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Related Experiment Videos

Classical Conditioning Differences Associated With Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review.

Daniel S Harvie1, G Lorimer Moseley2, Susan L Hillier3

  • 1Body in Mind Research Group, Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia; Recover Injury Research Centre, Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia.

The Journal of Pain
|April 8, 2017
PubMed
Summary

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People with chronic pain show altered classical conditioning responses, potentially impacting fear learning and avoidance behaviors. Further research is needed to confirm if conditioning changes predispose or maintain chronic pain conditions.

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Pain Research

Background:

  • Clinical models suggest classical conditioning is crucial for developing chronic pain disability.
  • Differences in responses to pain-related stimuli between chronic pain patients and healthy individuals are hypothesized.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review and synthesize existing literature comparing classical conditioning in individuals with chronic pain versus healthy controls.
  • To determine if chronic pain is associated with altered classical conditioning processes.

Main Methods:

  • A systematic literature search was conducted across multiple databases (MEDLINE, PsychINFO, etc.) for studies comparing classical conditioning in chronic pain and control groups.
  • Included studies utilized differential classical conditioning designs and assessed various outcomes like US expectancy, fear responses, and physiological measures.
Keywords:
Classical conditioningassociative learningchronic painlearning deficits

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  • Meta-analyses were performed on a subset of studies due to outcome variability.

    • Main Results:

    • Seven studies involving 129 chronic pain patients and 104 controls were reviewed.
    • Individuals with chronic pain demonstrated reduced differential learning and flatter generalization gradients in US expectancy and fear-potentiated startle responses.
    • Some evidence suggested greater muscular responses and unpleasantness perception to pain-associated cues in the chronic pain group.

    Conclusions:

    • Preliminary evidence suggests that individuals with chronic pain may exhibit diminished differential US expectancy and fear learning.
    • These altered conditioning patterns could potentially contribute to widespread fear-avoidance behaviors in chronic pain.
    • The hypothesis that modified classical conditioning acts as a predisposing or maintaining factor for chronic pain requires further verification.