The primary objective of the study is to investigate attentional disengagement from both itch and pain in healthy subjects. The role of individual characteristics in attentional disengagement from itch and pain will be explored.
ID
Source
Brief title
Condition
- Other condition
Synonym
Health condition
aandoeningen die gepaard gaan met (chronische) jeuk en pijn
Research involving
Sponsors and support
Intervention
Outcome measures
Primary outcome
The primary outcome is similar for both itch and pain, and concerns one*s
capacity to disengage attention. Attentional disengagement from itch or pain is
reflected by the reaction time of responses to ipsilaterally (as opposed to the
itch/pain stimulus) versus contralaterally presented visual targets during the
itch and pain stimuli, respectively, corrected for the reaction time during
control blocks (i.e. without somatosensory stimulus).
Secondary outcome
As secondary outcome, the accuracy (i.e. incorrect responses) of the reactions
to the visual targets will be determined during the itch and pain blocks,
corrected for the control blocks. Exploratory, the degree of attentional
disengagement from itch will be compared to the degree of attentional
disengagement from pain, both with respect to the reaction times and the
accuracy. Moreover, individual characteristics assessed by self-report
questionnaires will exploratory be related to attentional disengagement from
itch and pain.
Background summary
Itch and pain are somatosensory sensations that serve as warning signals to
protect for potential threat. The prioritization of somatosensory stimuli is
regulated by attentional processes. Focusing attention on somatosensory stimuli
is protective in the case of physical threat when attentional focusing leads to
faster detection and more accurate discrimination of for example pain. However,
in chronic pain attentional processes, and particularly the ability to
disengage attention from pain, seem to be disturbed. In view of the
similarities between pain and itch, similar mechanisms of attentional processes
might also be relevant for itch. Recently we developed and validated a
somatosensory attention task for the investigation of attentional disengagement
from itch. However, this task has not yet been used for the investigation of
attentional disengagement from pain.
Study objective
The primary objective of the study is to investigate attentional disengagement
from both itch and pain in healthy subjects. The role of individual
characteristics in attentional disengagement from itch and pain will be
explored.
Study design
This is an experimental study in which the somatosensory attention task will be
used to investigate attentional disengagement from itch and pain. The
somatosensory attention task for itch will now be adapted to be also applicable
to measure attentional disengagement from pain. In addition, validated
questionnaires measuring individual characteristics will be administered.
Study burden and risks
Potential participants will first complete a screening questionnaire (ca. 15
min). Participants will then visit the lab at the Faculty of Social and
Behavioural Sciences of Leiden University once for approximately 1:45 hours.
For the somatosensory attention task, itch and pain will be induced
non-invasively by means of electrical stimulation, according to a method that
has frequently been applied by our research group. The task is not difficult,
and only requires concentration. Moreover, a series of validated questionnaires
will be administered to assess relevant individual characteristics. No risks
are involved with participation in this study.
Wassenaarseweg 52
Leiden 2333 AK
NL
Wassenaarseweg 52
Leiden 2333 AK
NL
Listed location countries
Age
Inclusion criteria
Healthy volunteer; 18-30 years old; fluent in Dutch language
Exclusion criteria
Severe physical or psychiatric morbidity (e.g., multiple sclerosis, diabetes mellitus, heart or lung disease, rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis, major depressive disorder), use of pacemaker, chronic itch or pain complaints, use of antihistaminics, pregnancy.
Design
Recruitment
metc-ldd@lumc.nl
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In other registers
| Register | ID |
|---|---|
| CCMO | NL54237.058.15 |