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Psychological processing in chronic pain: a neural systems approach
Laura E Simons1, Igor Elman2, David Borsook3
1Center for Pain and the Brain, P.A.I.N. Group, Boston Children's Hospital, United States; Department of Psychiatry, United States; Harvard Medical School, United States.
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
|December 31, 2013
Summary
Chronic pain affects complex brain circuits, impacting sensory, emotional, and cognitive functions. Understanding these neural changes helps implement psychology-based treatments for better chronic pain management.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Pain Research
Background:
- Chronic pain involves complex brain circuits integrating sensory, emotional, and cognitive processing.
- Interactions between physical and emotional pain, and psychological status, complicate pain evaluation and treatment.
- Altered psychological status significantly impacts the expression and experience of chronic pain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review neural processes altered by chronic pain within localized and integrated brain networks.
- To link altered psychological processes to specific evidence-based treatments.
- To propose a model of pain neuroscience psychology.
Main Methods:
- Review of scientific literature on neural circuits in chronic pain.
- Analysis of psychological processes affected by chronic pain.
- Linking psychological alterations to established treatment modalities.
Main Results:
- Chronic pain leads to ongoing, variable changes in neural networks, affecting sensory, emotional, and cognitive functions.
- These neural alterations contribute to the overall pain phenotype and can be modulated by treatments.
- Specific psychological processes are identified as targets for evidence-based interventions.
Conclusions:
- Understanding the neural basis of psychological changes in chronic pain is crucial for effective treatment.
- A mechanistic approach integrating psychology into pain management is supported by current evidence.
- The proposed model of pain neuroscience psychology offers a framework for clinical application.
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