The authors assessed nociceptive responses to a repetitive pin-prod stimulus in goldfish and trout. This study shows that there is neuronal activity in all brain areas, including the telencephalon, suggesting a nociceptive pathway from the periphery to the higher central nervous system of fish. This work adds to the controversial argument about whether fish perceive pain.

569 Comparison of Fos Expression Within the Ferret’s Spinal Trigeminal Nuclear Complex Evoked by Electrical or Noxious-Thermal Pulpal Stimulation

Siriporn Chattipakorn, Nipon Chattipakorn, Alan R. Light, Matti Narhi, and William Maixner

Fos-like immunoreactivity was used as a marker of trigeminal neurons that responded to tooth pulp stimulation in ferrets. The authors demonstrate that the trigeminal nucleus caudalis and the transitional zone between trigeminal nucleus interpolaris and caudalis mediate painful sensation in the dental pulp. Both trigeminal regions may be therapeutic targets for dental pain in the future.

581 Association Between Regional Idiopathic Neuropathy and Salivary Involvement as the Possible Mechanism for Oral Sensory Complaints

Michal Granot and Rafael M. Nagler

The idiopathic sensorial disturbances of burning mouth syndrome (BMS), taste disturbances, and dry mouth have been recognized as one entity and given the generic name of oral sensorial complaints (OSC). However, not all OSC patients complain of all three disturbances, and its underlying mechanism has not been elucidated. The authors hypothesize that a comprehensive mechanism for OSC is based on a regional neuropathy and that all conditions are distinguishable with established organic/therapeutic-related etiologies.

588 Individually Tailored Treatment Targeting Activity, Motor Behavior, and Cognition Reduces Pain-Related Disability: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Patients With Musculoskeletal Pain

Pernilla Åsenlöf, Eva Denison, and Per Lindberg

This study compares the outcomes of an individually tailored behavioral medicine intervention (experimental) with physical exercise therapy (control). The intervention was customized according to participants’ treatment goal and behavioral analyses. The work shows that the biomedical and the psychosocial perspective of the experiences and consequences of pain complement each other rather than contradict. Patients with persistent musculoskeletal pain benefit more from a systematic tailoring of treatments based on biopsychosocial factors than from a physically based exercise intervention.

604 Associations Among Four Modalities of Experimental Pain in Women

Kanokporn Bhalang, Asgeir Sigurdsson, Gary D. Slade, and William Maixner

By investigating the relationship between pain sensitivity produced by different forms of stimuli, this study demonstrates that a battery of tests should be used to assess an individual’s pain sensitivity, and one should be careful in making inferences about an individual’s sensitivity to pain by using only one pain modality.

612 A Psychophysical Evaluation of the Relationship Between Trait Anxiety, Pain Perception, and Induced State Anxiety

Judy Tang and Stephen J. Gibson

The authors report that use of anxiety-reducing techniques for individuals experiencing pain may reduce the perceived severity/intensity of pain. Furthermore, individuals with higher trait anxiety (a greater disposition to experience anxiety) may benefit from these techniques, because higher trait anxious individuals tend to exacerbate perceived pain stimulations more than lower trait anxious individuals.

620 Pain Medication Beliefs and Medication Misuse in Chronic Pain

Beatrix M. Schieffer, Quyhn Pham, Jennifer Labus, Ariel Baria, Walter Van Vort, Philip Davis, Frederick Davis, and Bruce D. Naliboff

This study assessed the influence of medication beliefs, symptom severity, disability, mood, and psychiatric history on opiate medication issue behaviors in 288 chronic pain patients. Data were gathered by questionnaires and systematic reviews of electronic medical records. The results demonstrate that patients with a history of substance abuse, compared to those without, showed greater medication misuse despite similar dosages and self-rated opiate effectiveness.

630 Improving Subjective Scaling of Pain Using Rasch Analysis

Konrad Pesudovs and Bruce A. Noble

Single-item scales like the faces scale or a 1-10 numerical rating scale are commonly used for the subjective assessment of pain. Scores applied to response categories are arbitrary and do not represent equidistant steps in the underlying latent variable (pain). The authors suggest that scale inequities are demonstrable and repairable with Rasch analysis.

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