Effects of mood on pain responses and pain tolerance: An experimental study in chronic back pain patients

Although chronic pain and depression commonly co-occur, causal relationships have yet to be established. A reciprocal relationship, with depression increasing pain and vice versa, is most frequently suggested. but experimental evidence is needed to validate such it view. The most straightforward approach would be a demonstration that increasing or decreasing depressed mood predictably modifies pain responses. The current experiment tested whether experimentally induced depressed and happy mood have differential effects oil paid ratings and tolerance in 55 patients suffering from chronic back pails. Participants were randomly assigned to depressed. neural (control) or elated mood induction conditions. They completed a physically passive baseline task prior to receiving mood induction, then a clinical relevant physically active task (holding a heavy bag) to elicit pain responses and tolerance. Measures were taken immediately alter the baseline task and immediately after the mood induction to assess the changes ill mood. pain ratings and tolerance before and alter the experimental manipulation. Results indicate that the induction of depressed Mood resulted in significantly higher pails ratings at rest and lower pain tolerance, whilst induced happy Mood resulted ill significantly lower pain ratings at rest and greater pain tolerance. Correlations between changes ill mood oil the one hand and changes in paid response and pain tolerance on the other hand were Consistent with these findings. It is concluded that, in chronic back pain patients. experimentally induced negative mood increases self-reported pain and decreases tolerance for a pain-relevant task. with positive mood having the opposite effect. (C) 2008 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.