Chronic Pain
Conditions
Keywords
sensory processing sensitivity
Brief summary
The aim of this project is to increase scientific understanding of whether the trait of SPS can help explain increased pain sensitivity and hence vulnerability for chronic pain. Additionally, it will be tested whether participants with high SPS report differences in pain intensity in response to positive, negative, or neutral mood induction compared to individuals with lower SPS.
Detailed description
Background: Pain is defined as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience and in its chronic form, pain is highly prevalent, up to 25% of children and adolescents are affected by it. The exact etiology of many forms of chronic pain remains unknown. One mechanism that has been proposed to underlie increased pain sensitivity is central sensitization, i.e., increased efficacy of the nervous system in transmitting pain signals, which manifests itself as a lower pain threshold. A lower pain threshold in turn has been recognized as a risk factor for the development of chronic pain. Being more sensitive to pain is one feature commonly shared by those with high sensory processing sensitivity (SPS), who are thought to react more strongly to both positive and negative environmental influences. The relationship between this increased sensitivity and pain tolerance has not been studied to date, but could contribute to our understanding of why some children and adolescents are more vulnerable to developing chronic pain than others. Objectives and Aims: The aim of this project is to increase scientific understanding of whether the trait of SPS can help explain increased pain sensitivity and hence vulnerability for chronic pain. Additionally, it will be tested whether participants with high SPS report differences in pain intensity in response to positive, negative, or neutral mood induction compared to individuals with lower SPS. Methods: To examine differences in pain perception of an experimentally induced pain stimulus between people with varying levels of SPS and whether pain perception can modulated by positive, negative, or neutral mood induction, I will apply a heat pain paradigm in a sample of healthy adolescents. Participants will be randomized to either neutral, positive or negative mood induction and I will test whether their pain sensitivity differs as a function of their scores on a high sensitivity scale and with regard to mood induction. Expected Results: We expect highly sensitive adolescents to have a lower pain threshold and tolerance and to react more strongly to positive (with decreased pain ratings) and negative (with increased pain ratings) mood induction compared to those with lower scores on the sensitivity scale.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALHeat Pain Paradigm
A standardized heat pain paradigm will be applied. Pain threshold will be determined with the self-controlled search method starting at 32°C, with a mouse-click-induced increase of 0.1°C per click. Pain tolerance is defined as the time in seconds elapsed from the onset of the pain stimulus to a participant's withdrawal from the stimulus. Participants will be instructed to continue with the task for as long as they can and to press a button if it becomes too uncomfortable or painful. Temperature will then return to baseline. To avoid physical injury, the measurement will stop automatically at a maximum temperature of 50°C.
Sponsors
University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
Study design
Observational model
OTHER
Time perspective
OTHER
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
16 Years to 19 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Healthy adolescents aged 16-19 years
Exclusion criteria
* Chronic pain or another chronic condition * Skin pathologies * Sensory abnormalities affecting the tactile or thermal modality * Pregnancy * Current medication * Current psychological or psychiatric treatment * Insufficient language skills to understand the instructions
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pain Threshold | 1 day | Temperature point where participants feel it changing from hot to painful |
| Pain Tolerance | 1 day | the time in seconds elapsed from the onset of the pain stimulus to a participant's withdrawal from the stimulus |
Countries
Switzerland
Outcome results
None listed