Background
Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) symptoms develop into chronic pain for some patients, but the reasons for this are unclear. Psychosocial factors and chronic overlapping pain conditions are believed to contribute to the development of pain‐related disability. We examined the role of jaw function, negative and positive psychological factors and chronic overlapping pain conditions (COPCs) on pain‐related disability whilst controlling for demographic variables.
Methods
We collected demographics, medical and psychosocial history and the Graded Chronic Pain Scale, a measure of pain intensity and pain interference from 400 participants with chronic TMD. Structural equation modelling was used to assess a model of COPCs and the latent variables of psychological unease (pain catastrophizing, somatic symptoms and negative affect), positive valence factors (optimism and positive affect), jaw function (chewing, opening and expression limitation) and pain‐related disability (pain intensity and pain interference) whilst controlling for demographic variables.
Results
We achieved good fit of a parsimonious model (root‐mean‐square error of approximation = 0.063 [90% CI] [0.051–0.075]), comparative fit index = 0.942, standard root‐mean‐square residual = 0.067. Jaw function was the strongest latent variable predictor, followed by psychological unease and COPCs suggesting resources focused on improving joint function, psychosocial support and management of COPCs will improve pain‐related disability in TMDs.
Conclusions
These findings not only increase the body of knowledge related to TMD clinical phenotypes but also, have a translational impact in further supporting the potential value of targeting physical therapy such as jaw exercise along with psychological interventions as multidisciplinary nonpharmacological therapeutic solutions.
OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Pain Catastrophizing is a negative coping mechanism involving rumination, magnification, and helplessness and is associated with worse chronic pain. The neurobiological mechanisms underlying this relationship are poorly understood. We aim to examine the intrinsic activity of a functional pathway in patients with chronic orofacial pain. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: This is the second phase of a parent study examining genetics, placebos, and the brain in temporomandibular disorders (TMD). We intend to recruit 120 of the original 398 TMD patients for this phase. Participants completed the Graded Chronic Pain Scale to assess TMD pain intensity and disability and the Pain Catastrophizing Scale. Behaviorally, pain catastrophizing scores and pain intensity and disability will be analyzed using structural equation modeling. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging will be used to record intrinsic brain activity. The functional connectivity between the posterior cingulate, anterior insula, and periaqueductal grey will be assessed as a causal pathway relating pain catastrophizing to pain intensity and disability. Mediation analyses will be used to test causality. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: We anticipate that greater engagement in catastrophic thinking about pain increases the functional connectivity strength between the posterior cingulate, anterior insula, and periaqueductal grey, which ultimately leads to heightened perception of pain intensity and disability. Therefore, we expect to see increased functional connectivity in those with high pain catastrophizing levels as compared to those with low pain catastrophizing levels, and that this pathway will mediate the relationship between pain catastrophizing and pain intensity and disability. Further, we predict that helplessness will most strongly correlate with the change in functional connectivity as compared to rumination and magnification. Results will be presented in full at the conference. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Understanding how pain catastrophizing can influence chronic pain pathways will not only promote a more integrative approach to chronic pain management but will also help identify the mechanisms by which pain itself develops and persists in the particularly vulnerable pain population of TMD.
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