Brain-behaviour correlates of habitual motivation in chronic back pain

Nees F, Ruttorf M, Fuchs X, Rance M, Beyer N. Brain-behaviour correlates of habitual motivation in chronic back pain. Scientific Reports. 2020;10(1): 11090

Do Mirror Glasses Have the Same Effect on Brain Activity as a Mirror Box? Evidence from a Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study with Healthy Subjects

Milde C, Rance M, Kirsch P, et al. Do Mirror Glasses Have the Same Effect on Brain Activity as a Mirror Box? Evidence from a Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study with Healthy Subjects. PLOS ONE. 2015;10(5): e0127694

An augmented reality home-training system based on the mirror training and imagery approach

Trojan J, Diers M, Fuchs X, et al. An augmented reality home-training system based on the mirror training and imagery approach. Behavior Research Methods. 2013;46(3):634-640

Phantom limb pain after unilateral arm amputation is associated with decreased heat pain thresholds in the face

BACKGROUND The mechanisms underlying chronic phantom limb pain (PLP) are complex and insufficiently understood. Altered sensory thresholds are often associated with chronic pain but quantitative sensory testing (QST) in PLP has so far been inconclusive due to large methodological variation between studies and small sample sizes. METHODS In this study, we applied QST in 37 unilateral upper-limb amputees (23 with and 14 without PLP) and 19 healthy controls. We assessed heat pain (HPT), pressure pain, warmth detection and two-point discrimination thresholds at the residual limb, a homologous point and the thenar of the intact limb as well as both corners of the mouth. RESULTS We did not find significant differences in any of the thresholds between the groups. However, PLP intensity was negatively associated with HPT at all measured body sites except for the residual limb, indicating lower pain thresholds with higher PLP levels. Correlations between HPT and PLP were strongest in the contralateral face (r = -0.65, p < 0.001). Facial HPT were specifically associated with PLP, independent of residual limb pain (RLP) and various other covariates. HPT at the residual limb, however, were significantly associated with RLP, but not with PLP. CONCLUSION We conclude that the association between PLP and, especially facial, HPT could be related to central mechanisms. SIGNIFICANCE Phantom limb pain (PLP) is still poorly understood. We show that PLP intensity is associated with lower heat pain thresholds, especially in the face. This finding could be related to central nervous changes in PLP

Phantom limb pain after unilateral arm amputation is associated with decreased heat pain thresholds in the face

Fuchs X, Diers M, Trojan J, et al. Phantom limb pain after unilateral arm amputation is associated with decreased heat pain thresholds in the face. European journal of pain. Accepted.The mechanisms underlying chronic phantom limb pain (PLP) are complex and insufficiently understood. Altered sensory thresholds are often associated with chronic pain but quantitative sensory testing (QST) in PLP has so far been inconclusive due to large methodological variation between studies and small sample sizes. In this study, we applied QST in 37 unilateral upper-limb amputees (23 with, 14 without PLP) and 19 healthy controls. We assessed heat pain (HPT), pressure pain (PPT), warmth detection (WDT), and two-point discrimination thresholds at the residual limb, a homologous point and the thenar of the intact limb as well as both corners of the mouth. We did not find significant differences in any of the thresholds between the groups. However, PLP intensity was negatively associated with HPT at all measured body sites except for the residual limb, indicating lower pain thresholds with higher PLP levels. Correlations between HPT and PLP were strongest in the contralateral face (r = -0.65, p < 0.001). Facial HPT were specifically associated with PLP, independent of residual limb pain (RLP) and various other covariates. HPT at the residual limb, however, were significantly associated with RLP, but not with PLP. We conclude that the association between PLP and, especially facial, HPT could be related to central mechanisms. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Illusion-related brain activations: A new virtual reality mirror box system for use during functional magnetic resonance imaging

Diers M, Kamping S, Kirsch P, et al. Illusion-related brain activations: A new virtual reality mirror box system for use during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Brain Research. 2014;1594:173-182

The Importance of Synchrony and Temporal Order of Visual and Tactile Input for Illusory Limb Ownership Experiences – An fMRI Study Applying Virtual Reality

Bekrater-Bodmann R, Foell J, Diers M, et al. The Importance of Synchrony and Temporal Order of Visual and Tactile Input for Illusory Limb Ownership Experiences – An fMRI Study Applying Virtual Reality. PLoS ONE. 2014;9(1): e87013

Ratings on the intensity and vividness of mirror illusions for the mirror box and mirror glasses conditions.

<p>Results are reported with Mean ± Standard Deviation of the Mean (<i>M</i> ± <i>SD</i>). Comparisons of the two items between conditions were conducted with paired sample <i>t</i>-tests with Bonferroni adjusted alpha-values of 0.025 (0.05/2). Numerical rating scale ranging from 1 (‘as clear and vivid as a real perceptual experience’) to 7 (‘not at all clear and vivid’).</p><p>Ratings on the intensity and vividness of mirror illusions for the mirror box and mirror glasses conditions.</p