Exploring Interactions Between Sex, Pain Characteristics, Disability, and Quality of Life in People With Chronic Spinal Pain: A Structural Equation Model.

In people with nonspecific chronic spinal pain (nCSP), disability and quality of life are associated with clinical, cognitive, psychophysical, and demographic variables. However, evidence regarding the interactions between these variables is only limited to this population. Therefore, this study aims to explore path models explaining the multivariate contributions of such variables to disability and quality of life in people with nCSP.

Didactic and narrative persuasion: An experiment to promote colorectal cancer screening.

We tested whether a didactic and a narrative video (i.e. educational content and personal stories versus irrelevant information) could boost colorectal cancer (CRC) screening intention directly and through cognitive predictors of CRC screening behavior.

Influence of education level on the effectiveness of pain neuroscience education: A secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Current evidence supports the use of pain neuroscience education (PNE) in several chronic pain populations. However, the effects of PNE at group level are rather small and little is known about the influence of personal factors (e.g.

Assessment of Central Sensitization in Breast Cancer Survivors: Convergent Validity and Use of the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) and Its Short-Form as a Clustering Tool.

The Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) measurement properties in patients having nonspecific, noncancer pain are well-established. However, studies examining the reliability and validity of either the CSI or the Central Sensitization Inventory short-form version (CSI-9) in breast cancer survivors (BCS) are scarce. The purpose was to evaluate convergent validity and internal consistency of the CSI and CSI-9.

Influence of Baseline Kinesiophobia Levels on Treatment Outcome in People With Chronic Spinal Pain.

Background: Pain neuroscience education (PNE) combined with cognition-targeted exercises is an effective treatment for people with chronic spinal pain (CSP). However, it is unclear why some patients benefit more from this treatment. We expect that patients with more pronounced maladaptive pain cognitions, such as kinesiophobia, might show poorer treatment responses.

Establishing Central Sensitization-Related Symptom Severity Subgroups: A Multicountry Study Using the Central Sensitization Inventory.

Objectives: The goal of this study was to identify central sensitization-related symptom severity subgroups in a large multicountry sample composed of patients with chronic pain and pain-free individuals using the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI).

Methods: A large, pooled international (N = 8 countries) sample of chronic pain patients plus healthy subjects (total N = 2,620) was randomly divided into two subsamples for cross-validation purposes. First, a hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) was performed using CSI item-level data as clustering variables (test sample; N = 1,312).

Does Pain Neuroscience Education and Cognition-Targeted Motor Control Training Improve Cervical Motor Output? Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: In the context of interventions aimed at reducing pain, disability, and maladaptive pain cognitions in chronic neck pain, it is hypothesized that patients who have greater symptom reduction possibly also demonstrate greater improvement in cervical motor output. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the effect of pain neuroscience education plus cognition-targeted motor control training on cervical motor output.

Methods: Impairments in cervical motor output were measured in 64 subjects with chronic neck pain using standardized tests.

Do sociodemographic features, pain sensitivity or pain catastrophizing relate to clinic-based adherence to physiotherapy in people suffering from chronic spinal pain? Secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial.

Purpose: Examining whether socio-demographic variables, pain or functionality are related to the degree of clinic-based therapy adherence in patients suffering from nonspecific chronic spinal pain (nCSP).

Design: Secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial.

Setting: University hospital of Ghent and Brussels.

Associations between brain morphology and motor performance in chronic neck pain: A whole-brain surface-based morphometry approach.

Changes in brain morphology are hypothesized to be an underlying process that drive the widespread pain and motor impairment in patients with chronic neck pain. However, no earlier research assessed whole-brain cortical morphology in these patients. This case-control study assesses group-differences in whole-brain morphology between female healthy controls (HC; n = 34), and female patients with chronic idiopathic neck pain (CINP; n = 37) and whiplash-associated disorders (CWAD; n = 39).

Gender Differences in the Association of Brain Gray Matter and Pain-Related Psychosocial Characteristics.

Background: Although the association of gray matter morphology alterations and pain-related psychosocial characteristics with pain intensity and chronification in people with chronic spinal pain is evident, research on their mutual interaction is scarce and does not account for possible gender differences. Gender-based differences are, however, of utmost importance to consider when examining pain neurobiology.

Objectives: To look for gender differences in the association between magnetic resonance imaging- (MRI) derived brain gray matter morphology and self-reported psychosocial characteristics.

Patients With Chronic Spinal Pain Benefit From Pain Neuroscience Education Regardless the Self-Reported Signs of Central Sensitization: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Multicenter Trial.

Background: Pain neuroscience education is effective in chronic pain management. Central sensitization (ie, generalized hypersensitivity) is often explained as the underlying mechanism for chronic pain, because of its clinical relevance and influence on pain severity, prognosis, and treatment outcome.

Objectives: To examine whether patients with more or fewer symptoms of central sensitization respond differently to pain neuroscience education.

Effect of Pain Neuroscience Education Combined With Cognition-Targeted Motor Control Training on Chronic Spinal Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Effective treatments for chronic spinal pain are essential to reduce the related high personal and socioeconomic costs.

Objective: To compare pain neuroscience education combined with cognition-targeted motor control training with current best-evidence physiotherapy for reducing pain and improving functionality, gray matter morphologic features, and pain cognitions in individuals with chronic spinal pain.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Multicenter randomized clinical trial conducted from January 1, 2014, to January 30, 2017, among 120 patients with chronic nonspecific spinal pain in 2 outpatient hospitals with follow-up at 3, 6, and 12 months.

Blended-Learning Pain Neuroscience Education for People With Chronic Spinal Pain: Randomized Controlled Multicenter Trial.

Background: Available evidence favors the use of pain neuroscience education (PNE) in patients with chronic pain. However, PNE trials are often limited to small sample sizes and, despite the current digital era, the effects of blended-learning PNE (ie, the combination of online digital media with traditional educational methods) have not yet been investigated.

Objective: The study objective was to examine whether blended-learning PNE is able to improve disability, catastrophizing, kinesiophobia, and illness perceptions.

Validity and Test-Retest Reliability of the Dutch Modified Perceived Deficits Questionnaire to Examine Cognitive Symptoms in Women with Chronic Whiplash, Chronic Idiopathic Neck Pain, and Fibromyalgia.

Introduction: Until now, only reliability and validity of the English version of the modified Perceived Deficits Questionnaire (mPDQ) have been investigated.

Objective: The aim of this study was to translate the mPDQ into Dutch and evaluate its validity and reliability as an assessment tool for self-perceived cognitive problems in patients with chronic whiplash-associated disorders (CWAD), chronic idiopathic neck pain (CINP), and fibromyalgia (FM).

Methods: A case-control study was performed with a volunteer sample of 13 women with CWAD, 18 with CINP, and 33 with FM, and 33 women who were healthy and free of pain.

Convergent Validity of the Dutch Central Sensitization Inventory: Associations with Psychophysical Pain Measures, Quality of Life, Disability, and Pain Cognitions in Patients with Chronic Spinal Pain.

Objective: Symptoms of central sensitization (CS) have been described in patients with chronic spinal pain (CSP). Although a gold standard to diagnose CS is lacking, psychophysical pain measures are often used. The Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) is proposed as an alternative method and indirect tool for the evaluation of CS symptomatology.

Dimensionality and Reliability of the Central Sensitization Inventory in a Pooled Multicountry Sample.

Unlabelled: Central sensitization (CS) involves the amplification of neural signaling within the central nervous system, which evokes pain hypersensitivity. The Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) assesses 25 overlapping health-related symptom dimensions that have been reported to be associated with CS-related disorders. Previous studies have reported satisfactory test-retest reliability and internal consistency, but factor analyses have exhibited conflicting results in different language versions.

Decreased Regional Grey Matter Volume in Women with Chronic Whiplash-Associated Disorders: Relationships with Cognitive Deficits and Disturbed Pain Processing.

Background: Patients with chronic whiplash-associated disorders (CWAD) are characterized by pain of traumatic origin, cognitive deficits, and central sensitization (CS). Previous neuroimaging studies revealed altered grey matter volume (GMV) in mild traumatic brain injury patients and chronic pain conditions also characterized by CS. It can therefore be hypothesized that GMV alterations also play a role in the persistent complaints of CWAD.

In the spine or in the brain? Recent advances in pain neuroscience applied in the intervention for low back pain.

Conservative, surgical and pharmacological strategies for chronic low back pain (CLBP) management offer at best modest effect sizes in reducing pain and related disability, indicating a need for improvement. Such improvement may be derived from applying contemporary pain neuroscience to the management of CLBP. Current interventions for people with CLBP are often based entirely on a "biomedical" or "psychological" model without consideration of information concerning underlying pain mechanisms and contemporary pain neuroscience.

Applying contemporary neuroscience in exercise interventions for chronic spinal pain: treatment protocol.

Background: Nonspecific chronic spinal pain is a common problem within the chronic pain population and is characterized by high social, economic and personal impact. To date, therapists are still struggling in adequately treating these types of patients, as seen in the small and short-term benefits of frequently applied primary care treatments. It is remarkable that despite the well-documented presence of abnormalities in central nociceptive processing in nonspecific chronic spinal pain patients, the implementation of this knowledge in clinical practice is still nearly non-existent.

Psychological Distress and Widespread Pain Contribute to the Variance of the Central Sensitization Inventory: A Cross-Sectional Study in Patients with Chronic Pain.

Objectives: Central sensitization (CS) implies increased sensitivity of the nervous system, resulting in increased pain sensitivity as well as widespread pain. Recently, the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) was developed to assess symptoms of CS and central sensitivity syndromes. The aim of this study was to examine the convergent validity of the CSI by comparing the outcome to psychosocial factors and clinical features of CS.

Differences Between Women With Traumatic and Idiopathic Chronic Neck Pain and Women Without Neck Pain: Interrelationships Among Disability, Cognitive Deficits, and Central Sensitization.

Background: To date, a clear differentiation of disability, cognitive deficits, and central sensitization between chronic neck pain of a traumatic nature and that of a nontraumatic nature is lacking.

Objective: This study aimed to examine differences in disability, cognitive deficits, and central sensitization between women with traumatic and idiopathic (nontraumatic) chronic neck pain and women who were healthy. In addition, interrelationships among these variables were investigated.

Does Conservative Treatment Change the Brain in Patients with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain? A Systematic Review.

Background: Chronic musculoskeletal pain is characterized by maladaptive central neuroplastic changes. Many observational studies have demonstrated that chronic pain states are associated with brain alterations regarding structure and/or function. Rehabilitation of patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain may include cognitive, exercise, or multimodal therapies.

Brain changes associated with cognitive and emotional factors in chronic pain: A systematic review.

Unlabelled: An emerging technique in chronic pain research is MRI, which has led to the understanding that chronic pain patients display brain structure and function alterations. Many of these altered brain regions and networks are not just involved in pain processing, but also in other sensory and particularly cognitive tasks. Therefore, the next step is to investigate the relation between brain alterations and pain related cognitive and emotional factors.

Relations Between Brain Alterations and Clinical Pain Measures in Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: A Systematic Review.

Unlabelled: Compelling evidence has shown chronic widespread and exaggerated pain experience in chronic musculoskeletal pain (MSKP) conditions. In addition, neuroimaging research has revealed morphological and functional brain alterations in these patients. It is hypothesized that brain alterations play a role in the persistent pain complaints of patients with chronic MSKP.