Self-reported Sensitivity Research Articles

Differences in Perceived Versus Actual Sensory Perception in Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder.

Individuals with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) self-report heightened sensitivity to taste and smell, but neither phenomenon has been systematically explored in the laboratory. We hypothesized that, compared to healthy controls (HC, n = 34), children, adolescents, and adults with full/subthreshold ARFID (n = 100; ages 9 to 23 years) would self-report heightened response to taste/smell stimuli and exhibit stronger bitter taste perception and heightened smell perception in performance-based tasks, and these differences would be especially prominent in those with the ARFID-sensory sensitivity presentation. We measured self-reported sensitivity to taste/smell with the adolescent/adult sensory profile (AASP). We measured performance-based bitter taste perception with the regional taste intensity test (RTIT) and 6-N-propylthiouracil (PROP) test, and olfactory performance with the Sniffin' Sticks test (including the odor threshold, odor detection, and odor identification subscales). As expected, the ARFID group self-reported heightened response to taste/smell on the AASP, compared to HC, with an especially large effect size in the subset with the ARFID-sensory sensitivity presentation. Contrary to hypotheses, on performance-based measures, neither the ARFID group-nor the ARFID-sensory sensitivity group specifically-demonstrated heightened sensitivity to bitter taste on the RTIT or PROP tests, nor heightened smell perception on the Sniffin' Sticks test. These first laboratory findings in a clinically diagnosed sample of individuals with full/subthreshold ARFID highlight the discrepancy between perceived versus actual sensitivity to taste/smell stimuli. Future research should explore whether this discrepancy can be replicated and therapeutically leveraged to facilitate successful food exposures.

Relationship of Sex and Diagnosis With Symptoms and Illness Impact in Urologic Chronic Pelvic Pain; A Mapp Network Analysis.

To assess differences in clinical presentation and illness impact in men and women presenting with urologic chronic pelvic pain syndrome (UCPPS) and between men diagnosed with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) or chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). 356 men and 605 women from six sites across the United States were assessed using a comprehensive set of demographic, symptom, and illness impact measures. Multivariable regression analyses examined differences between men and women and between men previously diagnosed with CP/CPPS or IC/BPS. In a stepwise manner, analyses tested group differences, controlling for demographic variables including symptom duration and presence of bladder pain that varied with filling and voiding. Men diagnosed with IC/BPS had the most severe UCPPS symptoms, followed by women with IC/BPS, and then men with CP/CPPS only. While men and women showed similar patterns of symptoms across most of the variables, women had increased widespread non-pelvic pain, greater pelvic floor tenderness on exam, and higher self-reported sensory sensitivity compared to men. About 60% of men diagnosed with CP/CPPS only reported bladder symptoms of painful filling or relief with voiding. A generally shared symptom pattern was found across men and women irrespective of diagnostic labels suggesting the use of key marker symptoms, such as severity of bladder symptoms and widespread pain, to better identify subgroups of UCPPS rather than diagnostic category. Women may have an increased likelihood of increased sensitivity and central sensitization than men, including those men with IC/BPS. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02514265 - MAPP Research Network: Trans-MAPP Study of Urologic Chronic Pelvic Pain: Symptom Patterns Study (SPS).

Research

The December 2024 Research Roundup360 looks at: Skeletal muscle composition, power, and mitochondrial energetics in older men and women with knee osteoarthritis; Machine-learning models to predict osteonecrosis in patients with femoral neck fractures undergoing internal fixation; Aetiology of patient dissatisfaction following primary total knee arthroplasty in the era of robotic-assisted technology; Efficacy and safety of commonly used thromboprophylaxis agents following hip and knee arthroplasty; The COVID-19 effect continues; Nickel allergy in knee arthroplasty: does self-reported sensitivity affect outcomes?; Tranexamic acid use and joint infection risk in total hip and knee arthroplasty.

Transdiagnostic Risk Factors for Reasons for Smoking: Evaluating the Concurrent Role of Distress Tolerance and Anxiety Sensitivity.

Although rates of cigarette smoking have declined in the US, many individuals report experiencing significant barriers to quitting smoking, including poor mental health. Two prominent affective vulnerability factors that independently underlie both smoking behavior and processes and mental health include distress tolerance and anxiety sensitivity. However, limited work has examined the concurrent role of these factors on motivational reasons for smoking. The current study is a secondary analysis of baseline data from a nationally recruited sample of individuals (N = 156; Mage = 29.74, SD = 7.72; 69.2% female) interested in participating in a digitally delivered intervention for comorbid smoking and low distress tolerance. Two-step hierarchical linear regression was used to examine the unique role of self-reported distress tolerance and anxiety sensitivity in relation to reasons for smoking (i.e., habitual, negative affect reduction, addictive, pleasurable/relaxation, stimulation, and sensorimotor manipulation). Results indicated that lower levels of distress tolerance and greater levels of anxiety sensitivity were associated with greater sensorimotor manipulation reasons for smoking. Only distress tolerance was related to addictive, negative affect reduction, and stimulation reasons for smoking, whereas only anxiety sensitivity was related to habitual reasons for smoking. The current findings suggest that there is an explanatory utility for unique and multi-risk effects for distress tolerance and anxiety sensitivity for understanding smoking motives.

Resting state network changes induced by experimental inaudible infrasound exposure and associations with self-reported noise sensitivity and annoyance.

The effects of prolonged infrasound (IS) exposure on brain function and behavior are largely unknown, with only one prior study investigating functional connectivity (FC) changes. In a long-term randomized-controlled trial, 38 participants were exposed to inaudible airborne IS (6Hz, 80-90 dB) or sham devices for four weeks (8h/night). We assessed FC changes in resting-state networks (auditory, default mode (DMN), sensorimotor (SMN), and executive control (ECN)), and explored IS 'sensitivity' as a predictor of identified significant FC changes. We also examined correlations between somatic symptoms and FC. IS exposure led to decreased FC in the right precuneus (DMN) and increased FC in the Vermis IV and V (SMN). In the ECN, we observed increased FC in the right frontal middle gyrus (BA8) and the right inferior parietal lobe, and decreased FC in another region of the right frontal middle gyrus. Changes in the ECN (right inferior parietal lobe) were negatively associated with self-reported annoyance from IS/low-frequency noise. A significant negative association was found between FC changes in the DMN (right precuneus) and somatic symptoms. Our study is the first to investigate prolonged IS exposure effects on brain FC, revealing changes in the vDMN, SMN, and ECN, but not in the auditory network. Future studies should assess annoyance and sensitivity markers, fine-grained measures of somatic symptoms, and stratify samples by sensitivity to uncover individual differences in response to IS.

Sense of control and noise sensitivity affect frustration from interfering noise.

In order to develop effective strategies to address noise annoyance, it is essential to develop an explanatory model of the psychological mechanism(s) by which noise becomes annoying. Two online studies were conducted in which a total of 193 participants completed speech perception tasks with varying degrees of background noise. Signal-to-noise ratio levels ranged from -2 to -10 dB. The crucial manipulation in both experiments concerned participants' sense of control over the noise level in the task. Dependent measures were task performance, a self-reported measure of frustration with the task, and self-reported sensitivity (trait) to noise. Results showed small but significant effects of noise sensitivity and sense of control on subjective frustration. In both experiments, more noise-sensitive individuals expressed greater frustration than did those reporting less noise sensitivity. In addition, in experiment 2 there was a significant interaction between sense of control and noise level. Listeners under the higher noise-level conditions expressed relatively similar degrees of frustration irrespective of their sense of control, while those under the lower noise-level condition showed lower frustration with greater sense of control. Results support Stallen's [(1999). Noise Health 1(3), 69-79] theoretical framework of noise annoyance, but also suggest the need for further research under more ecologically plausible conditions.

Association Between Self-Reported Infections and Seropositivity Among Pregnant Women With Gastroschisis: A Case Control Study, With Emphasis on Chlamydia trachomatis.

Gastroschisis is a birth defect with the greatest risk among women <20 years of age. Pregnant women attending the University of Utah's Maternal-Fetal Medicine Diagnostic Center between 2011 and 2017 for either their routine diagnostic ultrasound or referral were recruited (cases: pregnant women with fetal gastroschisis, n = 53 participated/57, 93%; controls: pregnant women without fetal abnormalities, n = 102 participated/120, 85%). A clinic coordinator consented and interviewed women and obtained a blood sample and prenatal medical records. We evaluated self-reported maternal characteristics, risk factors, and infections. To assess pathogen seropositivity we used Serimmune's Serum Epitope Repertoire Analysis validated 35 pathogen panels and Chlamydia trachomatis and compared seropositivity to self-report and prenatal medical record screening to assess sensitivity. Cases were more likely to report a younger age at sexual debut (p = <0.01), more sexual partners (p = 0.02), being unmarried (p < 0.01), changing partners between pregnancies (p = <0.01), smoking cigarettes (<0.01), and a recent sexually transmitted infection (STI) (p = 0.02). No differences were observed for self-report of illicit drug use or periconceptional urinary tract infections. Cases had a higher seropositivity for cytomegalovirus (p = 0.01). No differences were observed for herpes simplex I, II, or Epstein-Barr. Though based on small numbers, C. trachomatis seropositivity was highest in cases (17%) compared to controls (8.8%) with the highest proportion observed in case women <20 years of age (cases 33%; controls 0%). Any STI (self-report or seropositivity) was also highest among cases <20 years of age (cases 47%; controls 0%). Among C. trachomatis seropositive women, self-report and prenatal medical record sensitivity was 27.8% and 3%, respectively. Cases were more likely to engage in behaviors that can increase their risk of exposure to sexually transmitted pathogens. Case women <20 years of age had the highest proportion of C. trachomatis seropositivity and any STI. Prenatal medical records and self-report were inadequate to identify a recent chlamydial infection whereas, the SERA assay is a novel approach for evaluating subclinical infections that may impact the developing embryo.

Neck and shoulder pain and inflammatory biomarkers in plasma among forklift truck operators - A case-control study.

The aim of this study was to investigate a panel of inflammatory biomarkers in plasma from forklift truck operators (FLTOs) and healthy controls, and their relation to neck pain characteristics. From employees in a warehouse, 26 FLTOs were recruited and 24 healthy age- and sex-matched controls (CONs) were recruited via advertisement. The inclusion criterion for FLTOs was that they should operate reach decker and/or counterbalanced tilting mast forklift trucks. All participants were asked to answer a questionnaire covering demographic data, pain intensity numeric rating scale (NRS), anatomical spread, psychological distress, and health aspects. Pain sensitivity was measured using a pressure algometer. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for inflammatory proteins in plasma using a panel of 71 cytokines and chemokines. Multivariate data analysis including orthogonal partial least square-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) was performed to identify significant biomarkers. Thirty percent of FLTOs reported NRS > 3 in the neck. Shoulder pain was common in 26% of the FLTOs. Pain and discomfort that most often prevented completion of activities were in the neck (20%), lower back (32%), and hips (27%). The FLTOs reported significantly (p = 0.04) higher levels of anxiety than the CON group and they had significantly lower pressure pain thresholds in the trapezius muscle on both right (p < 0.001) and left sides (p = 0.003). A significant OPLS-DA model could discriminate FLTOs from CON based on nine inflammatory proteins where the expression levels of four proteins were upregulated and five proteins were downregulated in FLTOs compared to CONs. Twenty-nine proteins correlated multivariately with pain intensity. The profile of self-reported health, pain intensity, sensitivity, and plasma biomarkers can discriminate FLTOs with pain from healthy subjects. A combination of both self-reported and objective biomarker measurements can be useful for better understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying work-related neck and shoulder pain.

Altered somatosensory processing in adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

BackgroundTactile sensitivity and sensory overload in ADHD are well-documented in clinical-, self-, and parent- reports, but empirical evidence is scarce and ambiguous and focuses primarily on children. Here, we compare both empirical and self-report tactile sensitivity and ADHD symptomatology in adults with ADHD and neurotypical controls. We evaluate whether tactile sensitivity and integration is more prevalent in ADHD and whether it is related to ADHD symptom severity.MethodsSomatosensory evoked potential (SEP) amplitudes were measured in 27 adults with ADHD and 24 controls during four conditions (rest, stroking of the own arm, stroking of the arm by a researcher, and stroking of an object). Participants also filled out questionnaires on tactile sensitivity and ADHD symptoms and performed a Qb-test as an objective measure of ADHD symptom severity.ResultsParticipants with ADHD self-reported greater tactile sensitivity and ADHD symptom severity than controls and received higher scores on the Qb-test. These values correlated with one another. ADHD participants showed lower tolerable threshold for electrical radial nerve stimulus, and greater reduction in cortical SEP amplitudes during additional tactile stimuli which was correlated with ADHD symptoms.ConclusionsWe find that ADHD symptomatology and touch sensitivity are directly linked, using both self-reports and experimental measures. We also find evidence of tactile sensory overload in ADHD, and an indication that this is linked to inattention specifically. Tactile sensitivity and sensory overload impact the functioning and life quality of many people with ADHD, and clinicians should consider this when treating their patients.

The prevalence of self-reported gluten sensitivity (SRGS) in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)in a Brazilian community. A pilot study

Background – A significant number of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients report onset of symptoms after ingestion of a specific food, including those containing gluten. NCGS includes both intestinal and extra-intestinal symptoms which are related to the ingestion of gluten containing food-after exclusion of celiac disease (CD) and wheat allergy. The overlap between irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and NCGS has been described but the knowledge of the etiopathogenesis of this clinical entity is incomplete. In Brazil, data on the prevalence of IBS and its association with food intolerance are scarce. Objective – To study the prevalence of SRGS in a group of volunteers diagnosed with IBS in a Brazilian community. Methods – A total of 400 volunteers over 18 years old were selected from students and staff of the Medical School of the Fluminense Federal University, Brazil. Participants completed a questionnaire divided in basic demographic information (age, sex), evaluation of IBS diagnosis in accordance with the Rome III criteria and self-reported food intolerance, including gluten. Results – Eighty-seven (21.7%) (Group I) [mean age 30.4±12.65 (77.4%) females] fulfilling the Rome III criteria for IBS. Twenty-six (32%) reported gastrointestinal symptoms after ingestion of food in general and 28 (32.1%) after gluten ingestion. Within the 313 volunteers non-IBS (78.2%) (Group II) [mean age 30.6±21.77, 215 (68.2%) females] 66 (21%) and 50 (15.9%) reported gastrointestinal symptoms after ingestion of food in general and gluten respectively. Demographic data (mean age and sex) were not statistically different when we compared the two groups of volunteers (p&gt;0.05). Conclusion – The report of gastrointestinal symptoms after ingestion of food in general and gluten-containing foods were statistically different in the two groups (p&lt;0.05). The interaction between IBS, food intolerance and NCGS needs to be better defined, since the role of diet in IBS and its feeding management is an essential condition for the treatment of most of those patients

Self-Reported Nonceliac Gluten Sensitivity in Italian Young Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study. A Dietary Fad?

In different countries, the exact prevalence of people that refer symptoms after gluten ingestion is increasing and the unavailability of reliable laboratory tests to diagnose the condition known as nonceliac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) has opened the door to the spread of survey-based studies to hypothesize a prevalence of this condition with highly discordant results. We aim to describe the attitude toward gluten consumption in a large population of young adults in Italy. A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 13 Italian cities to investigate the dietary attitudes of more than 9,400 people distributed throughout the country about gluten consumption. Only those referring to gluten-related symptoms with a frequency equal to "always" or "most of the time" were considered self-reported NCGS (SR-NCGS) patients. Five thousand two hundred thirty-four of 9,432 eligible participants (55.5%) fully completed the questionnaire. Excluding those with previous gastrointestinal diagnoses of celiac disease and wheat allergy, we have finally analyzed 4,987 questionnaires. Four hundred eighty-seven participants indicated gluten-related symptoms always or most of the time (SR-NCGS subjects), while 121 already had a medical diagnosis of NCGS. The minimum prevalence figure of SR-NCGS is 6.4% (95% confidence interval 6.0-6.9), with a higher prevalence in women (79.9%). The most frequent gluten-related symptoms were bloating, abdominal pain, and tiredness. The high prevalence of people reporting symptoms after gluten ingestion requires that the diagnosis of NCGS should be ascertained with a double-blind controlled study to limit the number of people who improperly approach a gluten-free diet.

The correlation between self-reported hand eczema and clinically based diagnosis in professional cleaners.

Most studies investigating the prevalence of hand eczema (HE) in professional cleaners use self-reported questionnaire-based data. However, no validation studies of self-reporting of HE among professional cleaners have previously been conducted. To investigate (1) the point prevalence of self-reported HE, (2) the point prevalence of HE estimated by physical examination of the hands and (3) the sensitivity and specificity of self-reporting of HE compared with the diagnosis based on physical examination among professional cleaners. Professional cleaners at three different hospitals in Region Zealand were invited to fill out a questionnaire. The point prevalence of self-reported HE was estimated based on questions from the Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire. After completing the questionnaire, each cleaner underwent a physical examination of the hands by a dermatologist on the same day. In total, 234 cleaners were invited to participate in the study, and 224 (response rate = 96.0%) agreed to take part. Based on the self-reported questionnaires, 5.3% (n = 12) of the cleaners had current HE. Based on an examination by a physician, 19.2% (n = 43) of the cleaners had current HE. The sensitivity of self-reported HE was found to be 28.0%, while the specificity was found to be 100.0%. The positive predictive value was found to be 100.0%, while the negative predictive value was 85.0%. The true point prevalence of HE among professional cleaners is underestimated when based on self-reporting.

The role of environmental sensitivity in the mental health of Syrian refugee children: a multi-level analysis

Individuals with high environmental sensitivity have nervous systems that are disproportionately receptive to both the protective and imperilling aspects of the environment, suggesting their mental health is strongly context-dependent. However, there have been few consolidated attempts to examine putative markers of sensitivity, across different levels of analysis, within a single cohort of individuals with high-priority mental health needs. Here, we examine psychological (self-report), physiological (hair hormones) and genetic (polygenic scores) markers of sensitivity in a large cohort of 1591 Syrian refugee children across two waves of data. Child-caregiver dyads were recruited from informal tented settlements in Lebanon, and completed a battery of psychological instruments at baseline and follow-up (12 months apart). Univariate and multivariate Bayesian linear mixed models were used to examine a) the interrelationships between markers of sensitivity and b) the ability of sensitivity markers to predict anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and externalising behaviour. Self-reported sensitivity (using the Highly Sensitive Child Scale) significantly predicted a higher burden of all forms of mental illness across both waves, however, there were no significant cross-lagged pathways. Physiological and genetic markers were not stably predictive of self-reported sensitivity, and failed to similarly predict mental health outcomes. The measurement of environmental sensitivity may have significant implications for identifying and treating mental illness, especially amongst vulnerable populations, but clinical utility is currently limited to self-report assessment.

Age-associated changes in multimodal pain perception.

Pain sensitivity varies across multimodal somatosensory stimuli that can rely on different conductive fibres, which, when damaged, will lead to neuropathies. However, there is limited research examining the characteristics of perceived pain, particularly as affected by the ageing process, as induced by various somatosensory stimuli that may rely on small or large fibres. Using heat and pressure stimuli on small and large fibres separately on both younger and older adults, this study examined age-associated changes in pain perception by measuring self-reported pain sensitivity, pain threshold and pain discriminability. Heat pain threshold was significantly positively correlated with age, but not pressure pain threshold. Pain threshold increased and pain discriminability decreased in response to heat stimuli in the older participants compared with the younger ones. An age-associated decline in heat pain perception was observed, suggesting an earlier degradation of heat perception. These findings provide new insight into understanding and assessing somatosensory disorders, which can help ageing populations better maintain healthy sensory functioning.

Genetic and subjective sensitivity, relationship dynamics, and psychological distress in couples.

Positive and negative aspects of intimate relationships influence mental health and well-being in couples. According to the environmental sensitivity framework, individuals differ in how strongly they are affected by their environment, with some individuals being more or less sensitive to both negative and positive experiences. The present study examined the longitudinal associations between positive and negative relationship dynamics, including marital satisfaction, positive bonding, and negative communication, and psychological distress as well as the extent to which individual differences in genetic and subjective measures of environmental sensitivity moderated the association between relationship dynamics and psychological distress in a sample of couples in the U.S. Army (n = 238 individuals representing 152 unique couples). Sensitivity was measured by self-report and a polygenic score derived from previous genome-wide association study results. Separate three-level multilevel models were conducted for each relationship dynamic and sensitivity variable. Only for subjective (i.e., self-reported) sensitivity did significant cross-level interactions emerge in predicting psychological distress, whereas no such interactions were found for genetic (i.e., polygenic score) sensitivity. Specifically, lower marital satisfaction and positive bonding were associated with higher psychological distress among subjectively highly sensitive individuals, and higher negative communication was associated with higher psychological distress among subjectively highly sensitive individuals. Findings suggest that both low positive and high negative relationship dynamics may have a greater effect on psychological distress among highly sensitive individuals, which may help to inform tailored intervention to meet the unique needs of couples. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Long-term disgust habituation with limited generalisation in care home workers.

Countless workers handle bodily effluvia and body envelope violations every working day, and consequentially face deeply unpleasant levels of disgust. Understanding if and how they adapt can help inform policies to improve worker satisfaction and reduce staff turnover. So far, limited evidence exist that self-reported disgust is reduced (or lower to begin with) among those employed in high-disgust environments. However, it is unclear if this is due to demand effects or translates into real behavioural changes. Here, we tested healthcare assistants (N = 32) employed in UK care homes and a control sample (N = 50). We replicated reduced self-reported pathogen disgust sensitivity in healthcare workers compared to controls. We also found it negatively correlated with career duration, suggesting long-term habituation. Furthermore, we found that healthcare assistants showed no behavioural disgust avoidance on a web-based preferential looking task (equivalent to eye tracking). Surprisingly, this extended to disgust elicitors found outside care homes, suggesting generalisation of disgust habituation. While we found no difference between bodily effluvia (core disgust) and body envelope violations (gore disgust), generalisation did not extend to other domains: self-reported sexual and moral disgust sensitivity were not different between healthcare assistants and the control group, nor was there a correlation with career duration. In sum, our work confirms that people in high-frequency disgust employment are less sensitive to pathogen disgust. Crucially, we provide preliminary evidence that this is due to a process of long-term habituation with generalisation to disgust-elicitors within the pathogen domain, but not beyond it.

Diagnostic performance of rapid antigen testing for SARS-CoV-2: the COVid-19 AntiGen (COVAG) extension study.

This study is the extension of the COVAG study. We compared two RATs, the Panbio COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test (Abbott) and the SD Biosensor Q SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Test (Roche), against RT-PCR on the foil of new variants. We included 888 all-comers at a diagnostic center between October 20, 2021, and March 18, 2022. RT-PCR-positive samples with a Ct value ≤32 were examined for SARS-CoV-2 variants. The sensitivity of the Abbott-RAT and Roche-RAT were 65 and 67%, respectively. For both RATs, lower Ct values were significantly correlated with higher sensitivity. For samples with Ct values ≤25, the sensitivities of the Roche-RAT and of the Abbott-RAT were 96 and 95%, for Ct values 25-30 both were 19%, and for Ct values ≥30 they were 6 and 2%, respectively. The RATs had substantially higher sensitivities in symptomatic than asymptomatic participants (76, 77%, vs. 29, 31%, for Abbott-RAT, Roche-RAT, respectively) and in participants referred to testing by their primary care physician (84, 85%) compared to participants who sought testing due to referral by the health department (55, 58%) or a warning by the Corona-Warn-App (49, 49%). In persons with self-reported previous COVID-19 sensitivities were markedly lower than in patients without previous COVID-19: 27% vs. 75% for Roche-RAT and 27% vs. 73% for Abbott-RAT. We did not find significant correlation between vaccination status and sensitivity. The Omicron variant was detected with a sensitivity of 94 and 92%, the delta variant with a sensitivity of 80 and 80% for Abbott-RAT and Roche-RAT, respectively. This difference is attributable to the lower Ct values of the Omicron samples compared to the Delta samples. When adjusted for the Ct value, a multivariate logistic regression did not show a significant difference between Omicron and Delta. In terms of sensitivity, we found no significant difference between the wild-type and the Omicron and Delta variants, but a significantly lower sensitivity to the alpha variant compared to the other variants.The specificities were > 99% overall.

Early adversity and sexual diversity: the importance of self-reported and neurobiological sexual reward sensitivity

Work shows that sexually-diverse individuals face high rates of early life adversity and in turn increased engagement in behavioral outcomes traditionally associated with adversity, such as sexual risk taking. Recent theoretical work suggests that these associations may be attributable to heightened sexual reward sensitivity among adversity-exposed women. We aimed to test these claims using a combination of self-report and EEG measures to test the relationship between early adversity, sexual reward sensitivity (both self-reported and EEG measured) and sexual risk taking in a sexually diverse sample of cis-gender women (N = 208) (Mage = 27.17, SD = 6.36). Results showed that childhood SES predicted self-reported sexual reward sensitivity which in turn predicted numbers of male and female sexual partners. In contrast we found that perceived childhood unpredictability predicted neurobiological sexual reward sensitivity as measured by EEG which in turn predicted male sexual partner number. The results presented here provide support for the notion that heightened sexual reward sensitivity may be a pathway through which early life adversity augments future sexual behavior, and underscores the importance of including greater attention to the dynamics of pleasure and reward in sexual health promotion.

Impaired Carbohydrate Metabolism among Women with Chronic Low Back Pain and the Role of Dietary Carbohydrates: A Randomized Controlled Cross-Over Experiment.

Background: Impaired glucose regulation is suggested to be related to chronic low back pain (CLBP), although it is not clear how they interact with each other. Thus, the primary aim of this study was to investigate differences in postprandial glycemic responses (PPGRs) (the first sign of impaired glucose metabolism) to high- (sucrose) and low-glycemic index (GI) (isomaltulose) beverages in normoglycemic women with CLBP and healthy controls (HCs) and explore whether any group that showed greater PPGRs to high-GI beverage intake would benefit when the high-GI beverage was replaced with a low-GI beverage. Secondly, this study aimed to explore the association between PPGR and pain in patients with CLBP. Methods: This study was registered at clinicaltrials.org (NCT04459104) before the start of the study. In this study, 53 CLBP patients and 53 HCs were recruited. After 11-12 h of fasting, each participant randomly received isomaltulose or sucrose. Blood glucose levels were measured during the fasting state and 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min after the beverage intake, and each participant underwent experimental pain measures. Results: Compared to the HCs, the CLBP group showed significantly higher PPGRs to sucrose (p < 0.021). Additionally, the CLBP group showed a significantly higher decrease in PPGR (p = 0.045) when comparing PPGR to sucrose with PPGR to isomaltulose. Correlation analysis revealed a positive association between self-reported pain sensitivity and PPGR to sucrose, while there was no association found between any experimental pain measures and glycemic responses. Conclusions: Overall, these findings suggest that normoglycemic CLBP patients might have a higher risk of developing impaired glucose tolerance than the HCs and might benefit more when high-GI foods are replaced with low-GI ones.

The effectiveness of cervical rehabilitation interventions for pain in adults with myogenic temporomandibular disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Little evidence exists for the most effective conservative treatment approach for adults with myogenic temporomandibular disorders (MTMD). We aim to assess the effectiveness of cervical rehabilitation interventions on pain intensity and sensitivity in adults with MTMD compared to comparison intervention such as placebo, sham treatment, education or no intervention. For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched PubMed, EMBASE, Medline, PEDro databases, forward and backward citations and grey literature studies through PROSPERO, clinical trials and data registries without language or date restrictions between inception and 1 December 2021. We selected randomised controlled trials (RCTs) based on adult populations with MTMD who had a cervical rehabilitation intervention which was defined as any conservative intervention targeting the anatomical structures of the cervical spine. The primary outcome measures for pain were self-reported pain intensity and pain sensitivity through the pressure pain threshold (PPT) of the masseter and temporalis muscles. Secondary outcome measures of maximal mouth opening (on MMO) were included. Included studies were assessed for bias with the Cochrane risk of bias tool for randomised trials. Evidence from RCTs was synthesised to determine treatment effect size as differences between standardised mean difference (SMD) for changes in pain intensity, PPT and MMO comparing adults with MTMD who were treated with cervical rehabilitation interventions compared to a control group. This study is registered on Prospero, number CRD 42021289299. Our general search yielded 2647 studies where seven RCTs met eligibility criteria with low to some concerns in their risk of bias. Pain intensity (five studies, n = 223, SMD -0.98, 95% CI -1.67 to -0.28, I2 = 79%), PPT of the masseter muscle (six studies, n = 395, SMD 0.64, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.86, I2 = 90%) and the temporalis muscles (five studies, n = 295, SMD 0.76, 95% CI 0.07 to 1.45, I2 = 84%) showed large treatment effect estimates favouring cervical rehabilitation interventions compared to no treatment, sham cervical treatment, patient education or non-cervical neuromuscular techniques. Compared to control interventions, one type of cervical rehabilitation intervention, cervical manual therapy alone or in combination with a neck exercise program was associated with statistically significant, large treatment effect estimates on pain intensity (four studies, n = 203, SMD -1.52, 95% CI -2.50 to -0.55). This review found that in the short-term, cervical rehabilitation interventions especially upper cervical MT alone or in combination with a neck exercise program are effective in improving multiple pain outcomes in adults with MTMD. However, further research is needed to measure the long-term effects of this type of intervention.