Psychological, social and biological correlates of body perception disturbance in complex regional pain syndrome

H Schulte-Goecking,M Azqueta-Gavaldon,S C Azad,E Kraft,P Fraenkel,C Storz,J Leukert,M Woiczinski

doi:10.1007/s12144-020-00635-1

H Schulte-Goecking, M Azqueta-Gavaldon + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-00635-1

Copy DOI

Abstract

Body Perception Disturbance (BPD) in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) still represents a poorly understood phenomenon. Research has shown that knowledge about changes in body perception can yield relevant information for understanding and treating the disease. This study addressed possible connections between BPD and psychological and social factors, pain intensity, and disease duration. Sixty patients with chronic CRPS Type I of the hand were recruited. Body Perception Disturbance was assessed using the Galer and Jensen Neurobehavioral Questionnaire (GJ) and the BATH CRPS Body Perception Disturbance Scale (BATH). Depression, anxiety, stress, childhood trauma and other life events were assessed using standardized and validated questionnaires. This study found that BPD in CRPS was significantly correlated with measures of depression, anxiety, current stress, quality of life, and pain intensity, but not with stress experienced in the twelve months preceding onset of illness, childhood trauma, or duration of illness. Future research needs to identify which patients are most likely to develop these psychological conditions of CRPS, so that early, preventive intervention is possible. This study establishes a relationship between depression, anxiety, current stress, quality of life, pain intensity, and BPD severity. It also supports literature suggesting that preexisting stress, childhood trauma, and disease duration have no influence on BPD. The findings suggest that there is a bidirectional influence between brain alterations, psychological symptoms, and illness severity.

Highlights

The present article reports a study that examined the possible relationship between psychological and social factors – anxiety, depression, current stress, quality of life, childhood trauma, as well as pain – and Body Perception Disturbance (BPD) in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
Studies have shown that chronic pain leads to elevated depression and anxiety (Gore et al 2012), spatial working memory deficits (Kim et al 2012), and problems in emotional decision making (Apkarian et al 2004; Gupta et al 2009). These results corroborate the idea that instead of serving as predisposing psychological risk factors, psychological abnormalities in CRPS seem to be a consequence of chronic pain and disability and the resulting changes in the brain
This study found that Body Perception Disturbance (BPD) in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) was significantly correlated with measures of depression, anxiety, current stress, quality of life, and pain intensity, but not with stress experienced in the twelve months preceding onset of illness, childhood trauma, or duration of illness

Summary

Introduction

The present article reports a study that examined the possible relationship between psychological and social factors – anxiety, depression, current stress, quality of life, childhood trauma, as well as pain – and Body Perception Disturbance (BPD) in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). Complex Regional Pain Syndrome is a painful condition affecting the extremities. It is usually caused by physical trauma and characterized by severe pain. The connection between chronic pain and adverse psychological (Dersh et al 2002; Wilson et al 2002) and social (Gatchel et al 2007; Turk et al 2008) effects is well established

Methods

Results

Conclusion