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Gatzounis R, Gelissen A, Theuerzeit D, Meulders A. Rewarding Approach Behaviour Attenuates the Return of Pain-Related Avoidance After Successful Extinction with Response Prevention. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2024; 25:104453. [PMID: 38145858 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2023.12.010] [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: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
After successful exposure treatment for chronic pain, pain-related fear and avoidance may return, i.e., relapse may occur. This return of fear and avoidance may be modulated by various post-treatment factors. In this study, we aimed to investigate two potential factors that may affect return of fear and avoidance, i.e. cognitive load and rewarding approach behaviour. In an operant pain-related avoidance conditioning paradigm, healthy pain-free volunteers first learned to fear and avoid an arm-reaching movement that was often paired with painful electrocutaneous stimulation (T1), by performing alternative movements that were less often (T2) or never (T3) paired with pain. During extinction with response prevention, participants were only allowed to perform T1, and pain was omitted. To model relapse, two unexpected painful stimuli were presented (i.e., reinstatement manipulation), after which participants could freely choose among the three arm-reaching movements again. During test, the Low Load group performed an additional easy digit task, whereas the High Load group performed a more cognitively demanding digit task. The Reward group performed the demanding digit task, whilst being rewarded to perform T1. Results showed that pain-related fear and avoidance returned, irrespective of cognitive load imposed. When participants were rewarded to approach T1, however, the return of avoidance, but not fear, was attenuated. Our findings suggest that engaging in rewarding activities may facilitate the maintenance of treatment outcomes, and provide additional support to the growing body of literature indicating a divergent relationship between fear and avoidance. PERSPECTIVE: Results of this experiment suggest that engaging in rewarding activities may optimize exposure treatment for chronic pain, by dampening the return of pain-related avoidance - though not of pain-related fear - after extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rena Gatzounis
- Experimental Health Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, the Netherlands
| | - Anouk Gelissen
- Experimental Health Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, the Netherlands
| | - Daniëlla Theuerzeit
- Experimental Health Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, the Netherlands
| | - Ann Meulders
- Experimental Health Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, the Netherlands; Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium.
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Boschet-Lange JM, Scherbaum S, Pittig A. Temporal dynamics of costly avoidance in naturalistic fears: Evidence for sequential-sampling of fear and reward information. J Anxiety Disord 2024; 103:102844. [PMID: 38428276 DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2024.102844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Excessive avoidance is characteristic for anxiety disorders, even when approach would lead to positive outcomes. The process of how such approach-avoidance conflicts are resolved is not sufficiently understood. We examined the temporal dynamics of approach-avoidance in intense fear of spiders. Highly fearful and non-fearful participants chose repeatedly between a fixed no spider/low reward and a spider/high reward option with varying fear (probability of spider presentation) and reward information (reward magnitude). By sequentially presenting fear and reward information, we distinguished whether decisions are dynamically driven by both information (sequential-sampling) or whether the impact of fear information is inhibited (cognitive control). Mouse movements were recorded to assess temporal decision dynamics (i.e., how strongly which information impacts decision preference at which timepoint). Highly fearful participants showed stronger avoidance despite lower gains (i.e., costly avoidance). Time-continuous multiple regression of their mouse movements yielded a stronger impact of fear compared to reward information. Importantly, presenting either information first (fear or reward) enhanced its impact during the early decision process. These findings support sequential sampling of fear and reward information, but not inhibitory control. Hence, pathological avoidance may be characterized by biased evidence accumulation rather than altered cognitive control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane M Boschet-Lange
- University of Würzburg, Department of Psychology (Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and Psychotherapy), Marcusstraße 9-11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Scherbaum
- Technische Universität Dresden, Department of Psychology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Andre Pittig
- University of Göttingen, Institute of Psychology, Translational Psychotherapy, Göttingen, Germany.
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Huang X, Yin J, Liu X, Tan W, Lao M, Wang X, Liu S, Ou Q, Tang D, Wu W. The overgeneralization of pain-related fear in individuals with higher pain sensitivity: A behavioral and event-related potential study. Brain Res 2023; 1818:148473. [PMID: 37414269 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2023.148473] [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: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Fear generalization contributes to the development and maintenance of pain. Pain sensitivity has been proposed to predict the strength of fear responses to aversive stimuli. However, whether individual variation in pain sensitivity affects pain-related fear generalization and its underlying cognitive processing remains unclear. To address this gap, we recorded behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) data among 22 high pain sensitivity (HPS) and 22 low pain sensitivity (LPS) healthy adults when exposed to a fear generalization paradigm. The behavioral results indicate that the HPS group displayed higher unconditioned stimulus expectancy and greater fear, arousal, and anxiety ratings to conditioned stimulus and generalization stimulus than the LPS group (all p values < 0.05). The ERP results showed that the HPS group exhibited a larger late positive potential evoked by GS2, GS3 and CS- (all p < 0.005) but a smaller N1 evoked by all CS and GSs (all p values < 0.05) relative to the LPS group. These findings suggest that individuals with a high level of pain sensitivity allocate more attention resources to pain-related threatening stimuli, which contributes to an overgeneralization of pain-related fear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomin Huang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510280, China
| | - Junxiao Yin
- Department of Clinical Medical College of Acupuncture and Rehabilitation, University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China
| | - Xinli Liu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510280, China
| | - Wenwei Tan
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510280, China
| | - Mengting Lao
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510280, China
| | - Xianglong Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510280, China
| | - Sishi Liu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510280, China
| | - Qiling Ou
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510280, China
| | - Danzhe Tang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510280, China
| | - Wen Wu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510280, China.
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Russek LN, Block NP, Byrne E, Chalela S, Chan C, Comerford M, Frost N, Hennessey S, McCarthy A, Nicholson LL, Parry J, Simmonds J, Stott PJ, Thomas L, Treleaven J, Wagner W, Hakim A. Presentation and physical therapy management of upper cervical instability in patients with symptomatic generalized joint hypermobility: International expert consensus recommendations. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 9:1072764. [PMID: 36743665 PMCID: PMC9893781 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.1072764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Experts in symptomatic generalized joint hypermobility (S-GJH) agree that upper cervical instability (UCI) needs to be better recognized in S-GJH, which commonly presents in the clinic as generalized hypermobility spectrum disorder and hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. While mild UCI may be common, it can still be impactful; though considerably less common, severe UCI can potentially be debilitating. UCI includes both atlanto-occipital and atlantoaxial instability. In the absence of research or published literature describing validated tests or prediction rules, it is not clear what signs and symptoms are most important for diagnosis of UCI. Similarly, healthcare providers lack agreed-upon ways to screen and classify different types or severity of UCI and how to manage UCI in this population. Consequently, recognition and management of UCI in this population has likely been inconsistent and not based on the knowledge and skills of the most experienced clinicians. The current work represents efforts of an international team of physical/physiotherapy clinicians and a S-GJH expert rheumatologist to develop expert consensus recommendations for screening, assessing, and managing patients with UCI associated with S-GJH. Hopefully these recommendations can improve overall recognition and care for this population by combining expertise from physical/physiotherapy clinicians and researchers spanning three continents. These recommendations may also stimulate more research into recognition and conservative care for this complex condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie N. Russek
- Department of Physical Therapy, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY, United States,St. Lawrence Health System, Potsdam, NY, United States,*Correspondence: Leslie N. Russek,
| | - Nancy P. Block
- Advanced Therapy Programs PT, San Jose, CA, United States
| | - Elaine Byrne
- Central Health Physiotherapy, London, United Kingdom
| | - Susan Chalela
- The Chalela Physical Therapy Institute for EDS/CCI, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Cliffton Chan
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Mark Comerford
- Performance Rehab, Brisbane, QLD, Australia,Comera Movement Science, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Ann McCarthy
- Central Health Physiotherapy, London, United Kingdom
| | - Leslie L. Nicholson
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jason Parry
- Central Health Physiotherapy, London, United Kingdom,University College London Hospital Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jane Simmonds
- Central Health Physiotherapy, London, United Kingdom,Faculty of Population Health Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Lucy Thomas
- Neck and Head Research Unit, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Julia Treleaven
- Performance Rehab, Brisbane, QLD, Australia,Neck and Head Research Unit, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Alan Hakim
- University College London Hospital Trust, London, United Kingdom,The Ehlers-Danlos Society, London, United Kingdom
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