Different patterns in mental rotation of facial expressions in complex regional pain syndrome patients.

Although facial pain expressions are considered to be the most visible pain behaviors, it is known that the association between pain intensity and facial pain expression is weak for chronic pain. The authors hypothesized that the facial pain expressiveness was altered in chronic pain and investigated it with a mental rotation task using various facial expression, which seems to be associated with actual facial movements. As a task stimulus, 4 types of facial expression stimuli consisted of upper (tightening of eye and furrowed brows) and lower (raising upper lip) pain-specific facial expressions, and upper (eyeball deviation) and lower (tongue protrusion) facial movements not using facial muscles were used.

Impaired Empathic Abilities among Patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (Type I).

Objective: The aims of this study were to evaluate differences in empathic abilities between patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) Type I and healthy control subjects (HCs) and to assess correlations between empathic abilities and multidimensional aspects of pain.

Methods: Empathic ability was measured in 32 patients with CRPS Type I and in 36 HCs using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). A comprehensive assessment of pain was conducted in the patient group using the West Haven-Yale Multidimensional Pain Inventory (WHYMPI).

The effects of brain wave vibration on oxidative stress response and psychological symptoms.

Objective: Brain Wave Vibration (BWV) training is a simple healing practice, a kind of Mind Body Training. This study was designed to investigate the psycho-endocrine differences between BMV practitioners and naïve controls.

Methods: The experimental group included 54 individuals who had participated in BWV.

Brain alterations and neurocognitive dysfunction in patients with complex regional pain syndrome.

Unlabelled: Few studies have examined the involvement of specific subregions of the prefrontal cortex in complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). We analyzed cortical thickness to identify morphologic differences in local brain structures between patients with CRPS and healthy control subjects (HCs). Furthermore, we evaluated the correlation between cortical thickness and neurocognitive function.