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Strigo IA, Craig ADB, Simmons AN. Expectation of pain and relief: A dynamical model of the neural basis for pain-trauma co-morbidity. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 163:105750. [PMID: 38849067 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is highly co-morbid with chronic pain conditions. When present, PTSD significantly worsens chronic pain outcomes. Likewise, pain contributes to a more severe PTSD as evidenced by greater disability, more frequent use of harmful opioid analgesics and increased pain severity. The biomechanism behind this comorbidity is incompletely understood, however recent work strongly supports the widely-accepted role of expectation, in the entanglement of chronic pain and trauma symptoms. This work has shown that those with trauma have a maladaptive brain response while expecting stress and pain, whereas those with chronic pain may have a notable impairment in brain response while expecting pain relief. This dynamical expectation model of the interaction between neural systems underlying expectation of pain onset (traumatic stress) and pain offset (chronic pain) is biologically viable and may provide a biomechanistic insight into pain-trauma comorbidity. These predictive mechanisms work through interoceptive pathways in the brain critically the insula cortex. Here we highlight how the neural expectation-related mechanisms augment the existing models of pain and trauma to better understand the dynamics of pain and trauma comorbidity. These ideas will point to targeted complementary clinical approaches, based on mechanistically separable neural biophenotypes for the entanglement of chronic pain and trauma symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina A Strigo
- Emotion and Pain Laboratory, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care Center, 4150 Clement Street, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco, 401 Parnassus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
| | | | - Alan N Simmons
- Center of Excellence in Stress and Mental Health, San Diego Veterans Affairs Health Care Center, 3350 La Jolla Village Dr, San Diego, CA 92161, USA; Stress and Neuroimaging Laboratory, San Diego Veterans Affairs Health Care Center, 3350 La Jolla Village Drive, MC 151-B, San Diego, CA 92161, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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2
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Strigo IA, Kadlec M, Mitchell JM, Simmons AN. Identification of group differences in predictive anticipatory biasing of pain during uncertainty: preparing for the worst but hoping for the best. Pain 2024:00006396-990000000-00554. [PMID: 38501988 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Pain anticipation during conditions of uncertainty can unveil intrinsic biases, and understanding these biases can guide pain treatment interventions. This study used machine learning and functional magnetic resonance imaging to predict anticipatory responses in a pain anticipation experiment. One hundred forty-seven participants that included healthy controls (n = 57) and individuals with current and/or past mental health diagnosis (n = 90) received cues indicating upcoming pain stimuli: 2 cues predicted high and low temperatures, while a third cue introduced uncertainty. Accurate differentiation of neural patterns associated with specific anticipatory conditions was observed, involving activation in the anterior short gyrus of the insula and the nucleus accumbens. Three distinct response profiles emerged: subjects with a negative bias towards high pain anticipation, those with a positive bias towards low pain anticipation, and individuals whose predictions during uncertainty were unbiased. These profiles remained stable over one year, were consistent across diagnosed psychopathologies, and correlated with cognitive coping styles and underlying insula anatomy. The findings suggest that individualized and stable pain anticipation occurs in uncertain conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina A Strigo
- Emotion and Pain Laboratory, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care Center, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Molly Kadlec
- Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care Center, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Jennifer M Mitchell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Alan N Simmons
- San Diego Veterans Affairs Health Care Center, San Diego, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
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3
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Sacca V, Wen Y, Hodges S, Kong J. Modulation effects of repeated transcranial direct current stimulation on the dorsal attention and frontal parietal networks and its association with placebo and nocebo effects. Neuroimage 2023; 284:120433. [PMID: 37939891 PMCID: PMC10768876 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Literature suggests that attention is a critical cognitive process for pain perception and modulation and may play an important role in placebo and nocebo effects. Here, we investigated how repeated transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied at the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) for three consecutive days can modulate the brain functional connectivity (FC) of two networks involved in cognitive control: the frontoparietal network (FPN) and dorsal attention network (DAN), and its association with placebo and nocebo effects. 81 healthy subjects were randomized to three groups: anodal, cathodal, and sham tDCS. Resting state fMRI scans were acquired pre- and post- tDCS on the first and third day of tDCS. An Independent Component Analysis (ICA) was performed to identify the FPN and DAN. ANCOVA was applied for group analysis. Compared to sham tDCS, 1) both cathodal and anodal tDCS increased the FC between the DAN and right parietal operculum; cathodal tDCS also increased the FC between the DAN and right postcentral gyrus; 2) anodal tDCS led to an increased FC between the FPN and right parietal operculum, while cathodal tDCS was associated with increased FC between the FPN and left superior parietal lobule/precuneus; 3) the FC increase between the DAN and right parietal operculum was significantly correlated to the placebo analgesia effect in the cathodal group. Our findings suggest that both repeated cathodal and anodal tDCS could modulate the FC of two important cognitive brain networks (DAN and FPN), which may modulate placebo / nocebo effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Sacca
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Ya Wen
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Sierra Hodges
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA
| | - Jian Kong
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA.
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Meeuwis SH, Wasylewski MT, Bajcar EA, Bieniek H, Adamczyk WM, Honcharova S, Di Nardo M, Mazzoni G, Bąbel P. Learning pain from others: a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies on placebo hypoalgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia induced by observational learning. Pain 2023; 164:2383-2396. [PMID: 37326688 PMCID: PMC10578425 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Observing someone experience pain relief or exacerbation after an intervention may induce placebo hypoalgesia or nocebo hyperalgesia. Understanding the factors that contribute to these effects could help in the development of strategies for optimizing treatment of chronic pain conditions. We systematically reviewed and meta-analyzed the literature on placebo hypoalgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia induced by observational learning (OL). A systematic literature search was conducted in the databases PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, PsycARTICLES, Scopus, and Academic Search Ultimate. Twenty-one studies were included in the systematic review, 17 of which were suitable for meta-analysis (18 experiments; n = 764 healthy individuals). The primary end point was the standardized mean difference (SMD) for pain following placebo cues associated during OL with low vs high pain. Observational learning had a small-to-medium effect on pain ratings (SMD 0.44; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.21-0.68; P < 0.01) and a large effect on pain expectancy (SMD 1.11; 95% CI 0.49-2.04; P < 0.01). The type of observation (in-person vs videotaped) modulated the magnitude of placebo hypoalgesia/nocebo hyperalgesia ( P < 0.01), whereas placebo type did not ( P = 0.23). Finally, OL was more effective when observers' empathic concern (but no other empathy-related factors) was higher ( r = 0.14; 95% CI 0.01-0.27; P = 0.03). Overall, the meta-analysis demonstrates that OL can shape placebo hypoalgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia. More research is needed to identify predictors of these effects and to study them in clinical populations. In the future, OL could be an important tool to help maximize placebo hypoalgesia in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie H. Meeuwis
- Jagiellonian University, Institute of Psychology, Pain Research Group, Kraków, Poland
| | - Mateusz T. Wasylewski
- Jagiellonian University, Institute of Psychology, Pain Research Group, Kraków, Poland
| | - Elżbieta A. Bajcar
- Jagiellonian University, Institute of Psychology, Pain Research Group, Kraków, Poland
| | - Helena Bieniek
- Jagiellonian University, Institute of Psychology, Pain Research Group, Kraków, Poland
| | - Wacław M. Adamczyk
- Jagiellonian University, Institute of Psychology, Pain Research Group, Kraków, Poland
- The Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education, Institute of Physiotherapy and Health Sciences, Katowice, Poland
| | - Sofiia Honcharova
- Jagiellonian University, Institute of Psychology, Pain Research Group, Kraków, Poland
| | - Marianna Di Nardo
- Department of Dynamic, Clinical Psychology and Health, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuliana Mazzoni
- Department of Dynamic, Clinical Psychology and Health, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Przemysław Bąbel
- Jagiellonian University, Institute of Psychology, Pain Research Group, Kraków, Poland
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Yang HJ, Wu HM, Li XH, Jin R, Zhang L, Dong T, Zhou XQ, Zhang B, Zhang QJ, Mao CP. Functional disruptions of the brain network in low back pain: a graph-theoretical study. Neuroradiology 2023; 65:1483-1495. [PMID: 37608218 DOI: 10.1007/s00234-023-03209-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of this study was to investigate alterations in the topological organization of whole-brain functional networks in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) and characterize the relationship of these alterations with pain characteristics. METHODS Thirty-three CLBP patients and 34 matched healthy controls (HCs) underwent fMRI scans. A graph-theoretical approach was applied to identify brain network changes in patients suffering from chronic low back pain given its nonspecific etiology and complexity. Graph theory-based analysis was used to construct functional connectivity matrices and extract the features of small-world networks of the brain in both groups. Then, the whole-brain functional connectivity differences were characterized by network-based statistics (NBS) analysis, and the relationship between the altered brain features and clinical measures was explored. RESULTS At the global level, patients with CLBP showed significantly decreased gamma, sigma, global efficiency, and local efficiency and increased lambda and shortest path length compared with HCs. At the regional level, there were deficits in nodal efficiency within the default mode network and salience network. NBS analysis demonstrated that decreased functional connectivity was present in the CLBP patients, mainly in the frontolimbic circuit and temporal regions. Furthermore, aspects of topological dysfunctions in CLBP were correlated with pain severity. CONCLUSION This study highlighted the aberrant topological organization of functional brain networks in CLBP, which may shed light on the pathophysiology of CLBP and support the development of pain management approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Juan Yang
- Department of Medical Imaging, Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 157, Xi'wu Road, Xi'an, 710004, Shaanxi, China
| | - Hong Mei Wu
- Department of Medical Imaging, Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 157, Xi'wu Road, Xi'an, 710004, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xiao Hui Li
- Department of Medical Imaging, Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 157, Xi'wu Road, Xi'an, 710004, Shaanxi, China
| | - Rui Jin
- Department of Medical Imaging, Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 157, Xi'wu Road, Xi'an, 710004, Shaanxi, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Medical Imaging, Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 157, Xi'wu Road, Xi'an, 710004, Shaanxi, China
| | - Ting Dong
- Department of Medical Imaging, Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 157, Xi'wu Road, Xi'an, 710004, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xiao Qian Zhou
- Department of Medical Imaging, Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 157, Xi'wu Road, Xi'an, 710004, Shaanxi, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department of Medical Imaging, Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 157, Xi'wu Road, Xi'an, 710004, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qiu Juan Zhang
- Department of Medical Imaging, Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 157, Xi'wu Road, Xi'an, 710004, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Cui Ping Mao
- Department of Medical Imaging, Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, 157, Xi'wu Road, Xi'an, 710004, Shaanxi, China.
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Zaworski K, Kadłubowska M, Baj-Korpak J. Impact of Verbal Suggestions on Finger Flexor Activation and Strength in Healthy Individuals. Med Sci Monit 2023; 29:e941548. [PMID: 37723852 PMCID: PMC10517631 DOI: 10.12659/msm.941548] [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: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Words uttered by other people can have an enormous influence on how we perceive our surroundings, what we expect, what we experience, and how we behave. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of verbal reinforcement on the placebo effect in the context of finger flexor muscle activation measured with surface electromyography (sEMG) and hand grip strength measured with a hand dynamometer in healthy subjects. MATERIAL AND METHODS Eighty-eight individuals aged 22.64±5.2 years took part in the study. For each person, paper tape was applied (placebo). The participants were randomly assigned to 1 of the 3 groups: positive information group (P) - "the tape increases hand muscle strength", negative information group (N) - "the tape decreases hand muscle strength", and control group (C) - "the effect of the tape on hand muscle strength is unknown." The activation of muscles was assessed using surface electromyography (sEMG) while measuring the strength of wrist and finger flexors with a hand dynamometer. Each participant was examined twice - prior to and immediately after taping and providing verbal reinforcement. RESULTS Only group N manifested a decrease in muscle strength, from 39.7N to 37.6N (P=0.003). Group C displayed an increase in muscle strength from 34.3N to 36.4N (P=0.035). None of the groups demonstrated statistically significant changes in bioelectrical activity of the muscles. At no stage of examination were the differences between the groups significant. CONCLUSIONS Negative verbal information combined with the placebo intervention resulted in a significant decrease in the strength of finger flexors.
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7
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Weik E, Neuenschwander R, Edgington B, Jensen K, Tipper CM, Oberlander TF. Conditioning induced placebo-like and nocebo-like effects of thermal discomfort in adults but not in youth. Br J Pain 2023; 17:342-351. [PMID: 37538948 PMCID: PMC10395395 DOI: 10.1177/20494637231153364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Conditioning can be used to modulate the perception of pain, in the form of placebo and nocebo effects. Previous studies show inconsistent results as to whether adolescents show similar, weaker, or non-significant conditioned placebo and nocebo effects compared to effects found in adults. There are suggestions that such differences (if any) may dependent on the cues used in the thermal conditioning paradigms. Therefore, in this current study, we utilized novel, neutral 3D-shaped visual cues to implicitly induce conditioned placebo-like and nocebo-like effects in adolescents and adults. Methods During the conditioning paradigm, distinct cues (Fribbles) were paired with low and high temperatures in 24 adults and 20 adolescents (mean age = 25.5 years). In the testing phase, these conditioned cues as well as a neutral (unconditioned) cue were presented with moderate temperatures. Results Thermal discomfort of moderate temperatures was lower when presented with the conditioned low heat cue (placebo-like effect) and higher when thermal stimuli were presented with the high heat cue (nocebo-like effect) compared to the neutral cue. The effects were driven by adults, as neither the placebo-like nor the nocebo-like effect was significant in adolescents. The difference between adolescents and adults was not explained by differences in temperature or discomfort levels, as adults and adolescents had comparable calibrated temperatures and levels of discomfort during heat stimuli. Conclusion Our findings suggest that thermal perception in adolescents is less influenced by conditioning to an engaging novel visual cue, compared to adults. Our work may have implications for better understanding the scope and limitations of conditioning as a key mechanism of placebo and nocebo effects in youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ella Weik
- Department of Psychiatry, BC Mental Health and Addictions Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Regula Neuenschwander
- Department of Pediatrics, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Brinn Edgington
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Karin Jensen
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Christine M Tipper
- Department of Pediatrics, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of British, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Tim F Oberlander
- Department of Psychiatry, BC Mental Health and Addictions Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Hall M, Dobson F, Klyne DM, Zheng CJ, Lima YL, Egorova-Brumley N. Neurobiology of osteoarthritis: a systematic review and activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12442. [PMID: 37528135 PMCID: PMC10394087 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39245-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) affects 240 million people worldwide. Neuroimaging has been increasingly used to investigate brain changes in OA, however, there is considerable heterogeneity in reported results. The goal of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to synthesise existing literature and identify consistent brain alterations in OA. Six databases were searched from inception up to June, 2022. Full-texts of original human studies were included if they had: (i) neuroimaging data by site of OA (e.g. hand, knee, hip); (ii) data in healthy controls (HC); (iii) > 10 participants. Activation likelihood estimation (ALE) was conducted using GingerALE software on studies that reported peak activation coordinates and sample size. Our search strategy identified 6250 articles. Twenty-eight studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria, of which 18 were included in the meta-analysis. There were no significant differences in brain structure or function between OA and healthy control contrasts. In exploratory analysis, the right insula was associated with OA vs healthy controls, with less activity, connectivity and brain volume in OA. This region was implicated in both knee and hip OA, with an additional cluster in the medial prefrontal cortex observed only in the contrast between healthy controls and the hip OA subgroup, suggesting a possible distinction between the neural correlates of OA subtypes. Despite the limitations associated with heterogeneity and poor study quality, this synthesis identified neurobiological outcomes associated with OA, providing insight for future research. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42021238735.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Hall
- Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Medicine, Department of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Centre for Arthritis Research, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Fiona Dobson
- Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Medicine, Department of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - David Murray Klyne
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Carmen Jiamin Zheng
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Yuri Lopes Lima
- School of Health Science and Social Work, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - Natalia Egorova-Brumley
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia.
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Blythe JS, Thomaidou MA, Peerdeman KJ, van Laarhoven AI, van Schothorst MM, Veldhuijzen DS, Evers AW. Placebo effects on cutaneous pain and itch: a systematic review and meta-analysis of experimental results and methodology. Pain 2023; 164:1181-1199. [PMID: 36718994 PMCID: PMC10184563 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Placebo effects, positive treatment outcomes that go beyond treatment processes, can alter sensations through learning mechanisms. Understanding how methodological factors contribute to the magnitude of placebo effects will help define the mechanisms by which these effects occur. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of experimental placebo studies in cutaneous pain and itch in healthy samples, focused on how differences in methodology contribute to the resulting placebo effect magnitude. We conducted meta-analyses by learning mechanism and sensation, namely, for classical conditioning with verbal suggestion, verbal suggestion alone, and observational learning, separately for pain and itch. We conducted subgroup analyses and meta-regression on the type of sensory stimuli, placebo treatment, number of acquisition and evocation trials, differences in calibrated intensities for placebo and control stimuli during acquisition, age, and sex. We replicated findings showing that a combination of classical conditioning with verbal suggestion induced larger placebo effects on pain ( k = 68, g = 0 . 59) than verbal suggestion alone ( k = 39, g = 0.38) and found a smaller effect for itch with verbal suggestion alone ( k = 7, g = 0.14). Using sham electrodes as placebo treatments corresponded with larger placebo effects on pain than when topical gels were used. Other methodological and demographic factors did not significantly affect placebo magnitudes. Placebo effects on pain and itch reliably occur in experimental settings with varied methods, and conditioning with verbal suggestion produced the strongest effects. Although methods may shape the placebo effect to some extent, these effects appear robust overall, and their underlying learning mechanisms may be harnessed for applications outside the laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph S. Blythe
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Mia A. Thomaidou
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Kaya J. Peerdeman
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Antoinette I.M. van Laarhoven
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | - Dieuwke S. Veldhuijzen
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Andrea W.M. Evers
- Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Medical Delta Healthy Society, Leiden University, Technical University Delft, and Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands
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10
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Positive, but not negative, treatment outcome expectancies mediate the relation between depressive symptoms and treatment-related pain reduction. J Behav Med 2022:10.1007/s10865-022-00380-9. [DOI: 10.1007/s10865-022-00380-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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11
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A randomized pharmacological fMRI trial investigating D-cycloserine and brain plasticity mechanisms in learned pain responses. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19080. [PMID: 36351953 PMCID: PMC9646732 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23769-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Learning and negative outcome expectations can increase pain sensitivity, a phenomenon known as nocebo hyperalgesia. Here, we examined how a targeted pharmacological manipulation of learning would impact nocebo responses and their brain correlates. Participants received either a placebo (n = 27) or a single 80 mg dose of D-cycloserine (a partial NMDA receptor agonist; n = 23) and underwent fMRI. Behavioral conditioning and negative suggestions were used to induce nocebo responses. Participants underwent pre-conditioning outside the scanner. During scanning, we first delivered baseline pain stimulations, followed by nocebo acquisition and extinction phases. During acquisition, high intensity thermal pain was paired with supposed activation of sham electrical stimuli (nocebo trials), whereas moderate pain was administered with inactive electrical stimulation (control trials). Nocebo hyperalgesia was induced in both groups (p < 0.001). Nocebo magnitudes and brain activations did not show significant differences between D-cycloserine and placebo. In acquisition and extinction, there were significantly increased activations bilaterally in the amygdala, ACC, and insula, during nocebo compared to control trials. Nocebo acquisition trials also showed increased vlPFC activation. Increased opercular activation differentiated nocebo-augmented pain aggravation from baseline pain. These results support the involvement of integrative cognitive-emotional processes in nocebo hyperalgesia.
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Bingel U, Wiech K, Ritter C, Wanigasekera V, Mhuircheartaigh R, Lee MC, Ploner M, Tracey I. Hippocampus mediates nocebo impairment of opioid analgesia through changes in functional connectivity. Eur J Neurosci 2022; 56:3967-3978. [PMID: 35537867 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The neural mechanisms underlying placebo analgesia have attracted considerable attention over the recent years. In contrast, little is known about the neural underpinnings of a nocebo-induced increase in pain. We previously showed that nocebo-induced hyperalgesia is accompanied by increased activity in the hippocampus that scaled with the perceived level of anxiety. As a key node of the neural circuitry of perceived threat and fear, the hippocampus has recently been proposed to coordinate defensive behaviour in a context-dependent manner. Such a role requires close interactions with other regions involved in the detection of and responses to threat. Here, we investigated the functional connectivity of the hippocampus during nocebo-induced hyperalgesia. Our results show an increase in functional connectivity between hippocampus and brain regions implicated in the processing of sensory-discriminative aspects of pain (posterior insula and primary somatosensory/motor cortex) as well as the periaqueductal gray (PAG). This nocebo-induced increase in connectivity scaled with an individual's increase in anxiety. Moreover, hippocampus connectivity with the amygdala was negatively correlated with the pain intensity reported during nocebo hyperalgesia relative to the placebo condition. Our findings suggest that the hippocampus links nocebo-induced anxiety to a heightened responsiveness to nociceptive input through changes in its crosstalk with pain-modulatory brain areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike Bingel
- Department of Neurology, Center of Translational Neuro- and Behavioural Sciences, Hufelandstraße 55, University Medicine Essen, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Katja Wiech
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, UK
| | - Christoph Ritter
- Department of Neurology, Center of Translational Neuro- and Behavioural Sciences, Hufelandstraße 55, University Medicine Essen, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.,Brain Imaging Facility, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Vishvarani Wanigasekera
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, UK
| | - Roisin Mhuircheartaigh
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, UK.,Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Eccles St., University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Michael C Lee
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, UK.,Division of Anaesthesia, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Markus Ploner
- Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, Department of Neurology, Munich, Germany
| | - Irene Tracey
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, UK
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13
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Louzolo A, Almeida R, Guitart-Masip M, Björnsdotter M, Lebedev A, Ingvar M, Olsson A, Petrovic P. Enhanced Instructed Fear Learning in Delusion-Proneness. Front Psychol 2022; 13:786778. [PMID: 35496229 PMCID: PMC9043131 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.786778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychosis is associated with distorted perceptions and deficient bottom-up learning such as classical fear conditioning. This has been interpreted as reflecting imprecise priors in low-level predictive coding systems. Paradoxically, overly strong beliefs, such as overvalued beliefs and delusions, are also present in psychosis-associated states. In line with this, research has suggested that patients with psychosis and associated phenotypes rely more on high-order priors to interpret perceptual input. In this behavioural and fMRI study we studied two types of fear learning, i.e., instructed fear learning mediated by verbal suggestions about fear contingencies and classical fear conditioning mediated by low level associative learning, in delusion proneness—a trait in healthy individuals linked to psychotic disorders. Subjects were shown four faces out of which two were coupled with an aversive stimulation (CS+) while two were not (CS-) in a fear conditioning procedure. Before the conditioning, subjects were informed about the contingencies for two of the faces of each type, while no information was given for the two other faces. We could thereby study the effect of both classical fear conditioning and instructed fear learning. Our main outcome variable was evaluative rating of the faces. Simultaneously, fMRI-measurements were performed to study underlying mechanisms. We postulated that instructed fear learning, measured with evaluative ratings, is stronger in psychosis-related phenotypes, in contrast to classical fear conditioning that has repeatedly been shown to be weaker in these groups. In line with our hypothesis, we observed significantly larger instructed fear learning on a behavioural level in delusion-prone individuals (n = 20) compared to non-delusion-prone subjects (n = 23; n = 20 in fMRI study). Instructed fear learning was associated with a bilateral activation of lateral orbitofrontal cortex that did not differ significantly between groups. However, delusion-prone subjects showed a stronger functional connectivity between right lateral orbitofrontal cortex and regions processing fear and pain. Our results suggest that psychosis-related states are associated with a strong instructed fear learning in addition to previously reported weak classical fear conditioning. Given the similarity between nocebo paradigms and instructed fear learning, our results also have an impact on understanding why nocebo effects differ between individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anaïs Louzolo
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rita Almeida
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marc Guitart-Masip
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Science and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Malin Björnsdotter
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alexander Lebedev
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Ingvar
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andreas Olsson
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Predrag Petrovic
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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14
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Strigo IA, Keltner JR, Ellis RJ, Simmons AN. Association of painful human immunodeficiency virus distal sensory polyneuropathy with aberrant expectation of pain relief: functional magnetic resonance imaging evidence. Brain Commun 2021; 3:fcab260. [PMID: 34859214 PMCID: PMC8633742 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcab260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanisms underlying chronic neuropathic pain associated with HIV-associated distal sensory polyneuropathy are poorly understood, yet 40% of those with distal neuropathy (or 20% of all people with HIV) suffer from this debilitating condition. Central pain processing mechanisms are thought to contribute to the development of HIV neuropathic pain, yet studies investigating central mechanisms for HIV neuropathic pain are few. Considering the motivational nature of pain, we aimed to examine the degree to which expectation of pain onset and expectation of pain offset are altered in sixty-one male patients with HIV-related distal sensory polyneuropathy with (N = 30) and without (N = 31) chronic neuropathic pain. By contrasting painful (foot) and non-painful (hand) sites between those with and without neuropathic pain, we could identify unique neural structures that showed altered activation during expectation of pain offset or relief. Our results showed no evidence for peripheral mechanisms evidenced by lack of significant between group differences in thermo-sensation, subjective pain response or epidermal nerve fibre density. Likewise, we found no significant differences between groups in subjective or brain mechanisms underlying the expectation of pain onset. Conversely, we found significant interaction within right anterior insula during expectation of pain offset in our study in that individuals in the pain group compared to the no-pain group exhibited increased anterior insula activation on the painful compared to the non-painful site. Our findings are consistent with abnormal processing of expectation of pain offset or abnormal pain relief-related mechanisms potentially due to increased emotional distress regarding the experience of chronic endogenous pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina A Strigo
- Emotion and Pain Laboratory Research, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care Center, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - John R Keltner
- Stress and Neuroimaging Laboratory Research, San Diego Veterans Affairs Health Care Center, San Diego, CA 92151, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Ronald J Ellis
- Department of Neurosciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Alan N Simmons
- Stress and Neuroimaging Laboratory Research, San Diego Veterans Affairs Health Care Center, San Diego, CA 92151, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.,Center of Excellence in Stress and Mental Health Research, San Diego Veterans Affairs Health Care Center, San Diego, CA 92161, USA
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15
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Brainstem Mechanisms of Pain Modulation: A within-Subjects 7T fMRI Study of Placebo Analgesic and Nocebo Hyperalgesic Responses. J Neurosci 2021; 41:9794-9806. [PMID: 34697093 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0806-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Pain perception can be powerfully influenced by an individual's expectations and beliefs. Although the cortical circuitry responsible for pain modulation has been thoroughly investigated, the brainstem pathways involved in the modulatory phenomena of placebo analgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia remain to be directly addressed. This study used ultra-high-field 7 tesla functional MRI (fMRI) to accurately resolve differences in brainstem circuitry present during the generation of placebo analgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia in healthy human participants (N = 25, 12 male). Over 2 successive days, through blinded application of altered thermal stimuli, participants were deceptively conditioned to believe that two inert creams labeled lidocaine (placebo) and capsaicin (nocebo) were acting to modulate their pain relative to a third Vaseline (control) cream. In a subsequent test phase, fMRI image sets were collected while participants were given identical noxious stimuli to all three cream sites. Pain intensity ratings were collected and placebo and nocebo responses determined. Brainstem-specific fMRI analysis revealed altered activity in key pain modulatory nuclei, including a disparate recruitment of the periaqueductal gray (PAG)-rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) pathway when both greater placebo and nocebo effects were observed. Additionally, we found that placebo and nocebo responses differentially activated the parabrachial nucleus but overlapped in engagement of the substantia nigra and locus coeruleus. These data reveal that placebo and nocebo effects are generated through differential engagement of the PAG-RVM pathway, which in concert with other brainstem sites likely influences the experience of pain by modulating activity at the level of the dorsal horn.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Understanding endogenous pain modulatory mechanisms would support development of effective clinical treatment strategies for both acute and chronic pain. Specific brainstem nuclei have long been known to play a central role in nociceptive modulation; however, because of the small size and complex organization of the nuclei, previous neuroimaging efforts have been limited in directly identifying how these subcortical networks interact during the development of antinociceptive and pro-nociceptive effects. We used ultra-high-field fMRI to resolve brainstem structures and measure signal change during placebo analgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia. We define overlapping and disparate brainstem circuitry responsible for altering pain perception. These findings extend our understanding of the detailed organization and function of discrete brainstem nuclei involved in pain processing and modulation.
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16
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Fisher H, Sclocco R, Maeda Y, Kim J, Malatesta C, Gerber J, Audette J, Kettner N, Napadow V. S1 Brain Connectivity in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Underlies Median Nerve and Functional Improvement Following Electro-Acupuncture. Front Neurol 2021; 12:754670. [PMID: 34777225 PMCID: PMC8578723 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2021.754670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a median nerve entrapment neuropathy that alters primary somatosensory cortex (S1) organization. While electro-acupuncture (EA), a form of peripheral neuromodulation, has been shown to improve clinical and neurophysiological CTS outcomes, the role of EA-evoked brain response during therapy (within and beyond S1) for improved outcomes is unknown. We investigated S1-associated whole brain fMRI connectivity during both a resting and sustained EA stimulation state in age-matched healthy controls (N = 28) and CTS patients (N = 64), at baseline and after 8 weeks of acupuncture therapy (local, distal, or sham EA). Compared to healthy controls, CTS patients at baseline showed decreased resting state functional connectivity between S1 and thalamic pulvinar nucleus. Increases in S1/pulvinar connectivity strength following verum EA therapy (combined local and distal) were correlated with improvements in median nerve velocity (r = 0.38, p = 0.035). During sustained local EA, compared to healthy controls, CTS patients demonstrated increased functional connectivity between S1 and anterior hippocampus (aHipp). Following 8 weeks of local EA therapy, S1/aHipp connectivity significantly decreased and greater decrease was associated with improvement in patients' functional status (r = 0.64, p = 0.01) and increased median nerve velocity (r = -0.62, p = 0.013). Thus, connectivity between S1 and other brain areas is also disrupted in CTS patients and may be improved following EA therapy. Furthermore, stimulus-evoked fMRI connectivity adds therapy-specific, mechanistic insight to more common resting state connectivity approaches. Specifically, local EA modulates S1 connectivity to sensory and affective processing regions, linked to patient function and median nerve health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harrison Fisher
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Roberta Sclocco
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Radiology, Logan University, Chesterfield, MO, United States
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Yumi Maeda
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Radiology, Logan University, Chesterfield, MO, United States
| | - Jieun Kim
- Division of Clinical Medicine, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Cristina Malatesta
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jessica Gerber
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Joseph Audette
- Department of Pain Medicine, Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, Atrium Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Norman Kettner
- Department of Radiology, Logan University, Chesterfield, MO, United States
| | - Vitaly Napadow
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Radiology, Logan University, Chesterfield, MO, United States
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
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17
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Yoshino A, Otsuru N, Okada G, Tanaka K, Yokoyama S, Okamoto Y, Yamawaki S. Brain changes associated with impaired attention function in chronic pain. Brain Cogn 2021; 154:105806. [PMID: 34656037 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2021.105806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Attention function is thought to be important in chronic pain, with the pathology of chronic pain closely associated with cognitive-emotional components. However, there have been few neuroimaging studies of the relationship between attention function and chronic pain. We used the method of functional connectivity analysis for resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) data and the Attention Network Test-Revision (ANT-R) to clarify the attention-related pathology of chronic pain. We performed rs-fMRI and ANT-R on a group of 26 chronic pain (somatoform pain disorder) patients and 28 age-matched healthy controls. A significant group difference in validity effects, a component of ANT-R, emerged (F1,46 = 5.91, p = 0.019), and the chronic pain group exhibited slower reaction times. Decreased brain connectivity of the left insula and left frontal regions was confirmed in chronic pain patients (pFWE < 0.05), and connectivity was negatively correlated with validity effects (r = -0.29, permutation test p = 0.033). Further, decreased functional connectivity strength of the right insula and left temporal gyrus in the chronic pain group were confirmed (pFWE < 0.05). We conclude that poor control of attention function results from deficits of functional connectivity in the left insula and left frontal regions in chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsuo Yoshino
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Division of Frontier Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan.
| | - Naofumi Otsuru
- Department of Physical Therapy, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimamichou, Kita-ku, Niigata 950-3198, Japan
| | - Go Okada
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Division of Frontier Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
| | - Keisuke Tanaka
- Division of Clinical Psychology, Health and Special Support, Joetsu University of Education, 1, Yamaashiki-cho, Jyouetsu, Nigata 943-8521, Japan
| | - Satoshi Yokoyama
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Division of Frontier Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
| | - Yasumasa Okamoto
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Division of Frontier Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
| | - Shigeto Yamawaki
- International Affectome Laboratory Center, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
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18
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Cao J, Tu Y, Orr SP, Wilson G, Kong J. Modulatory Effects of Actual and Imagined Acupuncture on the Functional Connectivity of the Periaqueductal Gray and Ventral Tegmental Area. Psychosom Med 2021; 83:870-879. [PMID: 34292206 PMCID: PMC8490288 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000000984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Both acupuncture and guided imagery hold promise for treating pain. The mechanisms underlying these alternative interventions remain unclear. The reported study aimed to comparatively investigate the modulation effect of actual and imagined acupuncture on the functional connectivity of descending pain modulation system and reward network. METHODS Twenty-four healthy participants (mean [standard error], 25.21 [0.77] years of age; 66.67% female) completed a crossover study that included five sessions, a training session and four intervention sessions administered in randomized order. We investigated the modulation effect of real acupuncture, sham acupuncture, video-guided acupuncture imagery treatment (VGAIT) and VGAIT control on the resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) of periaqueductal gray (PAG) and ventral tegmental area (VTA). These are key regions of the descending pain modulatory system and dopaminergic reward system, respectively. RESULTS Compared with sham acupuncture, real acupuncture produced decreased PAG-precuneus (Pcu) rsFC and increased VTA-amygdala/hippocampus rsFC. Heat pain threshold changes applied on the contralateral forearm were significantly associated with the decreased PAG-Pcu (r = 0.49, p = .016) and increased VTA-hippocampus rsFC (r = -0.77, p < .001). Compared with VGAIT control, VGAIT produced decreased PAG-paracentral lobule/posterior cingulate cortex/Pcu, middle cingulate cortex (MCC), and medial prefrontal cortex rsFC, and decreased VTA-caudate and MCC rsFC. Direct comparison between real acupuncture and VGAIT showed that VGAIT decreased rsFC in PAG-paracentral lobule/MCC, VTA-caudate/anterior cingulate cortex/nucleus accumbens, and VTA-MCC. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that both actual and imagined acupuncture can modulate key regions in the descending pain modulatory system and reward networks, but through different pathways. Identification of different pain relief mechanisms may facilitate the development of new pain management methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Cao
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital,
Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Yiheng Tu
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital,
Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Scott P. Orr
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital,
Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Georgia Wilson
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital,
Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Jian Kong
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital,
Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Martinos Brain Imaging Center, Massachusetts General
Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
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19
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Shi Y, Zhan H, Zeng Y, Huang S, Cai G, Yang J, Wu W. Sex Differences in the Blood Oxygen Level-Dependent Signal to Placebo Analgesia and Nocebo Hyperalgesia in Experimental Pain: A Functional MRI Study. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:657517. [PMID: 34497495 PMCID: PMC8419258 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.657517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective Placebo as well as nocebo responses are widely found in scientific research and clinical practice. Growing evidence suggests sex differences in placebo as well as nocebo responses. However, data concerning this question are still insufficient. This study examined whether the BOLD signals of two responses, as measured with functional MRI (fMRI), differ by sex under conditions of equivalent experimental pain perception. Method Thirty-one healthy volunteers (14 female) underwent two fMRI scans, once during a placebo intervention and once during a nocebo intervention, pseudorandomly ordered, in an acute lower back pain (ALBP) model. We collected visual analog scale (VAS) data after each scanning. fMRI data from different sex groups were subjected to functional connectivity (FC) analysis and behavioral correlation analysis (BCA). Results The results showed statistical differences in VAS scores between male and female participants, in both placebo and nocebo responses. Both groups also showed reduced FC in the pain-associated network of the placebo response and elevated FC in the pain-related network of the nocebo response. However, in the placebo condition, male participants displayed increased FC in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, parahippocampal gyrus (PHP), and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), while female participants showed increased FC in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, hippocampal gyrus (HP), and insular cortex (IC). In the nocebo condition, male participants showed decreased FC in the PCC and HP, while female participants displayed decreased FC in the mid-cingulate cortex, thalamus (THS), and HP. The BCA results of the two groups were also different. Conclusion We found that the endogenous opioid system and reward circuit play a key role in sex differences of placebo response and that anxiety and its secondary reactions may cause the sex differences of nocebo response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Shi
- Department of Rehabilitation, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Rehabilitation Medical School, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongrui Zhan
- Department of Rehabilitation, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Department of Rehabilitation, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Yanyan Zeng
- Department of Rehabilitation, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Rehabilitation Medical School, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shimin Huang
- Department of Rehabilitation, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Rehabilitation Medical School, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guiyuan Cai
- Department of Rehabilitation, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Rehabilitation Medical School, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianming Yang
- Department of Radiology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wen Wu
- Department of Rehabilitation, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Rehabilitation Medical School, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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20
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Lee KM, Ferreira-Santos F, Satpute AB. Predictive processing models and affective neuroscience. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:211-228. [PMID: 34517035 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The neural bases of affective experience remain elusive. Early neuroscience models of affect searched for specific brain regions that uniquely carried out the computations that underlie dimensions of valence and arousal. However, a growing body of work has failed to identify these circuits. Research turned to multivariate analyses, but these strategies, too, have made limited progress. Predictive processing models offer exciting new directions to address this problem. Here, we use predictive processing models as a lens to critique prevailing functional neuroimaging research practices in affective neuroscience. Our review highlights how much work relies on rigid assumptions that are inconsistent with a predictive processing approach. We outline the central aspects of a predictive processing model and draw out their implications for research in affective and cognitive neuroscience. Predictive models motivate a reformulation of "reverse inference" in cognitive neuroscience, and placing a greater emphasis on external validity in experimental design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kent M Lee
- Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Ave, 125 NI, Boston, MA 02118, USA.
| | - Fernando Ferreira-Santos
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, Portugal
| | - Ajay B Satpute
- Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Ave, 125 NI, Boston, MA 02118, USA
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21
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Shi Y, Cui S, Zeng Y, Huang S, Cai G, Yang J, Wu W. Brain Network to Placebo and Nocebo Responses in Acute Experimental Lower Back Pain: A Multivariate Granger Causality Analysis of fMRI Data. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:696577. [PMID: 34566591 PMCID: PMC8458622 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.696577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and Objective: Placebo and nocebo responses are widely observed. Herein, we investigated the nocebo hyperalgesia and placebo analgesia responses in brain network in acute lower back pain (ALBP) model using multivariate Granger causality analysis (GCA). This approach analyses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data for lagged-temporal correlation between different brain areas. Method: After completing the ALBP model, 20 healthy subjects were given two interventions, once during a placebo intervention and once during a nocebo intervention, pseudo-randomly ordered. fMRI scans were performed synchronously during each intervention, and visual analog scale (VAS) scores were collected at the end of each intervention. The fMRI data were then analyzed using multivariate GCA. Results: Our results found statistically significant differences in VAS scores from baseline (pain status) for both placebo and nocebo interventions, as well as between placebo and nocebo interventions. In placebo network, we found a negative lagged-temporal correlation between multiple brain areas, including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), secondary somatosensory cortex area, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and insular cortex (IC); and a positive lagged-temporal correlation between multiple brain areas, including IC, thalamus, ACC, as well as the supplementary motor area (SMA). In the nocebo network, we also found a positive lagged-temporal correlation between multiple brain areas, including the primary somatosensory cortex area, caudate, DLPFC and SMA. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that both pain-related network and reward system are involved in placebo and nocebo responses. The placebo response mainly works by activating the reward system and inhibiting pain-related network, while the nocebo response is the opposite. Placebo network also involves the activation of opioid-mediated analgesia system (OMAS) and emotion pathway, while nocebo network involves the deactivation of emotional control. At the same time, through the construction of the GC network, we verified our hypothesis that nocebo and placebo networks share part of the same brain regions, but the two networks also have their own unique structural features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Shi
- Department of Rehabilitation, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shaoye Cui
- Department of Intensive Care Unit, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanyan Zeng
- Department of Rehabilitation, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shimin Huang
- Department of Rehabilitation, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guiyuan Cai
- Department of Rehabilitation, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianming Yang
- Department of Radiology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wen Wu
- Department of Rehabilitation, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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22
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Bajcar EA, Wiercioch-Kuzianik K, Farley D, Buglewicz E, Paulewicz B, Bąbel P. Order does matter: the combined effects of classical conditioning and verbal suggestions on placebo hypoalgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia. Pain 2021; 162:2237-2245. [PMID: 34256381 PMCID: PMC8280968 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2020] [Revised: 01/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT In most experimental studies in which verbal suggestion and classical conditioning are implemented together to induce placebo effects, the former precedes the latter. In naturally occurring situations, however, the information concerning pain does not always precede but often follows the pain experience. Moreover, this information is not always congruent with experience. This study investigates whether the chronology of verbal suggestion and conditioning, as well as their congruence, affects placebo hypoalgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia. The effects induced in 15 groups were compared. The participants in 8 experimental groups were presented with verbal suggestions that were either congruent or incongruent with classical conditioning. The verbal suggestions were provided either before or after conditioning. In 2 other experimental groups, placebo conditioning or nocebo conditioning was implemented without any verbal suggestion; in 2 groups, verbal suggestion of hypoalgesia or hyperalgesia without conditioning was applied. The control groups without any suggestions or conditioning were also included. Placebo hypoalgesia induced by congruent procedures was significantly stronger when the suggestion of hypoalgesia preceded rather than followed conditioning. The order of the congruent procedures did not affect the magnitude of nocebo hyperalgesia. In the groups in which incongruent procedures were implemented, placebo hypoalgesia or nocebo hyperalgesia was in line with the direction of the last-used procedure, regardless of whether it was conditioning or verbal suggestion. The results show that not the type of the procedure (verbal suggestion or conditioning), but the direction of the last-used procedure shapes pain-related expectancies and determines placebo effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elżbieta A. Bajcar
- Jagiellonian University, Institute of Psychology, Pain Research Group, Kraków, Poland
| | | | - Dominika Farley
- Jagiellonian University, Institute of Psychology, Pain Research Group, Kraków, Poland
| | - Ewa Buglewicz
- Jagiellonian University, Institute of Psychology, Pain Research Group, Kraków, Poland
| | | | - Przemysław Bąbel
- Jagiellonian University, Institute of Psychology, Pain Research Group, Kraków, Poland
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Horváth Á, Köteles F, Szabo A. Nocebo effects on motor performance: A systematic literature review. Scand J Psychol 2021; 62:665-674. [PMID: 34145580 DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Directionally opposite to placebo effects are the nocebo effects that negatively impact people's thoughts, feelings, and actions. An important but scarcely studied aspect of everyday functioning is motor performance, in which nocebo effects might impair athletic skills and the much-needed purposeful daily movements and motor actions. The aim of this literature review is to unveil the nocebo effects on motor performance. Searched databases were PubMed, PsycINFO, and SPORTDiscus. Twenty-one articles, reporting 23 studies, met the eligibility criteria for inclusion in the current review. All reports exhibited "some" risk of bias. Of the 23 studies, 14 found a nocebo effect on motor performance, equivocal results emerged from two studies, and negative findings were reported in seven studies. Most (10/12) studies using a between-subjects design have reported a nocebo effect. The mean effect size was 0.60, suggesting a medium-to-large effect of nocebo intervention on motor performance. Based on this review, we conclude that nocebo effects do influence motor performance and can be evoked with negative verbal information. This effect may be more robust than the placebo effect but also depends on the type of motor performance, on the examined sample, and on the nocebo agent. Hence, nocebo effects should be recognized and controlled in empirical research on motor performance, and they should be prevented or extinguished in practical and therapeutic settings. More extensive examination of the nocebo effect on motor performance is warranted, especially using between-subjects research design and a "no agent" control condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Áron Horváth
- Doctoral School of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.,Institute of Health Promotion and Sport Sciences, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ferenc Köteles
- Institute of Health Promotion and Sport Sciences, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Attila Szabo
- Institute of Health Promotion and Sport Sciences, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.,Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
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Vencatachellum S, van der Meulen M, Van Ryckeghem DML, Van Damme S, Vögele C. Brief mindfulness training can mitigate the influence of prior expectations on pain perception. Eur J Pain 2021; 25:2007-2019. [PMID: 34101937 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.1817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2021] [Revised: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent neuroimaging evidence suggests that mindfulness practice may mitigate the biasing influence of prior cognitive and emotional expectations on pain perception. The current study tested this hypothesis using a pain-cueing paradigm, which has reliably been shown to elicit conditioned hypoalgesic and hyperalgesic effects. Specifically, we aimed to investigate whether the instructed use of a mindfulness compared to a suppression strategy differentially modulates the magnitudes of conditioned hypoalgesia and hyperalgesia. METHODS Sixty-two healthy non-meditators were assigned to listen to either brief mindfulness or suppression instructions, in between the conditioning and testing phases of a pain-cueing task. Participants provided ratings of anticipatory anxiety, pain intensity and pain unpleasantness throughout the task. They also completed trait and state self-report measures of mindfulness and pain catastrophizing. RESULTS Results indicated that the paradigm was successful in inducing conditioned hyperalgesic and hypoalgesic effects. Importantly, while we found evidence of cue-induced hyperalgesia in both groups, only the suppression group reported cue-induced hypoalgesia. No group differences in pain ratings were found for unconditioned (novel-cued) stimuli. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide partial support for recently proposed predictive processing models, which posit that mindfulness may lead to a prioritization of current sensory information over previous expectations. We explore potential explanations for the asymmetrical group differences in conditioned hypoalgesia versus conditioned hyperalgesia, and discuss our results in light of recent neuroimaging insights into the neuropsychological mechanisms of mindfulness and expectancy-driven pain modulation. SIGNIFICANCE The current study provides novel insights into the working mechanisms of mindfulness-driven pain modulation. Our data suggest that brief mindfulness training may reduce the influence of prior beliefs and expectations on pain perception. This finding adds to growing evidence suggesting that mindfulness may alleviate pain via neuropsychological mechanisms opposite to those typically observed in conditioning/placebo procedures and other cognitive manipulations. These unique mechanisms underline the potential of mindfulness as an alternative to traditional cognitive pain regulatory strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shervin Vencatachellum
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, Institute for Health and Behaviour, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Marian van der Meulen
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, Institute for Health and Behaviour, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Dimitri M L Van Ryckeghem
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, Institute for Health and Behaviour, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.,Experimental Health Psychology and Clinical Psychological Science, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Stefaan Van Damme
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Claus Vögele
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, Institute for Health and Behaviour, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
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Projections from the lateral parabrachial nucleus to the lateral and ventral lateral periaqueductal gray subregions mediate the itching sensation. Pain 2021; 162:1848-1863. [PMID: 33449512 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Lateral and ventral lateral subregions of the periaqueductal gray (l/vlPAG) have been proved to be pivotal components in descending circuitry of itch processing, and their effects are related to the subclassification of neurons that were meditated. In this study, lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPB), one of the most crucial relay stations in the ascending pathway, was taken as the input nucleus to examine the modulatory effect of l/vlPAG neurons that received LPB projections. Anatomical tracing, chemogenetic, optogenetic, and local pharmacological approaches were used to investigate the participation of the LPB-l/vlPAG pathway in itch and pain sensation in mice. First, morphological evidence for projections from vesicular glutamate transporter-2-containing neurons in the LPB to l/vlPAG involved in itch transmission has been provided. Furthermore, chemogenetic and optogenetic activation of the LPB-l/vlPAG pathway resulted in both antipruritic effect and analgesic effect, whereas pharmacogenetic inhibition strengthened nociceptive perception without affecting spontaneous scratching behavior. Finally, in vivo pharmacology was combined with optogenetics which revealed that AMPA receptor-expressing neurons in l/vlPAG might play a more essential role in pathway modulation. These findings provide a novel insight about the connections between 2 prominent transmit nuclei, LPB and l/vlPAG, in both pruriceptive and nociceptive sensations and deepen the understanding of l/vlPAG modulatory roles in itch sensation by chosen LPB as source of ascending efferent projections.
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Temporal structure of brain oscillations predicts learned nocebo responses to pain. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9807. [PMID: 33963251 PMCID: PMC8105329 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89368-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to identify electrophysiological correlates of nocebo-augmented pain. Nocebo hyperalgesia (i.e., increases in perceived pain resulting from negative expectations) has been found to impact how healthy and patient populations experience pain and is a phenomenon that could be better understood in terms of its neurophysiological underpinnings. In this study, nocebo hyperalgesia was induced in 36 healthy participants through classical conditioning and negative suggestions. Electroencephalography was recorded during rest (pre- and post-acquisition) and during pain stimulation (baseline, acquisition, evocation) First, participants received baseline high thermal pain stimulations. During nocebo acquisition, participants learned to associate an inert gel applied to their forearm with administered high pain stimuli, relative to moderate intensity control stimuli administered without gel. During evocation, all stimuli were accompanied by moderate pain, to measure nocebo responses to the inert gel. Pre- to post-acquisition beta-band alterations in long-range temporal correlations (LRTC) were negatively associated with nocebo magnitudes. Individuals with strong resting LRTC showed larger nocebo responses than those with weaker LRTC. Nocebo acquisition trials showed reduced alpha power. Alpha power was higher while LRTC were lower during nocebo-augmented pain, compared to baseline. These findings support nocebo learning theories and highlight a role of nocebo-induced cognitive processing.
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Manipulating placebo analgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia by changing brain excitability. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2101273118. [PMID: 33941677 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2101273118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Harnessing placebo and nocebo effects has significant implications for research and medical practice. Placebo analgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia, the most well-studied placebo and nocebo effects, are thought to initiate from the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and then trigger the brain's descending pain modulatory system and other pain regulation pathways. Combining repeated transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), an expectancy manipulation model, and functional MRI, we investigated the modulatory effects of anodal and cathodal tDCS at the right DLPFC on placebo analgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia using a randomized, double-blind and sham-controlled design. We found that compared with sham tDCS, active tDCS could 1) boost placebo and blunt nocebo effects and 2) modulate brain activity and connectivity associated with placebo analgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia. These results provide a basis for mechanistic manipulation of placebo and nocebo effects and may lead to improved clinical outcomes in medical practice.
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Thomaidou MA, Peerdeman KJ, Koppeschaar MI, Evers AWM, Veldhuijzen DS. How Negative Experience Influences the Brain: A Comprehensive Review of the Neurobiological Underpinnings of Nocebo Hyperalgesia. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:652552. [PMID: 33841092 PMCID: PMC8024470 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.652552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
This comprehensive review summarizes and interprets the neurobiological correlates of nocebo hyperalgesia in healthy humans. Nocebo hyperalgesia refers to increased pain sensitivity resulting from negative experiences and is thought to be an important variable influencing the experience of pain in healthy and patient populations. The young nocebo field has employed various methods to unravel the complex neurobiology of this phenomenon and has yielded diverse results. To comprehend and utilize current knowledge, an up-to-date, complete review of this literature is necessary. PubMed and PsychInfo databases were searched to identify studies examining nocebo hyperalgesia while utilizing neurobiological measures. The final selection included 22 articles. Electrophysiological findings pointed toward the involvement of cognitive-affective processes, e.g., modulation of alpha and gamma oscillatory activity and P2 component. Findings were not consistent on whether anxiety-related biochemicals such as cortisol plays a role in nocebo hyperalgesia but showed an involvement of the cyclooxygenase-prostaglandin pathway, endogenous opioids, and dopamine. Structural and functional neuroimaging findings demonstrated that nocebo hyperalgesia amplified pain signals in the spinal cord and brain regions involved in sensory and cognitive-affective processing including the prefrontal cortex, insula, amygdala, and hippocampus. These findings are an important step toward identifying the neurobiological mechanisms through which nocebo effects may exacerbate pain. Results from the studies reviewed are discussed in relation to cognitive-affective and physiological processes involved in nocebo and pain. One major limitation arising from this review is the inconsistency in methods and results in the nocebo field. Yet, while current findings are diverse and lack replication, methodological differences are able to inform our understanding of the results. We provide insights into the complexities and involvement of neurobiological processes in nocebo hyperalgesia and call for more consistency and replication studies. By summarizing and interpreting the challenging and complex neurobiological nocebo studies this review contributes, not only to our understanding of the mechanisms through which nocebo effects exacerbate pain, but also to our understanding of current shortcomings in this field of neurobiological research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mia A. Thomaidou
- Health, Medical & Neuropsychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Kaya J. Peerdeman
- Health, Medical & Neuropsychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, Netherlands
| | | | - Andrea W. M. Evers
- Health, Medical & Neuropsychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, Netherlands
- Medical Delta Healthy Society, Leiden University, Technical University Delft, & Erasmus UniversityRotterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Dieuwke S. Veldhuijzen
- Health, Medical & Neuropsychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, Netherlands
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Tu Y, Pantazis D, Wilson G, Khan S, Ahlfors S, Kong J. How expectations of pain elicited by consciously and unconsciously perceived cues unfold over time. Neuroimage 2021; 235:117985. [PMID: 33762214 PMCID: PMC8248481 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.117985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Expectation can shape the perception of pain within a fraction of time, but little is known about how perceived expectation unfolds over time and modulates pain perception. Here, we combine magnetoencephalography (MEG) and machine learning approaches to track the neural dynamics of expectations of pain in healthy participants with both sexes. We found that the expectation of pain, as conditioned by facial cues, can be decoded from MEG as early as 150 ms and up to 1100 ms after cue onset, but decoding expectation elicited by unconsciously perceived cues requires more time and decays faster compared to consciously perceived ones. Also, results from temporal generalization suggest that neural dynamics of decoding cue-based expectation were predominately sustained during cue presentation but transient after cue presentation. Finally, although decoding expectation elicited by consciously perceived cues were based on a series of time-restricted brain regions during cue presentation, decoding relied on the medial prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex after cue presentation for both consciously and unconsciously perceived cues. These findings reveal the conscious and unconscious processing of expectation during pain anticipation and may shed light on enhancing clinical care by demonstrating the impact of expectation cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiheng Tu
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Dimitrios Pantazis
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; McGovern Institute of Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Georgia Wilson
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Sheraz Khan
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Seppo Ahlfors
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Jian Kong
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA.
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Sung YK, Lee YH. Placebo and nocebo responses in randomized controlled trials of Janus kinase inhibitor monotherapy for rheumatoid arthritis : A meta-analysis. Z Rheumatol 2021; 81:430-437. [PMID: 33687525 DOI: 10.1007/s00393-021-00969-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The goal of this meta-analysis was to assess the frequency and magnitude of placebo and nocebo responses in placebo-controlled randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor monotherapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) METHODS: We performed a meta-analysis on the rates of placebo response, adverse effects (AEs), severe AEs (SAEs) and withdrawal due to AEs in placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of JAK inhibitor therapy for RA. RESULTS Five RCTs contained a total of 1422 patients (746 trial participants and 676 controls). The pooled incidence of an American College of Rheumatology 20% (ACR20) response rate was 33.0% (95% CI 19.6-44.9%) in placebo-treated patients and 68.3% (95% CI 61.4-74.1%) in active drug-treated patients. A strong negative correlation was observed between drug efficacies (ACR20 response) and AE rates in the placebo arm, indicating that the stronger the placebo response, the weaker the nocebo response (r = -0.906, P = 0.034). The pooled estimate of at least one AE was 54.1% (95% CI 44.6-63.4%) in placebo-treated patients and 54.5% (95% CI 46.2-62.6%) in active drug-treated patients. The pooled SAE rate was 3.9% (95% CI 2.7-5.7%) in placebo-treated patients and 3.8% (95% CI 2.5-5.7%) in active comparator-treated patients. The pooled estimate of withdrawal owing to an AE was 4.1% (95% CI 1.4-11.3%) in placebo-treated patients and 2.1% (95% CI 0.8-5.4%) in active drug-treated patients. However, there were no differences in the pooled risk of AE, SAEs, or withdrawal owing to AEs between the active comparator and placebo groups. A strong positive correlation was observed in AE rates between the placebo and active arms, indicating that the stronger the nocebo response, the higher the AE rate in the active arm (r = 0.957, P = 0.012). CONCLUSION The frequency of placebo and nocebo responses was 33.0 and 54.1%, respectively, in JAK monotherapy trials for RA. The findings indicated that the strengths of placebo and nocebo responses are inversely proportional and that clinically significant differences were absent between AE, SAE, and dropout owing to AEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoon-Kyoung Sung
- Department of Rheumatology, Hanyang University Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, Seoul, Korea (Republic of)
| | - Young Ho Lee
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, 73, Goryeodae-ro, Seongbuk-gu, 02841, Seoul, Korea (Republic of).
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Zunhammer M, Spisák T, Wager TD, Bingel U. Meta-analysis of neural systems underlying placebo analgesia from individual participant fMRI data. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1391. [PMID: 33654105 PMCID: PMC7925520 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21179-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain systems underlying placebo analgesia are insufficiently understood. Here we performed a systematic, participant-level meta-analysis of experimental functional neuroimaging studies of evoked pain under stimulus-intensity-matched placebo and control conditions, encompassing 603 healthy participants from 20 (out of 28 eligible) studies. We find that placebo vs. control treatments induce small, widespread reductions in pain-related activity, particularly in regions belonging to ventral attention (including mid-insula) and somatomotor networks (including posterior insula). Behavioral placebo analgesia correlates with reduced pain-related activity in these networks and the thalamus, habenula, mid-cingulate, and supplementary motor area. Placebo-associated activity increases occur mainly in frontoparietal regions, with high between-study heterogeneity. We conclude that placebo treatments affect pain-related activity in multiple brain areas, which may reflect changes in nociception and/or other affective and decision-making processes surrounding pain. Between-study heterogeneity suggests that placebo analgesia is a multi-faceted phenomenon involving multiple cerebral mechanisms that differ across studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Zunhammer
- Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences, Dept. of Neurology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Tamás Spisák
- Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences, Dept. of Neurology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Tor D Wager
- Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA.
| | - Ulrike Bingel
- Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences, Dept. of Neurology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
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Distinct neural networks subserve placebo analgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia. Neuroimage 2021; 231:117833. [PMID: 33549749 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.117833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Neural networks involved in placebo analgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia processes have been widely investigated with neuroimaging methods. However, few studies have directly compared these two processes and it remains unclear whether common or distinct neural circuits are involved. To address this issue, we implemented a coordinate-based meta-analysis and compared neural representations of placebo analgesia (30 studies; 205 foci; 677 subjects) and nocebo hyperalgesia (22 studies; 301 foci; 401 subjects). Contrast analyses confirmed placebo-specific concordance in the right ventral striatum, and nocebo-specific concordance in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), left posterior insula and left parietal operculum during combined pain anticipation and administration stages. Importantly, no overlapping regions were found for these two processes in conjunction analyses, even when the threshold was low. Meta-analytic connectivity modeling (MACM) and resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) analyses on key regions further confirmed the distinct brain networks underlying placebo analgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia. Together, these findings indicate that the placebo analgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia processes involve distinct neural circuits, which supports the view that the two phenomena may operate via different neuropsychological processes.
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Thomaidou MA, Veldhuijzen DS, Meulders A, Evers AWM. An experimental investigation into the mediating role of pain-related fear in boosting nocebo hyperalgesia. Pain 2021; 162:287-299. [PMID: 32910630 PMCID: PMC7737877 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Nocebo hyperalgesia refers to increases in perceived pain that putatively result from negative expectations regarding a nocebo stimulus (eg, an inert treatment, compared with no treatment). The precise cognitive-emotional factors contributing to the origins of nocebo effects are poorly understood. We aimed to test the effects of experimentally induced pain-related fear on the acquisition and extinction of nocebo hyperalgesia in healthy participants (N = 72). Acquisition and extinction of nocebo hyperalgesia were compared between a group receiving standard nocebo conditioning (Control group) and 2 groups receiving distinct fear inductions: high intensity of pain stimulations (High-pain group) or a threat manipulation (High-threat group). During nocebo acquisition, the Control and High-threat groups were administered thermal pain stimulations of moderate intensity paired with sham electrical stimulation (nocebo trials), whereas high pain intensity was administered to the High-pain group. During extinction, equivalent pain intensities were administered across all trials. Pain-related fear was measured by eyeblink startle electromyography and self-report. Nocebo hyperalgesia occurred in all groups. Nocebo effects were significantly larger in the High-pain group than those in the Control group. This effect was mediated by self-reported fear, but not by fear-potentiated startle. Groups did not differ in the extinction rate. However, only the High-pain group maintained significant nocebo responses at the end of extinction. Anticipatory pain-related fear induced through a threat manipulation did not amplify nocebo hyperalgesia. These findings suggest that fear of high pain may be a key contributor to the amplification of nocebo hyperalgesia, only when high pain is experienced and not when it is merely anticipated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mia Athina Thomaidou
- Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain & Cognition, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Dieuwke Swaantje Veldhuijzen
- Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain & Cognition, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Ann Meulders
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Andrea Walburga Maria Evers
- Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain & Cognition, Leiden, the Netherlands
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Abstract
Background: Healing is a complicated process that can have several components including the self-healing properties of the body, the nonspecific effects of treatment (e.g., the power of the mind), and the specific effects of an intervention. This article first discusses the brain imaging studies on placebo acupuncture analgesia and the modulation effects of expectancy on real acupuncture in healthy subjects. Then, it introduces some attempts to translate findings from healthy subjects to patient population using power of the mind as a way to enhance acupuncture's treatment effects on chronic pain. After that, a new alternative method which merges acupuncture and imagery, while also drawing on power of the mind, is presented. Finally, the specific effects of acupuncture are discussed. Conclusions: Elucidating the mechanism underlying power of the mind would provide new opportunities for boosting the therapeutic effect of acupuncture treatment and furthering the development of new alternative interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Kong
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, MA, USA
| | - Maya Nicole Eshel
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, MA, USA
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Ushio K, Nakanishi K, Mikami Y, Yoshino A, Takamura M, Hirata K, Akiyama Y, Kimura H, Okamoto Y, Adachi N. Altered Resting-State Connectivity with Pain-Related Expectation Regions in Female Patients with Severe Knee Osteoarthritis. J Pain Res 2020; 13:3227-3234. [PMID: 33299346 PMCID: PMC7719440 DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s268529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Expectation affects pain experience in humans. Numerous studies have reported that pre-stimulus activity in the anterior insular cortex (aIC), together with prefrontal and limbic regions, integrated pain intensity and expectations. However, it is unclear whether the resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) between the aIC and other brain regions affects chronic pain. The purpose of this study was to examine the rs-FC between the aIC and the whole brain regions in female patients with severe knee osteoarthritis (OA). Patients and Methods Nineteen female patients with chronic severe knee OA and 15 matched controls underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. We compared the rs-FC from the aIC seed region between the two groups. A disease-specific measurement of knee OA was performed. Results The aIC showed stronger rs-FC with the right orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), subcallosal area, and bilateral frontal pole compared with controls. The strength of rs-FC between the left aIC and the right OFC was positively correlated with the knee OA pain score (r = 0.49, p = 0.03). The strength of rs-FC between the right aIC and right OFC was positively correlated with the knee OA total score (r = 0.48, p = 0.036) and pain score (r = 0.46, p = 0.049). The OFC, subcallosal area, and frontal pole, together with the aIC, were activated during anticipation of pain stimulus. These areas have been reported as representative pain-related expectation regions. Conclusion This was the first study to show the stronger rs-FCs between the aIC and other pain-related expectation regions in female patients with severe knee OA. Female sex and preoperative pain intensity are risk factors of persistent postoperative pain after total knee arthroplasty. It is suggested that the functional relationship between pain-related expectation regions affects the formation of severe knee OA and persistent postoperative pain following total knee arthroplasty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Ushio
- Department of Rehabilitation, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.,Sports Medical Center, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Kazuyoshi Nakanishi
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.,Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Nihon University School of Medicine, Nihon University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yukio Mikami
- Department of Rehabilitation, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.,Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Atsuo Yoshino
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Masahiro Takamura
- Brain, Mind and KANSEI Sciences Research Center, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Hirata
- Sports Medical Center, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Yuji Akiyama
- Department of Clinical Radiology, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Kimura
- Department of Rehabilitation, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.,Sports Medical Center, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Yasumasa Okamoto
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Nobuo Adachi
- Sports Medical Center, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.,Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
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Amanzio M, Howick J, Bartoli M, Cipriani GE, Kong J. How Do Nocebo Phenomena Provide a Theoretical Framework for the COVID-19 Pandemic? Front Psychol 2020; 11:589884. [PMID: 33192929 PMCID: PMC7661580 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.589884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic is a major health issue, which leads to psychological and behavioural changes. In particular, among various negative feelings, fear seems to be one of the main emotional reactions that can be as contagious as the virus itself. The actual pandemic is likely to function as an important stressor, especially in terms of chronic anxiety and lack of control over the succession of unforeseeable environmental events. In this direction, the psychological impact of previous quarantine measures showed important negative psychological effects, including post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTTS) with long-lasting effects. The presence of psychological discomfort and disturbances due to negative contextual factors can be studied using the nocebo phenomenon as a possible theoretical explanatory framework. Although in the absence of studies linking nocebo to Covid-19 and data-driven evidence, the context of the actual pandemic may be seen as a fertile ground for amplified discomfort and anxiety. The media provide dramatic and negative descriptions and often present conflicting sources of information, which can lead to physical and mental health problems, diminishing response to treatment. This can be worse when supported by conspiracy theories or misinformation. The aim of this perspective review is to propose a new theoretical framework for the COVID-19 pandemic, which should be supported by future empirical studies. In particular, the negative contextual factors, which can predispose individuals to psychological distress and the onset of the nocebo phenomena will be presented here, in order to suggest possible guidelines to mitigate the devastating effects of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Amanzio
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP-AHA), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jeremy Howick
- Faculty of Philosophy, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Jian Kong
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, United States
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Shi Y, Huang S, Zhan H, Wang Y, Zeng Y, Cai G, Yang J, Wu W. Personality Differences of Brain Networks in Placebo Analgesia and Nocebo Hyperalgesia: A Psychophysiological Interaction (PPI) Approach in fMRI. Neural Plast 2020; 2020:8820443. [PMID: 33133178 PMCID: PMC7591942 DOI: 10.1155/2020/8820443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
It is generally believed that the placebo response can elicit an analgesic effect, whilst the nocebo response can elicit a hyperalgesia effect in pain. Placebo analgesia and nocebo hyperalgesia effects are increasing concerns for researchers. Growing evidence suggests personality differences have an impact on both placebo and nocebo effects. However, previous studies have not reached a unified conclusion. We designed this study to explore the personality differences of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signals in placebo response and nocebo response by using psychophysiological interaction (PPI) analysis. 30 healthy subjects underwent conditioning induction training to establish expectations of placebo effect and nocebo effect, and then, all subjects completed the following experimental procedures: (1) baseline scanning, (2) acute pain model establishment, (3) pain status scanning, and (4) pseudorandom scanning of block design of placebo response or nocebo response. Behavioral data were collected after each scan. The results of this study showed that (1) there were significant differences of VAS placebo intervention between the extrovert group and the introvert group (p = 0.004); (2) there were significant differences of VAS nocebo intervention between the extrovert group and the introvert group (p = 0.011); (3) there were significant differences between the VAS placebo intervention and VAS pain status (baseline) in both the extrovert group (p < 0.001) and the introvert group (p = 0.001); (4) there were significant differences between the VAS nocebo intervention and VAS pain status (baseline) in both the extrovert group (p = 0.008) and the introvert group (p < 0.001). Moreover, there were significant differences in the brain network for placebo and nocebo responses between different personalities. We found that (1) deactivation differences of the pain-related network and limbic system play an important role in personality differences associated with placebo analgesia and (2) differences of control of anxiety and activation of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex may cause the personality differences observed in nocebo hyperalgesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Shi
- Department of Rehabilitation, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China
| | - Shimin Huang
- Department of Rehabilitation, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China
| | - Hongrui Zhan
- Department of Rehabilitation, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China
| | - Yaping Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China
| | - Yanyan Zeng
- Department of Rehabilitation, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China
| | - Guiyuan Cai
- Department of Rehabilitation, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China
| | - Jianming Yang
- Department of Radiology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China
| | - Wen Wu
- Department of Rehabilitation, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282, China
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Tinnermann A, Büchel C, Cohen-Adad J. Cortico-spinal imaging to study pain. Neuroimage 2020; 224:117439. [PMID: 33039624 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional magnetic resonance imaging of the brain has helped to reveal mechanisms of pain perception in health and disease. Recently, imaging approaches have been developed that allow recording neural activity simultaneously in the brain and in the spinal cord. These approaches offer the possibility to examine pain perception in the entire central pain system and in addition, to investigate cortico-spinal interactions during pain processing. Although cortico-spinal imaging is a promising technique, it bears challenges concerning data acquisition and data analysis strategies. In this review, we discuss studies that applied simultaneous imaging of the brain and spinal cord to explore central pain processing. Furthermore, we describe different MR-related acquisition techniques, summarize advantages and disadvantages of approaches that have been implemented so far and present software that has been specifically developed for the analysis of spinal fMRI data to address challenges of spinal data analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Tinnermann
- Department for Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; Max Planck School of Cognition, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Christian Büchel
- Department for Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; Max Planck School of Cognition, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Julien Cohen-Adad
- NeuroPoly Lab, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Functional Neuroimaging Unit, CRIUGM, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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Testing a positive-affect induction to reduce verbally induced nocebo hyperalgesia in an experimental pain paradigm. Pain 2020; 160:2290-2297. [PMID: 31107412 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
There is an ethical obligation to notify individuals about potential pain associated with diagnoses, treatments, and procedures; however, supplying this information risks inducing nocebo hyperalgesia. Currently, there are few empirically derived strategies for reducing nocebo hyperalgesia. Because nocebo effects are linked to negative affectivity, we tested the hypothesis that a positive-affect induction can disrupt nocebo hyperalgesia from verbal suggestion. Healthy volunteers (N = 147) were randomly assigned to conditions in a 2 (affect induction: positive vs neutral) by 2 (verbal suggestion: no suggestion vs suggestion of pain increase) between-subjects design. Participants were induced to experience positive or neutral affect by watching movie clips for 15 minutes. Next, participants had an inert cream applied to their nondominant hand, and suggestion was manipulated by telling only half the participants the cream could increase the pain of the upcoming cold pressor test. Subsequently, all participants underwent the cold pressor test (8 ± 0.04°C), wherein they submerged the nondominant hand and rated pain intensity on numerical rating scales every 20 seconds up to 2 minutes. In the neutral-affect conditions, there was evidence for the nocebo hyperalgesia effect: participants given the suggestion of pain displayed greater pain than participants not receiving this suggestion, P's < 0.05. Demonstrating a blockage effect, nocebo hyperalgesia did not occur in the positive-affect conditions, P's > 0.5. This is the first study to show that positive affect may disrupt nocebo hyperalgesia thereby pointing to a novel strategy for decreasing nocebo effects without compromising the communication of medical information to patients in clinical settings.
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Muñoz-Leyva F, Cubillos J, Chin KJ. Managing rebound pain after regional anesthesia. Korean J Anesthesiol 2020; 73:372-383. [PMID: 32773724 PMCID: PMC7533186 DOI: 10.4097/kja.20436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Rebound pain after regional anesthesia can be defined as transient acute postoperative pain that ensues following resolution of sensory blockade, and is clinically significant, either with regard to the intensity of pain or the impact on psychological well-being, quality of recovery, and activities of daily living. Current evidence suggests that it represents an unmasking of the expected nociceptive response in the absence of adequate systemic analgesia, rather than an exaggerated hyperalgesic phenomenon induced by local anesthetic neural blockade. In the majority of patients, it does not appear to significantly impact cumulative postoperative opioid consumption, quality of recovery, or patient satisfaction, and is not associated with longer-term sequelae such as persistent post-surgical pain. Nevertheless, it must be considered whenever regional anesthesia is incorporated into perioperative management. Strategies to mitigate the impact of rebound pain include routine prescribing of a systemic multimodal analgesic regimen, as well as patient education on appropriate expectations regarding block offset and expected surgical pain, and timely initiation of analgesic medication. Prolonging the duration of action of regional anesthesia with continuous catheter techniques or local anesthetic adjuncts may also help alleviate rebound pain, although further research is required to confirm this.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Muñoz-Leyva
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Javier Cubillos
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, University Hospital, London Health Sciences Center, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Ki Jinn Chin
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Zech N, Schrödinger M, Seemann M, Zeman F, Seyfried TF, Hansen E. Time-Dependent Negative Effects of Verbal and Non-verbal Suggestions in Surgical Patients-A Study on Arm Muscle Strength. Front Psychol 2020; 11:1693. [PMID: 32849024 PMCID: PMC7399336 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The medical environment is full of suggestions that affect patients and their healing. Most of them inadvertently are negative, thus evoking nocebo effects. Recently, we have reported on the effect of such verbal and non-verbal suggestions as well as alternative formulations on maximal muscular arm strength in healthy volunteers. In the present study, we tested the same suggestions in patients at two time points to evaluate nocebo effects in a clinical situation and the impact of the approaching surgery date. Methods In 45 patients, maximal muscular strength during arm abduction was measured by dynamometry of the deltoid muscle group. One test was several days before and the second on the evening before surgery. Baseline values were compared to the performance after exposure to 18 verbal and non-verbal suggestions. The sequence of presumably negative and positive suggestions was randomized for each patient in order to avoid cumulation effects of immediate succession of two negatives. State anxiety was evaluated at both time points, and suggestibility was measured after surgery. Results Strong and statistically significant weakening effects were observed with all presumed negative suggestions from daily clinical practice including words of encouragement (91.4% of baseline), evaluation of symptoms (89.0%), announcement of a medical intervention (82.8%), a negative memory (86.5%), expectation of an uncertain future (82.8%), and non-verbal signals (87.7–92.2%). In contrast, alternative formulations did not interfere with muscular performance in most cases. A more pronounced effect was observed in the test repeated closer to the date of surgery, accompanied by a 15% higher anxiety level. The increase in anxiety correlated slightly with stronger weakening effects of suggestions, as did suggestibility. Conclusions Negative suggestions cause a decrease in arm muscle strength, i.e., a “weakening” of the patient. This effect is enhanced by an increase in anxiety as the time of treatment, like surgery, approaches. The reaction can be avoided by alternative formulations. These nocebo effects that are objectively measured and quantified by a decrease in arm muscle strength are more pronounced in patients, i.e., in a clinical situation, than in healthy volunteers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Zech
- Department of Anesthesiology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Schrödinger
- Department of Internal Medicine, District Hospital Wörth an der Donau, Wörth am Rhein, Germany
| | - Milena Seemann
- Department of Anesthesiology, Agaplesion Diakonieklinikum Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Florian Zeman
- Centre for Clinical Studies, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Timo F Seyfried
- Department of Anesthesiology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Ernil Hansen
- Department of Anesthesiology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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Nocebo hyperalgesia can be induced by classical conditioning without involvement of expectancy. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0232108. [PMID: 32379766 PMCID: PMC7205230 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Influential theoretical accounts take the position that classical conditioning can induce placebo effects through conscious expectancies. In the current study two different conditioning procedures (hidden and open) were used to separate expectancy from conditioning in order to reveal the role of expectancy in the formation of nocebo hyperalgesia. Eighty-seven healthy females were randomly assigned to three groups (hidden conditioning, open conditioning, and control). Participants were selected according to the Fear of Pain Questionnaire scores and assigned to two subgroups: high and low level of fear of pain (trait). They received electrocutaneous pain stimuli preceded by either an orange or blue color. During the conditioning phase, one color was paired with pain stimuli of moderate intensity (control stimuli) and the other color was paired with pain stimuli of high intensity (nocebo stimuli) in both hidden and open conditioning groups. Only participants in the open conditioning group were informed about this association, however just before the testing phase the expectancy of hyperalgesia induced in this way was withdrawn. In the control group, both colors were followed by control pain stimuli. During the testing phase all participants received a series of stimuli of the same intensity, regardless of the preceding color. Participants rated pain intensity, expectancy of pain intensity and fear (state). We found that nocebo hyperalgesia was induced by hidden rather than open conditioning. The hidden conditioning procedure did not produce conscious expectancies related to pain. Nocebo hyperalgesia was induced in participants with low and high fear of pain and there was no difference in the magnitude of the nocebo effect between both groups. Nocebo hyperalgesia was not predicted by the fear of upcoming painful stimuli.
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Egorova N, Benedetti F, Gollub RL, Kong J. Between placebo and nocebo: Response to control treatment is mediated by amygdala activity and connectivity. Eur J Pain 2019; 24:580-592. [PMID: 31770471 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.1510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Revised: 09/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In experimental placebo and nocebo studies, neutral control treatments are often administered for comparison with active treatments, but are of little interest, as, on average, they result in little change. Yet, when considered at an individual level, they fluctuate between baseline and subsequent measurements and may reveal important information about participants' placebo/nocebo responding tendencies. METHODS In a paradigm involving application of creams paired with positive, negative and neutral expectations, some subjects rated identical stimuli in the neutral condition as more painful while others as less painful after treatment with inert cream. We divided subjects into two groups based on the median split in these pre-post responses in the neutral control condition, and investigated (a) fMRI signal differences (post minus pre) between the two groups in neutral condition, and (b) seed-based resting state connectivity of the bilateral amygdala, known to be involved in emotional self-regulation, as well as ambiguous stimulus processing and aversive learning. RESULTS The results suggested that subjects who rated the same pain stimuli after treatment with explicitly neutral cream as more painful showed stronger fMRI activation of the amygdala during the experiment and had higher connectivity between the left amygdala and the striatum at rest. Neutral pre-post changes predicted behavioural placebo/nocebo response in this and two independent datasets. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that measuring pre-post change in the neutral control condition might provide important information about subjects' individual differences in placebo/nocebo response. SIGNIFICANCE Pre-post changes in pain ratings in neutral conditions are modulated by amygdala activity and connectivity and can be used to predict placebo/nocebo responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Egorova
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA.,The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Vic., Australia.,Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - Fabrizio Benedetti
- University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Plateau Rosà Labs, Plateau Rosà, Switzerland
| | - Randy L Gollub
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Jian Kong
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
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[Biosimilars and the nocebo effect]. Z Rheumatol 2019; 79:267-275. [PMID: 31802197 DOI: 10.1007/s00393-019-00729-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Biosimilars have been approved for use in Germany for many years and in the meantime also in rheumatology but only a few years ago. Biosimilars, which are biotechnologically manufactured products the same as reference biologicals, have actually now achieved a substantial proportion of the market in some regions but there are still doubters among patients and physicians who fear a loss of quality even if there is no evidence for this. A part of this problem can be explained by the nocebo effect but which furthermore also has a substantial medical importance. This effect is described and explained in this article. Psychosocial and context-related factors, such as the relationship between patient and physician, previous experience with treatment and treatment expectations can either improve or impair the efficacy of treatment interventions. These phenomena are commonly known as placebo and nocebo effects. As placebo and nocebo effects can influence the development of symptoms, the frequency of undesired events and the efficacy of treatment, it is decisive to know these effects and to develop strategies for prevention in order to optimize the treatment results. Although in recent years experimental studies have achieved substantial progress in the clarification of the psychosocial and neurobiological mechanisms of placebo effects, detailed mechanisms of nocebo effects are still widely unexplored. An improved understanding of these mechanisms promises the development of user-friendly strategies for the clinical care to improve treatment results and patient satisfaction.
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Lee YS, Jung WM, Bingel U, Chae Y. The Context of Values in Pain Control: Understanding the Price Effect in Placebo Analgesia. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2019; 21:781-789. [PMID: 31733362 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2019.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The experience of pain relief arises from physiological and psychological factors, and attributes such as the commercial features of analgesic treatments have been shown to influence placebo analgesia by affecting treatment expectations. Therefore, treatment valuation from price information should influence the placebo analgesic effect. This hypothesis was tested in a functional magnetic resonance imaging study in which healthy subjects were enrolled in a 2-day experiment. On day 1, the participants (n = 19) had treatment experiences with 2 different placebo creams during a conditioning session without receiving information on treatment price. On day 2, placebo analgesia was tested after providing price information (high vs low) while functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed. The results showed that the higher priced placebo treatment leads to enhanced pain relief. Placebo analgesia in response to the higher priced treatment was associated with activity in the ventral striatum, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and ventral tegmental area. The behavioral results indicate that the experience of pain was influenced by treatment valuation from price. Our findings reveal that the context of values in pain control is associated with activity in expectation- and reward-related circuitry. PERSPECTIVE: Treatment with higher price was associated with enhanced placebo analgesia, and this effect was influenced by activities in expectation and reward processing brain areas. The context of value such as medical cost influences cognitive evaluation processes to modulate pain. Our study may help evaluate a patient's preference toward high-priced drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye-Seul Lee
- Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea; Department of Anatomy and Acupoint, College of Korean Medicine, Gachon University, Seongnam, South Korea
| | - Won-Mo Jung
- Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ulrike Bingel
- Department of Neurology, Essen University Hospital, Essen, Germany
| | - Younbyoung Chae
- Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea; Department of Neurology, Essen University Hospital, Essen, Germany.
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Zunhammer M, Bingel U, Wager TD. Placebo Effects on the Neurologic Pain Signature: A Meta-analysis of Individual Participant Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Data. JAMA Neurol 2019; 75:1321-1330. [PMID: 30073258 DOI: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2018.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Importance Placebo effects reduce pain and contribute to clinical analgesia, but after decades of research, it remains unclear whether placebo treatments mainly affect nociceptive processes or other processes associated with pain evaluation. Objective We conducted a systematic, participant-level meta-analysis to test the effect of placebo treatments on pain-associated functional neuroimaging responses in the neurologic pain signature (NPS), a multivariate brain pattern tracking nociceptive pain. Data Sources Medline (PubMed) was searched from inception to May 2015; the search was augmented with results from previous meta-analyses and expert recommendations. Study Selection Eligible studies were original investigations that were published in English in peer-reviewed journals and that involved functional neuroimaging of the human brain with evoked pain delivered under stimulus intensity-matched placebo and control conditions. The authors of all eligible studies were contacted and asked to provide single-participant data. Data Extraction and Synthesis Data were collected between December 2015 and November 2017 following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses of individual participant data guidelines. Results were summarized across participants and studies in a random-effects model. Main Outcomes and Measures The main, a priori outcome was NPS response; pain reports were assessed as a secondary outcome. Results We obtained data from 20 of 28 identified eligible studies, resulting in a total sample size of 603 healthy individuals. The NPS responses to painful stimulation compared with baseline conditions were positive in 575 participants (95.4%), with a very large effect size (g = 2.30 [95% CI, 1.92 to 2.69]), confirming its sensitivity to nociceptive pain in this sample. Placebo treatments showed significant behavioral outcomes on pain ratings in 17 of 20 studies (85%) and in the combined sample (g = -0.66 [95% CI, -0.80 to -0.53]). However, placebo effects on the NPS response were significant in only 3 of 20 studies (15%) and were very small in the combined sample (g = -0.08 [95% CI, -0.15 to -0.01]). Similarly, analyses restricted to studies with low risk of bias (g = -0.07 [95% CI, -0.15 to 0.00]) indicated very small effects, and analyses of just placebo responders (g = -0.22 [95% CI, -0.34 to -0.11]) indicated small effects, as well. Conclusions and Relevance Placebo treatments have moderate analgesic effects on pain reports. The very small effects on NPS, a validated measure that tracks levels of nociceptive pain, indicate that placebo treatments affect pain via brain mechanisms largely independent of effects on bottom-up nociceptive processing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ulrike Bingel
- Klinik für Neurologie, Universitätsklinikum Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Tor D Wager
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder
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Amanzio M, Palermo S. Pain Anticipation and Nocebo-Related Responses: A Descriptive Mini-Review of Functional Neuroimaging Studies in Normal Subjects and Precious Hints on Pain Processing in the Context of Neurodegenerative Disorders. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:969. [PMID: 31551779 PMCID: PMC6734013 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.00969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The exacerbation of a clinical condition or the occurrence of negative symptoms after an inert substance dispensation or a sham treatment is known as “nocebo effect.” Nocebo is the psychobiological effect due to the negative psychosocial context that accompanies a therapy, and it is a direct consequence of negative expectations by the patients and their own personal characteristics. Although the clinical relevance of the phenomenon is now recognized, a small number of studies have tried to ascertain its neural underpinnings (that it means nocebo responses). Moreover, there is no consensus on the brain networks involved in nocebo processes in humans. In particular, nocebo hyperalgesia has attracted almost no research attention. We conducted a mini-review on the few experimental pain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of nocebo responses to discuss how negative expectancies and conditioning effects engage brain networks to modulate pain experiences. Moreover, we present possible clinical implications considering Alzheimer’s disease and behavioral frontotemporal dementia, in which the existence of a hypothetically disrupted neurocognitive anticipatory network—secondary to an endogenous pain modulatory system damage—may be responsible for pain processing alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Amanzio
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Sara Palermo
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing, Bruxelles, Belgium
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Placebo analgesia induced by verbal suggestion in the context of experimentally induced fear and anxiety. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0222805. [PMID: 31550290 PMCID: PMC6759192 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0222805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Accepted: 09/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of state anxiety and state fear in placebo effects is still to be determined. We aimed to investigate the effect of fear of movement-related pain (FMRP) and contextual pain related anxiety (CPRA) on the magnitude of placebo analgesia induced by verbal suggestion. Fifty-six female participants completed a modified voluntary joystick movement paradigm (VJMP) where half participated in a predictable pain condition (PC), in which one of the joystick movements is always followed by pain and the other movement is never followed by pain, and half in an unpredictable pain condition (UC), in which pain was delivered unpredictably. By varying the level of pain predictability, FMRP and CPRA were induced in PC and UC respectively. Colour stimuli were presented at the beginning of each trail. Half of the participants were verbally informed that the green or red colour indicated less painful stimuli (experimental groups), the other half did not receive any suggestion (control groups). We measured self-reported pain intensity, expectancy of pain intensity (PC only), pain related fear and anxiety (eyeblink startle response and self-ratings) and avoidance behaviour (movement-onset latency and duration). The results indicate that the placebo effect was successfully induced in both experimental conditions. In the PC, the placebo effect was predicted by expectancy. Despite the fact that FMRP and CPRA were successfully induced, no difference was found in the magnitude of the placebo effect between PC and UC. Concluding, we did not find a divergent effect of fear and anxiety on placebo analgesia.
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Kravvariti E, Kitas GD, Mitsikostas DD, Sfikakis PP. Nocebos in rheumatology: emerging concepts and their implications for clinical practice. Nat Rev Rheumatol 2019; 14:727-740. [PMID: 30361674 DOI: 10.1038/s41584-018-0110-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Nocebo effects are noxious reactions to therapeutic interventions that occur because of negative expectations of the patient. In the past decade, neurobiological data have revealed specific neural pathways induced by nocebos (that is, interventions that cause nocebo effects), as well as the associated mechanisms and predisposing factors of nocebo effects. Epidemiological data suggest that nocebos can have a notable effect on medication adherence, clinical outcomes and health-care policy. Meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) indicate that withdrawal of treatment by placebo-arm participants owing to adverse events is common; a proportion of these events could be nocebo effects. Moreover, in large-scale, open-label studies of patients with RMDs who transition from bio-originator to biosimilar therapeutics, biosimilar retention rates were much lower than in previous double-blind switch RCTs. This discrepancy suggests that in addition to the lack of response in some patients because of intrinsic differences between the drugs, nocebos might have an important role in low biosimilar retention, thus increasing the need for awareness and early identification of nocebo effects by rheumatologists and allied health-care professionals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evrydiki Kravvariti
- First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Joint Rheumatology Program, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece
| | - George D Kitas
- Clinical Research Unit, Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, Dudley, UK.,Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Dimos D Mitsikostas
- First Department of Neurology, Aeginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece
| | - Petros P Sfikakis
- First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Joint Rheumatology Program, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece.
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