Tajadura-Jiménez Ana, Cohen Helen, Bianchi-Berthouze Nadia
UCL Interaction Centre, University College LondonLondon, United Kingdom.
Department of Psychology, Universidad Loyola AndalucíaSeville, Spain.
Front Hum Neurosci. 2017 Jul 27;11:379. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2017.00379. eCollection 2017.
Neuroscientific studies have shown that human's mental body representations are not fixed but are constantly updated through sensory feedback, including sound feedback. This suggests potential new therapeutic sensory approaches for patients experiencing body-perception disturbances (BPD). BPD can occur in association with chronic pain, for example in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). BPD often impacts on emotional, social, and motor functioning. Here we present the results from a proof-of-principle pilot study investigating the potential value of using sound feedback for altering BPD and its related emotional state and motor behavior in those with CRPS. We build on previous findings that real-time alteration of the sounds produced by walking can alter healthy people's perception of their own body size, while also resulting in more active gait patterns and a more positive emotional state. In the present study we quantified the emotional state, BPD, pain levels and gait of twelve people with CRPS Type 1, who were exposed to real-time alteration of their walking sounds. Results confirm previous reports of the complexity of the BPD linked to CRPS, as participants could be classified into four BPD subgroups according to how they mentally visualize their body. Further, results suggest that sound feedback may affect the perceived size of the CRPS affected limb and the pain experienced, but that the effects may differ according to the type of BPD. Sound feedback affected CRPS descriptors and other bodily feelings and emotions including feelings of emotional dominance, limb detachment, position awareness, attention and negative feelings toward the limb. Gait also varied with sound feedback, affecting the foot contact time with the ground in a way consistent with experienced changes in body weight. Although, findings from this small pilot study should be interpreted with caution, they suggest potential applications for regenerating BDP and its related bodily feelings in a clinical setting for patients with chronic pain and BPD.
神经科学研究表明，人类的心理身体表征并非固定不变，而是通过包括声音反馈在内的感官反馈不断更新。这为身体感知障碍（BPD）患者提示了潜在的新型治疗性感官方法。BPD可能与慢性疼痛相关，例如复杂性区域疼痛综合征（CRPS）。BPD常影响情绪、社交和运动功能。在此，我们展示了一项原理验证性初步研究的结果，该研究调查了使用声音反馈改变CRPS患者的BPD及其相关情绪状态和运动行为的潜在价值。我们基于之前的研究发现，即行走产生的声音的实时改变可以改变健康人对自身身体大小的感知，同时还会导致更积极的步态模式和更积极的情绪状态。在本研究中，我们对12名1型CRPS患者的情绪状态、BPD、疼痛程度和步态进行了量化，这些患者接触了他们行走声音的实时改变。结果证实了之前关于与CRPS相关的BPD复杂性的报道，因为参与者可以根据他们对身体的心理想象方式被分为四个BPD亚组。此外，结果表明声音反馈可能会影响CRPS受影响肢体的感知大小和所经历的疼痛，但效果可能因BPD类型而异。声音反馈影响了CRPS描述符以及其他身体感觉和情绪，包括情绪主导感、肢体分离感、位置意识、注意力以及对肢体的负面情绪。步态也随声音反馈而变化，以一种与体重体验变化一致的方式影响脚与地面的接触时间。尽管这项小型初步研究的结果应谨慎解读，但它们提示了在慢性疼痛和BPD患者的临床环境中恢复BDP及其相关身体感觉的潜在应用。
