Pseudohypoalgesia on the skin: a novel view on the paradox of pain perception in depression.

Abstract

Previous studies reported increased heat pain thresholds and decreased ischemic pain thresholds in patients experiencing depression. The increased sensitivity to ischemic muscle pain was assumed to represent a model for the investigation of physical symptoms in the disease. Here, we explored how the serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor duloxetine influences experimental pain thresholds and tolerances in depressed patients during treatment. Twenty-two patients experiencing unipolar depression were included. Pain assessments were conducted unmedicated at baseline, after 1 week, and after 6 weeks of duloxetine treatment. We observed the expected clinical response of patients indicated by a significant reduction in the Montgomery Depression Rating Scale after 6 weeks. At baseline, we found increased heat pain thresholds in patients in comparison to controls while patients simultaneously rated augmented pain perception on the visual analog scale. In contrast, patients were significantly more perceptive to ischemic muscle pain at baseline. During treatment, the examined pain thresholds showed differential changes: Increased heat pain thresholds of patients normalized during treatment, whereas no significant change was observed for ischemic pain thresholds. Thus, our results might change the view on the paradox of pain perception in major depression because increased heat pain thresholds are associated with augmented pain perception in the disease.

• Authors: Karl-Jürgen Bär, Janneke Terhaar, Michael Karl Boettger, Silke Boettger, Sandy Berger, Thomas Weiss
• Journal: Journal of clinical psychopharmacology (J Clin Psychopharmacol) Vol. 31 Issue 1 Pg. 103-7 (Feb 2011) ISSN: 1533-712X [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 21192152 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Thiophenes
• Duloxetine Hydrochloride

Topics

• Adult
• Depressive Disorder, Major (complications, drug therapy, psychology)
• Duloxetine Hydrochloride
• Female
• Hot Temperature (adverse effects)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Pain (complications, drug therapy, psychology)
• Pain Measurement (drug effects, methods)
• Pain Perception (drug effects, physiology)
• Pain Threshold (drug effects, physiology, psychology)
• Skin Physiological Phenomena (drug effects)
• Thiophenes (therapeutic use)