Abstract | OBJECTIVE: Anxiety at the time of gastrointestinal injury or inflammation increases the risk of developing visceral hyperalgesia. Distal esophageal acidification induces hyperalgesia in the non- acid exposed proximal esophagus, due to the sensitization of spinal dorsal horn neurones. The objective was to determine whether anxiety influences acid-induced hyperalgesia. METHODS: A total of 19 healthy volunteers (n = 12 females; age, 22-57 years; mean, 35.7 years) completed a 10-minute mood induction paradigm (anxiety or neutral) with autonomic monitoring (visit 1). On visits 2 and 3, pain thresholds to electrical stimulation, in milliamperes (mA), were determined in the proximal esophagus and foot (control) before and after a 30-minute infusion of 0.15 M of hydrochloric acid. During esophageal acid infusion, the subjects randomly received anxiety or neutral mood induction with autonomic monitoring, in a crossover design. Anxiety and pain ratings were recorded pre and post infusion. RESULTS: Visit 1: Anxiety induction increased anxiety scores (p < .001), mean arterial pressure (p < .001), and cardiac sympathetic index (p = .007), and reduced parasympathetic measures (cardiac vagal tone [p = .05] and cardiac sensitivity to baroreflex [p = .006)]). Visit 2: Anxiety induction conferred greater acid-induced hyperalgesia compared with neutral (-4.9 mA versus 2.7 mA, p = .009, analysis of covariance). No differences in autonomic measures were found during acid infusion with anxiety or neutral mood induction. CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety induction increases acid-induced esophageal hyperalgesia; anxiety, thus, facilitates central sensitization in the esophagus. Our studies provide a new model for studying the effects of anxiety on esophageal hyperalgesia and may allow testing of therapeutic strategies to reduce this effect.
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Authors | Abhishek Sharma, Lukas Van Oudenhove, Peter Paine, Lloyd Gregory, Qasim Aziz |
Journal | Psychosomatic medicine
(Psychosom Med)
Vol. 72
Issue 8
Pg. 802-9
(Oct 2010)
ISSN: 1534-7796 [Electronic] United States |
PMID | 20841561
(Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Chemical References |
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Topics |
- Adult
- Affect
(drug effects, physiology)
- Anxiety
(complications, epidemiology)
- Autonomic Nervous System
(drug effects, physiology)
- Baroreflex
(drug effects, physiology)
- Cross-Over Studies
- Esophageal Diseases
(chemically induced, diagnosis, etiology)
- Esophagus
(drug effects, innervation)
- Female
- Gastroesophageal Reflux
- Humans
- Hydrochloric Acid
(administration & dosage, pharmacology)
- Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
- Hyperalgesia
(chemically induced, diagnosis, etiology)
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Pain
(chemically induced, diagnosis)
- Pain Measurement
- Pain Threshold
(drug effects, physiology)
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