scholarly journals Rowers' high: behavioural synchrony is correlated with elevated pain thresholds

2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 106-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma E. A. Cohen ◽  
Robin Ejsmond-Frey ◽  
Nicola Knight ◽  
R. I. M. Dunbar
Keyword(s):  
Physical Exercise ◽  
Social Bonding ◽  
Pain Tolerance ◽  
Social Activities ◽  
Pain Thresholds ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Music Making

Physical exercise is known to stimulate the release of endorphins, creating a mild sense of euphoria that has rewarding properties. Using pain tolerance (a conventional non-invasive assay for endorphin release), we show that synchronized training in a college rowing crew creates a heightened endorphin surge compared with a similar training regime carried out alone. This heightened effect from synchronized activity may explain the sense of euphoria experienced during other social activities (such as laughter, music-making and dancing) that are involved in social bonding in humans and possibly other vertebrates.

scholarly journals Social laughter is correlated with an elevated pain threshold

2011 ◽  
Vol 279 (1731) ◽  
pp. 1161-1167 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. I. M. Dunbar ◽  
Rebecca Baron ◽  
Anna Frangou ◽  
Eiluned Pearce ◽  
Edwin J. C. van Leeuwen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Positive Affect ◽  
Crucial Role ◽  
Pain Threshold ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Social Bonding ◽  
Verbal Communication ◽  
Pain Tolerance ◽  
Pain Thresholds ◽  
Stage Performances ◽  
Proximate Explanation

Although laughter forms an important part of human non-verbal communication, it has received rather less attention than it deserves in both the experimental and the observational literatures. Relaxed social (Duchenne) laughter is associated with feelings of wellbeing and heightened affect, a proximate explanation for which might be the release of endorphins. We tested this hypothesis in a series of six experimental studies in both the laboratory (watching videos) and naturalistic contexts (watching stage performances), using change in pain threshold as an assay for endorphin release. The results show that pain thresholds are significantly higher after laughter than in the control condition. This pain-tolerance effect is due to laughter itself and not simply due to a change in positive affect. We suggest that laughter, through an endorphin-mediated opiate effect, may play a crucial role in social bonding.

scholarly journals Central inhibition of pain is augmented in women with self-injurious behavior

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Lalouni ◽  
Jens Fust ◽  
Johan Bjureberg ◽  
Granit Kastrati ◽  
Robin Fondberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Temporal Summation ◽  
Pain Modulation ◽  
Pain Tolerance ◽  
Conditioned Pain Modulation ◽  
Heat Pain ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Down Regulation ◽  
Pain Thresholds ◽  
Pressure Pain ◽  
Pressure Pain Thresholds

Individuals who engage in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) have demonstrated higher pain thresholds and tolerance compared with individuals without NSSI. The objective of the study was to assess which aspects of the pain regulatory system that account for this augmented pain perception. In a cross-sectional design, 81 women, aged 18-35 (mean [SD] age, 23.4 [3.9]), were included (41 with NSSI and 40 healthy controls). A quantitative sensory testing protocol, including heat pain thresholds, heat pain tolerance, pressure pain thresholds, conditioned pain modulation (assessing central down-regulation of pain), and temporal summation (assessing facilitation of pain signals) was used. Thermal pain stimuli were assessed during fMRI scanning and NSSI behaviors and clinical symptoms were self-assessed. NSSI participants demonstrated higher pain thresholds during heat and pressure pain compared to controls. During conditioned pain modulation, NSSI participants showed a more effective central down-regulation of pain for NSSI participants. Temporal summation did not differ between the groups. There were no correlations between pain outcomes and NSSI behaviors or clinical characteristics. The fMRI analyses revealed increased activity in the primary and secondary somatosensory cortex in NSSI participants, compared to healthy controls, which are brain regions implicated in sensory aspects of pain processing. The findings suggest segregated inhibitory mechanisms for pain and emotion in NSSI, as pain insensitivity was linked to enhanced inhibitory control of pain in spite of significant impairments in emotion regulation. This may represent an endophenotype associated with a greater risk for developing self-injurious behavior.

scholarly journals High Frequency Non-Invasive Stimulation Over the Spine: Effects on Mood and Mechanical Pain Tolerance in Normal Subjects

1997 ◽  
Vol 10 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 61-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. D. Towell ◽  
D. Williams ◽  
S. G. Boyd
Keyword(s):  
High Intensity ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Normal Subjects ◽  
Pain Tolerance ◽  
Left Shoulder ◽  
Cutaneous Stimulation ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Low Intensity ◽  
Clinical Pain

We investigated the effects of non-invasive high frequency (625Hz) stimulation over the spine on mechanical pain tolerance and subjective mood. Sixty healthy subjects were divided equally into three groups receiving either high intensity (250 V), low intensity (3–4 V) or sham electrical stimulation directly over the spinal cord for 30 minutes. Following high intensity stimulation, subjects felt significantly more elated, leisurely and less tense and, contrary to reports on patients with clinical pain, had lower mechanical pain tolerances. There were no correlations between changes in mood and changes in mechanical pain tolerances. These findings contrasted with the lack of any significant differences in mood or mechanical pain tolerances in a second study where 20 subjects received either high intensity or sham stimulation across the left shoulder joint. The results indicate that decreases in mechanical pain tolerance are independent of changes in mood following non-invasive high frequency, high intensity cutaneous stimulation but that both effects are dependent on that stimulation being applied over the spine.

scholarly journals Heart Rate Complexity in US Army Forward Surgical Teams During Pre Deployment Training

2019 ◽  
Vol 185 (5-6) ◽  
pp. e724-e733
Author(s):  
Michelle B Mulder ◽  
Matthew S Sussman ◽  
Sarah A Eidelson ◽  
Kirby R Gross ◽  
Mark D Buzzelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Physical Exercise ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Mass Casualty ◽  
Future Health ◽  
Us Army ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Postural Changes ◽  
Surgical Teams ◽  
Heart Rate Complexity

Abstract Introduction For trauma triage, the US Army has developed a portable heart rate complexity (HRC) monitor, which estimates cardiac autonomic input and the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. We hypothesize that autonomic/HPA stress associated with predeployment training in U.S. Army Forward Surgical Teams will cause changes in HRC. Materials and Methods A prospective observational study was conducted in 80 soldiers and 10 civilians at the U.S. Army Trauma Training Detachment. Heart rate (HR, b/min), cardiac output (CO, L/min), HR variability (HRV, ms), and HRC (Sample Entropy, unitless), were measured using a portable non-invasive hemodynamic monitor during postural changes, a mass casualty (MASCAL) situational training exercise (STX) using live tissue, a mock trauma (MT) STX using moulaged humans, and/or physical exercise. Results Baseline HR, CO, HRV, and HRC averaged 72 ± 11b/min, 5.6 ± 1.2 L/min, 48 ± 24 ms, and 1.9 ± 0.5 (unitless), respectively. Supine to sitting to standing caused minimal changes. Before the MASCAL or MT, HR and CO both increased to ~125% baseline, whereas HRV and HRC both decreased to ~75% baseline. Those values all changed an additional ~5% during the MASCAL, but an additional 10 to 30% during the MT. With physical exercise, HR and CO increased to >200% baseline, while HRV and HRC both decreased to 40 to 60% baseline; these changes were comparable to those caused by the MT. All the changes were P < 0.05. Conclusions Various forms of HPA stress during Forward Surgical Team STXs can be objectively quantitated continuously in real time with a portable non-invasive monitor. Differences from resting baseline indicate stress anticipating an impending STX whereas differences between average and peak responses indicate the relative stress between STXs. Monitoring HRC could prove useful to field commanders to rapidly and objectively assess the readiness status of troops during STXs or repeated operational missions. In the future, health care systems and regulatory bodies will likely be held accountable for stress in their trainees and/or obliged to develop wellness options and standardize efforts to ameliorate burnout, so HRC metrics might have a role, as well.

scholarly journals Circulating adult stem and progenitor cell numbers—can results be trusted?

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia M. Kröpfl ◽  
Michelle Schmid ◽  
Yvonne Di Marzio ◽  
Karine Schreiber ◽  
Christina M. Spengler
Keyword(s):  
Flow Cytometry ◽  
Physical Exercise ◽  
Progenitor Cell ◽  
Mononuclear Cells ◽  
Cell Isolation ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem ◽  
Isolation Technique ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
Back Calculation

Abstract Background Within the last years, the interest in physical exercise as non-invasive stimulus influencing circulating hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (CPC) concentrations has constantly grown. Cell estimates are often derived by determining the subgroup of CPC as percent lymphocytes (LYM) or mononuclear cells (MNC) via flow cytometry and back calculation over whole blood (WB) cell counts. However, results might depend on the used cell isolation technique and/or gating strategy. We aimed to investigate MNC loss and apoptosis during the flow cytometry sample preparation process preceded by either density gradient centrifugation (DGC) or red blood cell lysis (RBCL) and the potential difference between results derived from back calculation at different stages of cell isolation and from WB. Methods Human blood was subjected to DGC and RBCL. Samples were stained for flow cytometry analysis of CPC (CD34+/CD45dim) and apoptosis analysis (Annexin V) of MNC and CPC subsets. MNC and LYM gating strategies were compared. Results Both DGC as well as RBCL yielded comparable CPC concentrations independent of the gating strategy when back calculated over WB values. However, cell loss and apoptosis differed between techniques, where after DGC LYM, and monocyte (MONO) concentrations significantly decreased (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively), while after RBCL LYM concentrations significantly decreased (p < 0.05) and MONO concentrations increased (p < 0.001). LYM apoptosis was comparable between techniques, but MONO apoptosis was higher after DGC than RBCL (p < 0.001). Conclusions Investigated MNC counts (LYM/MONO ratio) after cell isolation and staining did not always mimic WB conditions. Thus, final CPC results should be corrected accordingly, especially when reporting live CPC concentrations after DGC; otherwise, the CPC regenerative potential in circulation could be biased. This is of high importance in the context of non-invasively induced CPC mobilization such as by acute physical exercise, since these cell changes are small and conclusions drawn from published results might affect further applications of physical exercise as non-invasive therapy.

scholarly journals Vagus Nerve Stimulation Affects Pain Perception in Depressed Adults

2005 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey J Borckardt ◽  
F Andrew Kozel ◽  
Berry Anderson ◽  
Angela Walker ◽  
Mark S George
Keyword(s):  
Vagus Nerve ◽  
Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Vagus Nerve Stimulation ◽  
Pain Perception ◽  
Pain Tolerance ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Pain Thresholds ◽  
Thermal Pain ◽  
Device Parameter ◽  
Acute Changes

BACKGROUND: Previous research suggests that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) affects pain perception in epilepsy patients, with acute VNS decreasing pain thresholds and chronic VNS treatment increasing pain thresholds. However, no studies have investigated the effects of VNS on pain perception in chronically depressed adults, nor have controlled, systematic investigations been published on the differential effects of certain VNS device parameters on pain perception.OBJECTIVES: The present study tried to replicate the results of previous research showing acute pronociceptive effects of VNS and determine the effects of various device parameter settings on pain tolerance. The present study also investigated the relationship among patients' levels of depression, duration of VNS treatment and VNS-induced changes in pain perception.METHODS: A thermal pain challenge task was used to determine pain tolerance during VNS device activation using different combinations of VNS device parameter settings within subjects undergoing VNS therapy for chronic depression.RESULTS: Significant pronociceptive effects were found for acute VNS activation. Individual differences were found with respect to the VNS settings associated with the largest changes in pain perception. Severity of depression was inversely related to baseline pain tolerance, but depression severity was unrelated to VNS-induced acute changes in pain tolerance, as was the length of time participants had been undergoing VNS treatment.CONCLUSIONS: VNS appears to affect pain perception in depressed adults. Different VNS parameter settings may be associated with unique effects from patient to patient. More studies are needed to determine the long-term effects of VNS on pain perception.

scholarly journals Influence of Estrogen Levels on Thermal Perception, Pain Thresholds, and Pain Tolerance: Studies on Women Undergoing in Vitro Fertilization

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 459-466 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kent D. Stening ◽  
Göran Berg ◽  
Mats Hammar ◽  
Helene Voster ◽  
Olle Eriksson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
In Vitro Fertilization ◽  
Pain Tolerance ◽  
Thermal Perception ◽  
Pain Thresholds ◽  
Vitro Fertilization
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