Titre du document / Document title

Generalized hypervigilance in fibromyalgia : evidence of perceptual amplification

Auteur(s) / Author(s)

MCDERMID A. J. ⁽¹⁾ ; ROLLMAN G. B. ⁽¹⁾ ; MCCAIN G. A. ⁽²⁾ ;

Affiliation(s) du ou des auteurs / Author(s) Affiliation(s)

⁽¹⁾ Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 5C2, CANADA
⁽²⁾ Division of Rheumatology, University Hospital, London, Ontario, N6A 5A5, CANADA

Résumé / Abstract

The hypervigilance model of pain perception states that chronic pain patients have a heightened sensitivity to pain (e.g. low threshold and tolerance) because of increased attention to external stimulation and a preoccupation with pain sensations. This study tested the hypothesis that individuals with fibromyalgia, a chronic pain disorder of undetermined origin, have a generalized hypervigilant pattern of responding that extends beyond the pain domain. Twenty fibromyalgia out-patients, 20 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, and 20 normal controls served as subjects. The RA and normal control subjects were age and sex matched to the fibromyalgia patients. Subjects were tested for pain tolerance, pain threshold, and noise tolerance and were asked to complete a number of questionnaires that assessed hypervigilance. As predicted, the responses of the fibromyalgia patients to both the pain and auditory stimuli were consistent with the generalized hypervigilance hypothesis. These patients had significantly lower threshold and tolerance values than the RA patients, who in turn, had lower values than the normal control subjects. The results of the psychological questionnaires revealed that the fibromyalgia and RA patients preferred lower levels of external stimulation than the control subjects. The outcome of this study supports the generalized hypervigilance hypothesis, suggesting that fibromyalgia patients have a perceptual style of amplification. The implications of these findings for understanding the role of biological, cognitive, and perceptual factors in pain disorders are discussed.

Revue / Journal Title

Pain   ISSN 0304-3959   CODEN PAINDB 

Source / Source

1996, vol. 66, n^o2-3, pp. 133-144 (1 p.3/4)

Langue / Language

Anglais

Editeur / Publisher

Elsevier, Amsterdam, PAYS-BAS  (1975) (Revue)

Mots-clés anglais / English Keywords

Experimental study ; Fibromyalgia ; Pain ; Vigilance ; Noxious stimulus ; Human ; Nociception ; Sensorial perception ;

Mots-clés français / French Keywords

Etude expérimentale ; Fibromyalgie ; Douleur ; Vigilance ; Stimulus nociceptif ; Homme ; Nociception ; Perception sensorielle ;

Mots-clés espagnols / Spanish Keywords

Estudio experimental ; Fibromialgia ; Dolor ; Vigilancia ; Estímulo nociceptivo ; Hombre ; Nocicepción ; Percepción sensorial ;

Localisation / Location

INIST-CNRS, Cote INIST : 17241, 35400006411590.0040