Spindler, Melanie and Koch, Katharina and Borisov, Elena and Özyurt, Jale and Sörös, Peter and Thiel, Christiane M. and Bantel, Carsten
(2018)
The influence of chronic pain and cognitive function on spatial-numerical processing.
Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience, 12.
p. 165.
ISSN 1662-5153
Abstract
Chronic pain (CP) is linked to changes in cognitive function. However, little is known
about its influence on number sense, despite the fact that intact numerical-spatial
processing is a prerequisite for valid scale-based pain assessments. This study aimed
to elucidate whether number sense is changed in CP, to determine if changes have an
impact on pain assessments using pain rating scales and what patient factors might
contribute. N = 42 CP patients and n = 42 matched controls were analyzed (age range:
33–68 years). Numerical-spatial abilities were investigated by using number line tasks,
where participants either estimated the position of a given number (position marking)
or the value of a predefined mark (number naming). Pain intensity was assessed using
numerical rating (NRS), verbal rating (VRS), and visual analog (VAS) scales. Additional
measures included attention and working memory, verbal intelligence, medication and
depression. Results revealed that in number naming, patients deviated more from
expected (correct) responses than controls, and that VAS scores were significantly
higher than both NRS and VRS and correlated with deviations in position making.
Changes in number naming were predicted by pain intensity, sex and IQ but not by
attention, memory or opioid medication. This article presents new insight on which
cognitive mechanisms are influenced by CP with the focus on numerical spatial abilities.
It could therefore provide useful knowledge in developing new pain assessment tools
specifically for patients suffering from CP.
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