Effects of Sensory Behavioral Tasks on Pain Threshold and Cortical Excitability

Volz, Magdalena Sarah; Suarez-Contreras, Vanessa; Mendonça, Mariana E.; Pinheiro, Fernando Santos; Merabet, Lotfi B.; Fregni, Felipe

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0052968

Cited by 15 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 42 publications

(39 reference statements)

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“…This finding corroborates the study of Volz et al (2013), which reported 70% reduction of chronic and acute pain after vibration therapy. They concluded that vibration stimulus increases neuronal conduction of signals, through the large diameter myelinated fibers, and inhibits short fibers of spinal dorsal horn before the synapse.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Effects of vibration therapy in the musculoskeletal system in post-surgical breast cancer women: longitudinal controlled clinical study

et al. 2016

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Introduction: The biomechanical changes that arise after breast cancer increase the need for new rehabilitation programs. The aim of this study was to evaluate medium-and long-term effects of vibration therapy on pain intensity, range of motion, myoelectric activity, and muscle strength of post-surgical breast cancer women. Methods: This controlled longitudinal clinical study was composed of 14 breast cancer women, who underwent vibration therapy treatment (VTG), and 14 healthy women, who constituted the control group (CG). The VTG performed ten 15-minutes sessions of vibration therapy on their affected upper limb. The volunteers were evaluated before and after treatment protocol, and three months later. Results: We observed an attenuation of pain intensity after vibration therapy (p < 0.0001) and significant increase in range of motion during extension, abduction, and adduction movements of the horizontal shoulder. We noticed a trend in the reduction of compensatory movements, which activated the muscle contraction mechanism. The scapular dynamometer values for shoulder strength were significant. The VTG had less muscle strength than the CG in all situations: before treatment (p < 0.0001), after treatment (p = 0.0024), and 3 months later (p = 0.0008). The VTG increased muscle strength after treatment (p = 0.0005) and 3 months later (p = 0.0006). Conclusion: Vibration therapy attenuated pain symptoms, improved shoulder movements, activated muscle contraction mechanism, and increased shoulder strength, which may be benefits of the conducted physical therapy.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Effects of vibration therapy in the musculoskeletal system in post-surgical breast cancer women: longitudinal controlled clinical study

et al. 2016

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“…Because chronic pain patients have a deficient pain matrix and altered pain-related neural networks, such methods as mental imagery might induce differential effects in patients versus healthy subjects [ 8 , 16 , 25 , 26 ]. In previous studies, we found that motor tasks, sensory stimuli, and movement observation can change pressure pain threshold levels and cortical excitability [ 10 , 27 , 28 ] (Figure 1 c), in which active tasks for one hand can ameliorate the perception of pain in the targeted hand. In contrast, we also found that the untargeted hand experienced a decrease in pain threshold, indicating greater perception of pain [ 10 , 27 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…In previous studies, we found that motor tasks, sensory stimuli, and movement observation can change pressure pain threshold levels and cortical excitability [ 10 , 27 , 28 ] (Figure 1 c), in which active tasks for one hand can ameliorate the perception of pain in the targeted hand. In contrast, we also found that the untargeted hand experienced a decrease in pain threshold, indicating greater perception of pain [ 10 , 27 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Mental imagery-induced attention modulates pain perception and cortical excitability

et al. 2015

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BackgroundMental imagery is a powerful method of altering brain activity and behavioral outcomes, such as performance of cognition and motor skills. Further, attention and distraction can modulate pain-related neuronal networks and the perception of pain. This exploratory study examined the effects of mental imagery-induced attention on pressure pain threshold and cortical plasticity using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). This blinded, randomized, and parallel-design trial comprised 30 healthy right-handed male subjects. Exploratory statistical analyses were performed using ANOVA and t-tests for pain and TMS assessments. Pearson’s correlation was used to analyze the association between changes in pain threshold and cortical excitability.ResultsIn the analysis of pain outcomes, there was no significant interaction effect on pain between group versus time. In an exploratory analysis, we only observed a significant effect of group for the targeted left hand (ANOVA with pain threshold as the dependent variable and time and group as independent variables). Although there was only a within-group effect of mental imagery on pain, further analyses showed a significant positive correlation of changes in pain threshold and cortical excitability (motor-evoked potentials via TMS).ConclusionsMental imagery has a minor effect on pain modulation in healthy subjects. Its effects appear to differ compared with chronic pain, leading to a small decrease in pain threshold. Assessments of cortical excitability confirmed that these effects are related to the modulation of pain-related cortical circuits. These exploratory findings suggest that neuronal plasticity is influenced by pain and that the mental imagery effects on pain depend on the state of central sensitization.

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“…Proprioceptive impairments might be mediated by disruption of mechanoreceptors in the diseased joint structures or changes in muscle receptors (e.g., muscle spindles) secondary to muscle changes associated with OA (Felson, 2004;Knoop et al, 2011). There could also be interference with relay of proprioceptive information in the spinal cord secondary to nociceptive input (Chalmers, 2004;Hultborn, 2001;Volz et al, 2013). Changes in processing of somatosensory information at higher centers such as the cortex have also been implicated.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Proprioceptive impairments associated with knee osteoarthritis are not generalized to the ankle and elbow joints

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Wrigley

Farrell

et al. 2015

Human Movement Science

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Effects of Sensory Behavioral Tasks on Pain Threshold and Cortical Excitability

Cited by 15 publications

References 42 publications

Effects of vibration therapy in the musculoskeletal system in post-surgical breast cancer women: longitudinal controlled clinical study

Effects of vibration therapy in the musculoskeletal system in post-surgical breast cancer women: longitudinal controlled clinical study

Mental imagery-induced attention modulates pain perception and cortical excitability

Proprioceptive impairments associated with knee osteoarthritis are not generalized to the ankle and elbow joints

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