Article
Orthopedics
Maria Andre, Mari Lundberg
Summary: The study explores thoughts and ideas about body and pain in patients with nonspecific low back pain who have fear of movement. Findings suggest that patients with fear require support to feel secure and have enough confidence in their body to move and exercise. Clinicians need to better incorporate evidence-based practice and provide updated information for patients with recurrent LBP and fear.
Article
Neurosciences
Giorgia Varallo, Federica Scarpina, Emanuele Maria Giusti, Roberto Cattivelli, Anna Guerrini Usubini, Paolo Capodaglio, Gianluca Castelnuovo
Summary: The study found that kinesiophobia partially mediated the association between pain intensity and disability in individuals with chronic low-back pain and obesity. The crucial role of kinesiophobia as a psychological factor in chronic low-back pain rehabilitation programs to reduce disability in individuals with obesity is emphasized.
Article
Orthopedics
Morris Kahere, Themba Ginindza
Summary: This study found that female gender and fear avoidance beliefs about work were significantly associated with greater disability, while smoking 1 to 10 cigarettes per day and higher illness behavior scores were significantly associated with less disability. The model explained 20% variance in Oswestry disability scores.
BMC MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS
(2022)
Review
Anesthesiology
Guillaume Christe, Geert Crombez, Shannon Edd, Emmanuelle Opsommer, Brigitte M. Jolles, Julien Favre
Summary: Higher levels of pain-related fear, catastrophizing, and depression are significantly associated with reduced spinal movement amplitudes and increased muscle activity in low back pain patients. Pain intensity has a minimal independent association with spinal motor behavior, and the small effect sizes found in the meta-analyses question the role of psychological factors as major causes of spinal movement avoidance.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bernard X. W. Liew, Jon J. Ford, Marco Scutari, Andrew J. Hahne
Summary: Individualised physiotherapy for low back pain primarily works by facilitating an early reduction in disability, leading to improvements in other biopsychosocial outcomes. The results showed that individualised physiotherapy directly reduced early disability in people with low back pain and had indirect effects on pain intensity, recovery expectations, sleep, fear, anxiety, and depression.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Nebojsa Nick Knezevic, Kenneth D. Candido, Johan W. S. Vlaeyen, Jan Van Zundert, Steven P. Cohen
Summary: Low back pain encompasses various types of pain, with diagnostic and therapeutic methods controversial, requiring a comprehensive approach considering biological, psychological, and social factors. Improvement in diagnostic accuracy, treatment algorithms, and multimodal interdisciplinary treatment are essential.
Article
Anesthesiology
Amanda C. de C. Williams, Raffaele Buono, Nicolas Gold, Temitayo Olugbade, Nadia Bianchi-Berthouze
Summary: This study explored the specific characteristics of guarding and flow in chronic pain, and the application of designing technical systems to support self-management of chronic pain. The results showed that guarding conveyed caution about movement, distinct from biomechanical variables, while flow played a role in restriction, tempo, and naturalness in overall movement.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PAIN
(2023)
Article
Anesthesiology
Christine M. van Vliet, Ann Meulders, Linda M. G. Vancleef, Johan W. S. Vlaeyen
Summary: The fear-avoidance model suggests that catastrophic interpretation of pain leads to pain-related fear and avoidance behavior, potentially resulting in chronic pain disability. Research found that performing an avoidance movement in a novel context can increase threat and pain-related fear, with participants showing elevated pain expectancy and less likelihood to choose a novel trajectory after acquisition. These findings indicate that avoidance in certain contexts may contribute to the development and maintenance of irrational fears and threat appraisals.
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Rini Masuy, Lotte Bamelis, Katleen Bogaerts, Bart Depreitere, Kris De Smedt, Jeroen Ceuppens, Bert Lenaert, Sarah Lonneville, Dieter Peuskens, Johan Van Lerbeirghe, Patrick Van Schaeybroeck, Peter Vorlat, Steefka Zijlstra, Ann Meulders, Johan W. S. Vlaeyen
Summary: This study aims to identify modifiable predictors of work resumption after back surgery. It is hypothesized that fear of movement-related pain, avoidance behavior, and negative expectancies towards recovery and work resumption will negatively affect work resumption, while optimism and positive expectancies are expected to predict more favorable outcomes.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Mulualem Yihunie, Yohannes Abich, Solomon Fasika Demissie, Tesfa Kassa, Parthasarathy Ranganathan, Balamurugan Janakiraman
Summary: This study describes fear-avoidance beliefs about physical activity among adults with chronic low back pain and explores its association with socio-demographic and clinical factors. The findings suggest that fear-avoidance beliefs are associated with residence, work, and medication intake. These findings can further guide future research and assist clinicians in choosing appropriate interventions for different subgroups.
JOURNAL OF PAIN RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Aminu Alhassan Ibrahim, Mukadas Oyeniran Akindele, Sokunbi Oluwaleke Ganiyu, Bashir Kaka, Bashir Bello
Summary: The study successfully translated and culturally adapted the BBQ into Hausa language and assessed its psychometric properties in mixed urban and rural Nigerian populations with chronic LBP. Results showed that the Hausa-BBQ had good internal and external construct validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability, making it a useful tool for detecting specific attitudes and beliefs about back pain in the Hausa culture.
Article
Anesthesiology
David Murray Klyne, Leanne Marie Hall, Michael K. Nicholas, Paul William Hodges
Summary: Early identification of depressive symptoms and healthcare utilization predicted worse and better outcomes in acute low back pain, respectively. Gender and BMI inconsistently predicted outcomes. Time variation of risk factors should be considered in assessing poor outcome risk.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PAIN
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kirsten Hilger, Anne-Sophie Haege, Christina Zedler, Michael Jost, Paul Pauli
Summary: Research suggests that pain-associated approach and avoidance behaviors play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of chronic pain. A new Virtual Reality paradigm was introduced to study pain-related behavior and experiences, allowing for the evaluation of multiple dimensions. The findings indicate a rapid reduction in approach behavior in the presence of acute pain, along with slower effects on fear of movement-related pain and pain expectancy ratings. The removal of pain contingencies in the modification phase resulted in changes in all three indices. The study highlights the importance of understanding the mechanisms involved in chronic pain and its therapy.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Kristina Valentinova, Mario A. Acuna, Niels R. Ntamati, Natalie E. Nevian, Thomas Nevian
Summary: This study reveals that in the presence of chronic pain, mice tend to avoid cold rather than approach rewards. This conflicting behavior is associated with strengthened inputs from the basolateral amygdala to the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Stimulation of this pathway can reduce avoidance behaviors in pain mice.
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Lihong Bao, Chunfen Peng, Jingting He, Chengqin Sun, Lijuan Feng, Yang Luo
Summary: This study aimed to explore the characteristics of fear-avoidance beliefs (FAB) in postoperative patients after lung surgery and the impact of threat learning on FAB. The results showed that FAB was associated with age, gender, and preoperative fear of pain, as well as postoperative variables such as pain intensity, ambulation, and cough performance. Threat learning was found to be an important factor influencing the formation of FAB. Therefore, controlling threat learning is crucial in preventing postoperative FAB.
PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH AND BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Review
Anesthesiology
Ann Meulders, Johan W. S. Vlaeyen, Andrea W. M. Evers, Albere J. A. Koke, Rob J. E. M. Smeets, Jan H. M. Van Zundert, Jeanine M. C. F. Verbunt, Dimitri M. L. Van Ryckeghem
Article
Anesthesiology
Angelos-Miltiadis Krypotos, Geert Crombez, Maryna Alves, Nathalie Claes, Johan W. S. Vlaeyen
Summary: This study investigates how individuals solve the exploration-exploitation dilemma when facing pain and finds that participants tend to choose the safest option, prioritize rewards over pain, and are more inclined to explore after experiencing pain.
Article
Psychology, Experimental
Hans Stuyck, Axel Cleeremans, Eva Van den Bussche
Summary: Insightful problem solving is less affected by cognitive load compared to non-insightful problem solving, as demonstrated by a study on young, healthy adults solving word puzzles under different cognitive loads.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Julie F. Vermeir, Melanie J. White, Daniel Johnson, Geert Crombez, Dimitri M. L. Van Ryckeghem
Summary: This study aims to investigate the effects of a gamified web-delivered ABMT intervention in adults with chronic pain. The trial will provide important information on the potential therapeutic benefits of gamified pain ABMT programs and advance our understanding of chronic pain.
JMIR RESEARCH PROTOCOLS
(2022)
Correction
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Eva Van den Bussche, Maryna Alves, Yannick P. J. Murray, Gethin Hughes
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gunther Van Bost, Stefaan Van Damme, Geert Crombez
Summary: This study examined the relationship between cognitive flexibility and goal adjustment abilities in individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI). The findings showed that cognitive flexibility was positively associated with goal reengagement, and goal adjustment abilities had a unique predictive value for life satisfaction and quality of life beyond personality traits.
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Anne-Merel Meijer, Bart Aben, Bert Reynvoet, Eva Van den Bussche
Summary: The study reveals the importance of cognitive control in resolving conflict tasks. Proactive control is more efficient when conflicts are frequent, while reactive control is used when conflicts are rare. The research also found that these control processes can also underlie two-digit number comparison in adults.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL CHILD PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Maryna Alves, Angelos-Miltiadis Krypotos, Geert Crombez, Johan W. S. Vlaeyen
Summary: This study developed and validated the Experimental Pain Pictures System (EPPS), a set of pain-related pictures depicting different types of pain. Participants rated all the pictures as negative, arousing, and painful.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Julie F. Vermeir, Melanie J. White, Daniel Johnson, Geert Crombez, Dimitri M. L. Van Ryckeghem
Summary: This research provides researchers with a dataset of pain-related and non-pain-related linguistic stimuli by investigating the associative strength between pain-related words and the pain construct, the pain-relatedness ratings of pain words, and the variability in the relatedness of pain words within pain word classifications. The findings highlight the importance of validating linguistic pain stimuli.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sarah De Pue, Celine Gillebert, Eva Dierckx, Eva Van den Bussche
Summary: In the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, older adults in Flanders, Belgium experienced a significant impact on their subjective wellbeing, sleep, and activity. However, the impact on subjective cognitive functioning was limited. Subsequent waves of the pandemic and social distancing measures continued to influence wellbeing and subjective cognitive functioning. The presence of depressive and anxiety symptoms were found to be related to the longer-term impact of the pandemic on older adults' wellbeing and subjective cognitive functioning.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Annina B. Schmid, Lucy Ridgway, Louise Hailey, Mohamed Tachrount, Fay Probert, Kathryn R. Martin, Whitney Scott, Geert Crombez, Christine Price, Claire Robinson, Soraya Koushesh, Sarim Ather, Brigitte Tampin, Marco Barbero, Daniel Nanz, Stuart Clare, Jeremy Fairbank, Georgios Baskozos
Summary: Sciatica is a common condition that is associated with higher levels of pain, disability, poorer quality of life, and increased use of health resources. The FORECAST study aims to explore mechanism-based subgroups in patients with sciatica and identify factors that predict pain persistence. This study will provide crucial information about the pathophysiological drivers of sciatica symptoms and may help in identifying prognostic factors of pain persistence.
Article
Psychology, Biological
Hans Stuyck, Febe Demeyer, Christo Bratanov, Axel Cleeremans, Eva van den Bussche
Summary: This study investigated the reliance of insight and non-insight problem solving methods on cognitive resources. The results showed that resting-state vmHRV was negatively associated with behavioral performance for both solution types. In addition, there was an increase in prefrontal resources during the problem-solving process, which is crucial for open-minded and divergent thinking. The study also found that higher trait vmHRV improved the metacognitive differentiation between insight and non-insight solutions.
QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology
Matheus P. C. G. Lourenco, Thomas E. Fuller, Saskia Ranson, Johan W. S. Vlaeyen, Rilana F. F. Cima
Summary: This study compared the effectiveness of group and individual cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for chronic tinnitus and found that group CBT may be more beneficial than individual CBT. The results showed minor significant improvements in some variables with group treatment compared to individual treatment. However, the findings are limited to male patients with chronic tinnitus.
Article
Neurosciences
Geert Crombez, Elke Veirman, Dimitri Van Ryckeghem, Whitney Scott, Annick De Paepe
Summary: This study identifies and addresses potential problems in investigating the effect of psychological factors on pain outcomes. It highlights the importance of high-quality data and considering causal assumptions. The study suggests the need for improvement and provides recommendations for future research.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Iris Maes, Lieze Mertens, Louise Poppe, Tomas Vetrovsky, Geert Crombez, Femke De Backere, Ruben Brondeel, Delfien Van Dyck
Summary: This study examined within-person associations between multiple determinants of the capability, opportunity, motivation, and behavior framework and physical activity (PA). The results showed that factors such as irritation, feeling down, intention, and self-efficacy were positively associated with subsequent PA, while relaxation, satisfaction, and fatigue were negatively associated.
