Pain Flashcards
What is specificity theory?
Von Frey (1895) Body has specific receptors for pain connected to its own specialised nerve fibre that projected to specific sites in the central nervous system.
What was the historical view of pain?
Descartes (1664) Saw pain in terms of a pathway. Pain travelled from the source, up the spinal cord and to the brain.
What is pattern theory?
Goldscheider (1920) We feel pain when certain patterns of neural activity occur. When sensory activity reaches high levels we feel pain. Different pattern for mild and strong stimulation
What is the gate control theory?
Melzack and wall (1965) A pain gate exists within the dorsal horn that can be opened and closed
What 3 factors influence the gate in gate control theory?
- amount of activity in pain fibres - activity in peripheral fibres such as large diameter fibres which tend to close the gate - messages that descend from the brain
What is the neuromatrix theory of pain?
Melzack (2001) Suggests pain is created from a widely distributed neural network not a direct response to sensory experience. Suggest it is genetically determined and modified by sensory experience
What are the components to the new nervous system proposed by melzack (2002)
- the body self neuromatrix - cyclical process and synthesis in which neurosis nature is produced - sentient neural hub which converts neurosis nature into awareness - activate of action neuromatrix to bring about movement towards desired goal
What gender differences are there in pain perception?
Todd et al (2002) Found males showed a higher tolerance to the cold pressor test and reported lower average ratings of pain intensity. It is thought the main difference in males reported greater physical self-efficacy than women. Self efficacy scores were correlated with tolerance to pain and lower ratings.
How does appraisal affect pain?
Todd et al (2005) Ran a study with college students on the cold pressor task 3 conditions - threatening, have participants read passage about dangers of frostbite - reassurance , passage about the safety of the cPT - control Found threatening condition catastrophized more about and only 15 % lasted 4 mins compared to 50 % in reassurance . Relationship between threat and pain was mediated by catastrophizing and cognitive coping.
What psychosocial variables were discovered by summer et al (1991)?
Examined patients with a spinal cord injury Found that patients who were more angry reported more pain. Also patient who negatively appraised their pain experienced more pain. Patients who were more accepting of their disability reported lower levels of pain
What did Ostrowsky et al (2002) find about brain mechanisms of pain?
Found that electrical stimulation of the insular cortex caused reports of painful burning and stinging sensations
What was found about personal identity in relation to pain?
Pool et al (2007) found that personal identity of masculine or feminine related to expectation and to tolerance of pain
How does hypnosis explain how pain works?
Hofbauer et al (2001) Presents participants with painful stimuli and used hypnotic suggestion to reduce the perceived intensity of the pain. Found that this reduced participants rating of pain and activation in the somatosensory cortex
What psychosocial elements are factors in pain?
Stephenson and Walker (2003) Suggested Attention Emotion Feelings of control Certainty of pain The situation Conditioning Gender roles Coping ability Culture Anxiety
What did Singer et al (2004) find about brain regions in pain?
Ran a study with partners/couples. When women experienced shock to back of their hand, their anterior cingulate cortex , anterior insulate cortex, thalamus and somatosensory cortex became active. When they saw partner get shock all areas apart from somatosensory cortex were active.
