Effects of negative mood and systemic inflammation on visceral pain

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Sven Benson
• Subject Area: Personality Psychology, Clinical and Medical Psychology, Methodology ; General, Cognitive and Mathematical Psychology
• Term: from 2018 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 401215228

In the recent years, a growing number of studies have documented the relevance of systemic inflammatory processes in the pathophysiology of various pain associated disorders including functional visceral pain. We previously showed that an endotoxin-induced transient systemic inflammatory response with increased release of pro-inflammatory cytokines lowered visceral sensory and pain thresholds, and was associated with increased pain-induced neural responses in healthy humans. Against the clinical background that inflammation and hyperalgesia are closely related to negative mood and depression, this proposed functional magnetic brain imaging (fMRI) study will aim to analyze the interaction between inflammation and negative mood in the context of pain. We specifically hypothesize that the previously observed effect of systemic inflammation on pain sensitivity and neural pain processing will be significantly increased by negative mood. Combining experimental paradigms to induce systemic inflammation and negative (depression-like) mood will allow to address the main effects of endotoxin (vs. placebo) and negative (vs. neutral) mood as well as the interaction between inflammation and negative mood. This research project will contribute to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of chronic pain and might form the basis for new treatment options.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants