of sleep interventions in clinical pain populations, with the aim of improving pain outcomes. PERSPECTIVE: This article presents data demonstrating an association between increased nocturnal delta power and reduced next-day pain. These findings may help promote interventions which aim to increase nocturnal delta power in clinical pain populations, with the goal of improving pain outcomes.

This study assessed the impact of cancer-related neuropathic pain (CRNP) on patients and the importance of the patient-healthcare professional (HCP) relationship in diagnosis and management.

Active duty (AD) women suffer with chronic pelvic pain (CPP) while providers tackle diagnoses and treatments to keep them functional without contributing to the opioid epidemic. The purpose of this randomized trial was to determine the effectiveness of noninvasive, self-explanatory mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) or self-paced healthy lifestyle (HL) interventions on CPP in AD women. A 6-week, interventional prospective study with AD women aged 21-55 years at Mountain Home (MTHM), Idaho, was conducted. Women were randomly assigned to MBSR ( = 21) or HL ( = 20) interventions. The primary outcome was pain perception. The secondary outcomes were depression and circulating cytokine levels. Women in the MBSR group exhibited reduced pain interference ( < 0.01) and depression ( < 0.05) alongside decreased interleukin (IL)-4 ( < 0.05), IL-6 ( < 0.05), eotaxin ( < 0.05), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 ( = 0.06), and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) ( < 0.01) and increased vascular endothelial growth factor ( < 0.05). Women in the HL group did not have changes in pain; however, they did exhibit reduced depression ( < 0.05) alongside decreased granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor ( < 0.05) and increased tumor necrosis factor alpha ( < 0.05), stromal cell-derived factor-1 ( < 0.01), and IL-1ra ( < 0.01). AD women receiving MBSR or HL had reduced depression scores and altered circulating cytokine levels; however, only those receiving MBSR had reduced pain perception. Findings support MBSR as an effective and viable behavioral treatment for AD women suffering from CPP and provide premise for larger randomized controlled studies. MOCHI-An RCT of mindfulness as a treatment for CPP in AD Women NCT04104542 (September 26, 2019).

Fatigue is a major complaint in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). To acquire a better understanding of fatigue in pSS, we investigated objective measures of performance decline (performance fatigability). Furthermore, we evaluated the relationship of self-reported fatigue with performance fatigability and factors modulating perceptions of fatigability (perceived fatigability).

Pain catastrophizing is understood as a negative cognitive and emotional response to pain. Researchers, advocates and patients have reported stigmatizing effects of the term in clinical settings and the media. We conducted an international study to investigate patient perspectives on the term pain catastrophizing. Open-ended electronic patient and caregiver proxy surveys were promoted internationally by collaborator stakeholders and through social media. 3,521 surveys were received from 47 countries (77.3% from the U.S.). The sample was mainly female (82.1%), with a mean age of 41.62 (SD 12.03) years; 95% reported ongoing pain and pain duration > 10 years (68.4%). Forty-five percent (n = 1,295) had heard of the term pain catastrophizing; 12% (n= 349) reported being described as a 'pain catastrophizer' by a clinician with associated high levels of feeling blamed, judged, and dismissed. We present qualitative thematic data analytics for responses to open-ended questions, with 32% of responses highlighting the problematic nature of the term. We present the patients' perspective on the term pain catastrophizing, its material effect on clinical experiences, and associations with negative gender stereotypes. Use of patient-centered terminology may be important for favorably shaping the social context of patients' experience of pain and pain care. PERSPECTIVE: : Our large international patient survey results show that 45% of the sample had heard of the term pain catastrophizing, about one-third spontaneously rated the term as problematic, and 12% reported having the term applied to them with most reporting this to be a negative experience. Clinician education regarding the use of patient-centered terminology may help to improve patients' experience of care and reduce stigma.

The relationships between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and diverse types of pain disorders have been reported. However, the interaction between OSA and pain-related temporomandibular disorder (TMD) remains obscure.