Johan Vlaeyen - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Johan Vlaeyen

Research paper thumbnail of Startle responding in the context of visceral pain

This study aimed to investigate affective modulation of eye blink startle by aversive visceral st... more This study aimed to investigate affective modulation of eye blink startle by aversive visceral stimulation. Startle blink EMG responses were measured in 31 healthy participants receiving painful, intermittent balloon distentions in the distal esophagus during 4 blocks (positive, negative, neutral or no pictures), and compared to startles during 3 'safe' blocks without esophageal stimulations (positive, negative or neutral emotional pictures). Women showed enhanced startle during blocks with distentions (as compared to 'safe' blocks), both when the balloon was in an inflated and deflated state, suggesting that fear and/or expectations may have played a role. Men's startle did not differ between distention and non-distention blocks. In this particular study context affective picture viewing did not further impose any effect on startle eye blink responses. The current results may contribute to a better understanding of emotional reactions to aversive interoceptive stimulation.

Research paper thumbnail of Understanding fear of pain in chronic pain: Interoceptive fear conditioning as a novel approach

European Journal of Pain, 2011

The current review deals with interoceptive conditioning as a viable mechanism maintaining fear o... more The current review deals with interoceptive conditioning as a viable mechanism maintaining fear of pain: The available literature suggests that interoceptive -i.e., internal bodily -sensations may become predictors of pain and will subsequently elicit fear of pain.

Research paper thumbnail of Beyond nociception

PAIN, 2015

Chronic pain is the most burdensome health issue facing the world today; its cost to Western coun... more Chronic pain is the most burdensome health issue facing the world today; its cost to Western countries is comparable with that of diabetes and cancer combined. Our understanding of the pathophysiology of chronic pain has increased substantially over the past 20 years, including but not limited to changes in the brain. However, we still do not know why chronic pain develops in some people and not in others, although we do know that the type or extent of their injury, personality, occupation, postcode, education level, race, or religion are not strong predictors. 6 Extensive research into the genetics of chronic pain has also thus far been underwhelming, perhaps because too many genes are involved and results are conflicting. 12 Chronic pain is very difficult to treat; 60% of those with chronic pain will still be in pain after 1 year. 7 It seems that despite extensive advances in multiple fields, we have made little ground. In this topical review, we put forward a new hypothesis of chronic pain that explains the most common painful disorders, such as chronic widespread pain, nonspecific back or neck pain, and fibromyalgia. Our hypothesis draws on a long history of fundamental research in associative learning and is based on 2 core assumptions (1) that pain can be considered a response, not just a stimulus, and (2) that encoding nonnociceptive information predictably coincident with nociceptive input underpins the response to subsequent similar events. Briefly, our hypothesis posits that the precision with which multisensory information (temporal, proprioceptive, spatial) about the painful event is encoded and represented in the brain will determine the degree to which the painful response will subsequently generalize to similar events.

Research paper thumbnail of Effect of seated trunk posture on eye blink startle and subjective experience: Comparing flexion, neutral upright posture, and extension of spine

Postures are known to be able to affect emotion and motivation. Much less is known about whether ... more Postures are known to be able to affect emotion and motivation. Much less is known about whether (affective) modulation of eye blink startle occurs following specific postures. The objective of the current study was to explore this. Participants in the present study were requested to assume three different sitting postures: with the spine flexed (slouched), neutral upright, and extended. Each posture was assumed for four minutes, and was followed by the administration of brief self-report questionnaires before proceeding to the next posture. The same series of postures and measures were repeated prior to ending the experiment. Results indicate that, relative to the other postures, the extended sitting posture was associated with an increased startle, was more unpleasant, arousing, had smaller levels of dominance, induced more discomfort, and was perceived as more difficult. The upright and flexed sitting postures differed in the level of self-reported positive affect, but not in eye blink startle amplitudes.

Research paper thumbnail of Startle responding in the context of visceral pain

This study aimed to investigate affective modulation of eye blink startle by aversive visceral st... more This study aimed to investigate affective modulation of eye blink startle by aversive visceral stimulation. Startle blink EMG responses were measured in 31 healthy participants receiving painful, intermittent balloon distentions in the distal esophagus during 4 blocks (positive, negative, neutral or no pictures), and compared to startles during 3 'safe' blocks without esophageal stimulations (positive, negative or neutral emotional pictures). Women showed enhanced startle during blocks with distentions (as compared to 'safe' blocks), both when the balloon was in an inflated and deflated state, suggesting that fear and/or expectations may have played a role. Men's startle did not differ between distention and non-distention blocks. In this particular study context affective picture viewing did not further impose any effect on startle eye blink responses. The current results may contribute to a better understanding of emotional reactions to aversive interoceptive stimulation.

Research paper thumbnail of Understanding fear of pain in chronic pain: Interoceptive fear conditioning as a novel approach

European Journal of Pain, 2011

The current review deals with interoceptive conditioning as a viable mechanism maintaining fear o... more The current review deals with interoceptive conditioning as a viable mechanism maintaining fear of pain: The available literature suggests that interoceptive -i.e., internal bodily -sensations may become predictors of pain and will subsequently elicit fear of pain.

Research paper thumbnail of Beyond nociception

PAIN, 2015

Chronic pain is the most burdensome health issue facing the world today; its cost to Western coun... more Chronic pain is the most burdensome health issue facing the world today; its cost to Western countries is comparable with that of diabetes and cancer combined. Our understanding of the pathophysiology of chronic pain has increased substantially over the past 20 years, including but not limited to changes in the brain. However, we still do not know why chronic pain develops in some people and not in others, although we do know that the type or extent of their injury, personality, occupation, postcode, education level, race, or religion are not strong predictors. 6 Extensive research into the genetics of chronic pain has also thus far been underwhelming, perhaps because too many genes are involved and results are conflicting. 12 Chronic pain is very difficult to treat; 60% of those with chronic pain will still be in pain after 1 year. 7 It seems that despite extensive advances in multiple fields, we have made little ground. In this topical review, we put forward a new hypothesis of chronic pain that explains the most common painful disorders, such as chronic widespread pain, nonspecific back or neck pain, and fibromyalgia. Our hypothesis draws on a long history of fundamental research in associative learning and is based on 2 core assumptions (1) that pain can be considered a response, not just a stimulus, and (2) that encoding nonnociceptive information predictably coincident with nociceptive input underpins the response to subsequent similar events. Briefly, our hypothesis posits that the precision with which multisensory information (temporal, proprioceptive, spatial) about the painful event is encoded and represented in the brain will determine the degree to which the painful response will subsequently generalize to similar events.

Research paper thumbnail of Effect of seated trunk posture on eye blink startle and subjective experience: Comparing flexion, neutral upright posture, and extension of spine

Postures are known to be able to affect emotion and motivation. Much less is known about whether ... more Postures are known to be able to affect emotion and motivation. Much less is known about whether (affective) modulation of eye blink startle occurs following specific postures. The objective of the current study was to explore this. Participants in the present study were requested to assume three different sitting postures: with the spine flexed (slouched), neutral upright, and extended. Each posture was assumed for four minutes, and was followed by the administration of brief self-report questionnaires before proceeding to the next posture. The same series of postures and measures were repeated prior to ending the experiment. Results indicate that, relative to the other postures, the extended sitting posture was associated with an increased startle, was more unpleasant, arousing, had smaller levels of dominance, induced more discomfort, and was perceived as more difficult. The upright and flexed sitting postures differed in the level of self-reported positive affect, but not in eye blink startle amplitudes.