Pain and the perception of space in fibromyalgia
Abstract The Economy of action hypothesis postulates that bodily states rescale the perception of the individual’s environment’s spatial layout. The estimation of distances and slopes in navigation space (i.e. the space reachable by locomotion) is influenced by sensations relating to body condition...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-82711-1 |
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| author | Michele Scandola Maddalena Beccherle Enrico Polati Giorgia Pietroni Elena Rossato Vittorio Schweiger Valentina Moro |
| author_facet | Michele Scandola Maddalena Beccherle Enrico Polati Giorgia Pietroni Elena Rossato Vittorio Schweiger Valentina Moro |
| author_sort | Michele Scandola |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The Economy of action hypothesis postulates that bodily states rescale the perception of the individual’s environment’s spatial layout. The estimation of distances and slopes in navigation space (i.e. the space reachable by locomotion) is influenced by sensations relating to body condition and the metabolic cost of the actions. The results of the studies investigating the impact of pain on distance estimation remain inconclusive. 28 women suffering from chronic pain and fibromyalgia (FM), and 24 healthy women (HC) were assessed for musculoskeletal, neuropathic, and visceral pain by means of the Widespread Pain Index, the Symptom Severity Scale and an ad-hoc devised questionnaire for pain (the Verona Pain Questionnaire). In a VR-mediated task, they observed a 3D scenario and estimated the distance of a flag positioned at different distances (1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 m) on virtual ramps with either a 4% or 24% inclination in two different conditions: sitting and standing. Overestimation of distances in the steeper ramp condition was expected, if participants executed the task by internally simulating the movement. The results showed a dissociation between the effects of musculoskeletal and visceral-neuropathic pain on distance estimations. While, according to the Economy of Action hypothesis, the HCs estimated the distances as being farther away when the ramp was more inclined (i.e. with a 24% inclination), there was no effect related to the different ramp inclinations in the FM group. Furthermore, visceral and neuropathic pain were found to affect the performance of the FM group. These results suggest that chronic and widespread pain conditions, that typically characterize fibromyalgia, can affect space representations. In line with the Economy of Action hypothesis, bodily based estimation of distances is compromised in these patients. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4ba00a8819d64439808bba38057c478f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-4ba00a8819d64439808bba38057c478f2025-01-05T12:14:39ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-01-0115111510.1038/s41598-024-82711-1Pain and the perception of space in fibromyalgiaMichele Scandola0Maddalena Beccherle1Enrico Polati2Giorgia Pietroni3Elena Rossato4Vittorio Schweiger5Valentina Moro6NPSY.Lab-VR, Department of Human Sciences, University of VeronaNPSY.Lab-VR, Department of Human Sciences, University of VeronaPain Therapy Centre, Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Maternal and Infant Sciences, Verona University HospitalNPSY.Lab-VR, Department of Human Sciences, University of VeronaDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don CalabriaPain Therapy Centre, Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Maternal and Infant Sciences, Verona University HospitalNPSY.Lab-VR, Department of Human Sciences, University of VeronaAbstract The Economy of action hypothesis postulates that bodily states rescale the perception of the individual’s environment’s spatial layout. The estimation of distances and slopes in navigation space (i.e. the space reachable by locomotion) is influenced by sensations relating to body condition and the metabolic cost of the actions. The results of the studies investigating the impact of pain on distance estimation remain inconclusive. 28 women suffering from chronic pain and fibromyalgia (FM), and 24 healthy women (HC) were assessed for musculoskeletal, neuropathic, and visceral pain by means of the Widespread Pain Index, the Symptom Severity Scale and an ad-hoc devised questionnaire for pain (the Verona Pain Questionnaire). In a VR-mediated task, they observed a 3D scenario and estimated the distance of a flag positioned at different distances (1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 m) on virtual ramps with either a 4% or 24% inclination in two different conditions: sitting and standing. Overestimation of distances in the steeper ramp condition was expected, if participants executed the task by internally simulating the movement. The results showed a dissociation between the effects of musculoskeletal and visceral-neuropathic pain on distance estimations. While, according to the Economy of Action hypothesis, the HCs estimated the distances as being farther away when the ramp was more inclined (i.e. with a 24% inclination), there was no effect related to the different ramp inclinations in the FM group. Furthermore, visceral and neuropathic pain were found to affect the performance of the FM group. These results suggest that chronic and widespread pain conditions, that typically characterize fibromyalgia, can affect space representations. In line with the Economy of Action hypothesis, bodily based estimation of distances is compromised in these patients.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-82711-1Embodied cognition theoriesFibromyalgiaSpace perceptionVisceral painNeuropathic painMusculoskeletal pain |
| spellingShingle | Michele Scandola Maddalena Beccherle Enrico Polati Giorgia Pietroni Elena Rossato Vittorio Schweiger Valentina Moro Pain and the perception of space in fibromyalgia Scientific Reports Embodied cognition theories Fibromyalgia Space perception Visceral pain Neuropathic pain Musculoskeletal pain |
| title | Pain and the perception of space in fibromyalgia |
| title_full | Pain and the perception of space in fibromyalgia |
| title_fullStr | Pain and the perception of space in fibromyalgia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pain and the perception of space in fibromyalgia |
| title_short | Pain and the perception of space in fibromyalgia |
| title_sort | pain and the perception of space in fibromyalgia |
| topic | Embodied cognition theories Fibromyalgia Space perception Visceral pain Neuropathic pain Musculoskeletal pain |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-82711-1 |
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