Pain can produce systematic distortions of autobiographical memory

• Verfasst von: Meyer, Patric [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Karl, Anke [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Flor, Herta [VerfasserIn]
• Titel: Pain can produce systematic distortions of autobiographical memory
• Verf.angabe: Patric Meyer, PhD, Anke Karl, PhD, and Herta Flor, PhD
• E-Jahr: 2015
• Jahr: 19 May 2015
• Umfang: 6 S.
• Fussnoten: Gesehen am 07.12.2017
• Titel Quelle: Enthalten in: Pain medicine
• Ort Quelle: Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2000
• Jahr Quelle: 2015
• Band/Heft Quelle: 16(2015), 5, Seite 905-910
• ISSN Quelle: 1526-4637
• DOI: doi:10.1111/pme.12716
• Datenträger: Online-Ressource
• Sprache: eng
• K10plus-PPN: 1566139554

Abstract

Objectives: Cognitive-behavioral models highlight the role of learning and memory biases in the development and maintenance of chronic pain. However, the extent to which a memory bias is a consequence of the clinical state of being a chronic pain subject is unknown. This article presents a study which delineates the influence of chronic and acute pain on autobiographical memory retrieval. Methods: 16 healthy controls and 16 individuals with chronic pain participated in an autobiographical memory task during two sessions (a current pain and a pain-free session for the chronic pain subjects) and received neutral words that served as a cue for the retrieval of past life events. Results: The valence of remembered life events in individuals with chronic pain was more negative when they were in pain compared to pain-free states. Conversely, both groups did not differ in their ratings of the reported memories during the pain-free condition. In addition, no significant relationship between mood and the valence of retrieved memories was found.Conclusions: The present data demonstrate that current pain but not chronic pain per se can exert specific influences on remembering in participants with chronic pain. This memory bias could be a predisposition for the development of chronic pain but could also be a pain-maintaining consequence of painful experiences. This should be addressed in longitudinal studies.