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Don't look now! Pain and attention

Candida McCabe, Jenny Lewis, Nicholas Shenker, Jane Hall, Helen Cohen and David Blake
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.7861/clinmedicine.5-5-482
Clin Med September 2005
Candida McCabe
Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, Bath
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Jenny Lewis
School for Health and Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Bath, Bath
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Nicholas Shenker
School for Health and Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Bath, Bath
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Jane Hall
School for Health and Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Bath, Bath
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Helen Cohen
School for Health and Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Bath, Bath
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David Blake
Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, Bath
Roles: Professor of Rheumatology/Locomotor Medicine
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Abstract

Attention and pain are linked inexorably. The manipulation of attention, via either distraction or focused attention, has been used as a therapeutic initiative for generations. Imaging evidence and clinical observations demonstrate that attention can be altered with associated changes at the cortical level and this may have positive or negative effects on the individual. New theories suggest that cortical remapping and visual attention may play key roles in a cortical model of pain specifically involving the motor control system. Within this system, the relationship between allocentric (external) and egocentric (internal) stimuli are managed; where conflict occurs, somaesthetic disturbances may be generated. If an individual pays too much attention to such sensory disturbances, then they may report the disturbances as abnormal symptoms, which may explain the diverse symptomatology of fibromyalgia. The use of a therapeutic optokinetic device to correct existing imbalances in the motor control system is also discussed.

  • allocentric
  • attention
  • egocentric
  • human pain models
  • motor control system
  • optokinetic
  • pain
  • © 2005 Royal College of Physicians
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Don't look now! Pain and attention
Candida McCabe, Jenny Lewis, Nicholas Shenker, Jane Hall, Helen Cohen, David Blake
Clinical Medicine Sep 2005, 5 (5) 482-486; DOI: 10.7861/clinmedicine.5-5-482

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Don't look now! Pain and attention
Candida McCabe, Jenny Lewis, Nicholas Shenker, Jane Hall, Helen Cohen, David Blake
Clinical Medicine Sep 2005, 5 (5) 482-486; DOI: 10.7861/clinmedicine.5-5-482
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