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Phantom headache: pain-memory-emotion hypothesis for chronic daily headache?
Sanjay Prakash1, Purva Golwala
1Department of Neurology, Medical College, SSG Hospital, O-19, Doctor's Quarter, Jail Road, Baroda, Gujarat, 390001, India. drprakashs@yahoo.co.in
The Journal of Headache and Pain
|April 12, 2011
Summary
Chronic pain, like daily headaches, may be linked to "pain memory." Poor memory might reduce the risk of developing chronic pain, suggesting a connection between pain, memory, and emotions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
Background:
- The neurobiology of chronic pain, including chronic daily headache (CDH), remains incompletely understood.
- The
- pain memory
- hypothesis, initially proposed for phantom limb pain, is being explored for its role in CDH.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review existing literature and delineate the relationship between
- pain memory
- and the development of chronic daily headache (CDH).
- To explore the interconnectedness of pain, memory, and emotional pathways in the brain.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies investigating the neurobiological underpinnings of chronic pain, memory, and emotions.
Main Results:
- A direct relationship exists between pain and memory; impaired memory may decrease the likelihood of developing chronic pain.
- Significant overlap is observed in the neural networks associated with pain, memory, and emotional processing.
- A
- triangular theory
- for chronic pain is proposed, suggesting bidirectional interrelations between pain, memory, and emotions.
Conclusions:
- The
- triangular theory
- suggests that pain, memory, and emotions are bidirectionally interrelated, potentially explaining the chronicity of pain.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy and psychological interventions reducing both pain and psychological symptoms support this interrelation.
- Further longitudinal studies are needed to confirm the relationship between memory impairment and chronic pain conditions like headache.
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