Pathologic pain distorts visuospatial perception.
Spatial perception is achieved by integrating multisensory information. Using visual subjective body midline (vSM) judgments in patients with unilateral limb pain (complex regional pain syndrome [CRPS]), we found that their vSM deviated toward the affected side; however, deafferentation of the affected limb caused a transient pain decrease and a transient shift of the vSM deviation toward the unaffected side. Our results indicate that the persistent pain state in CRPS distorts visuospatial perception.
Sumitani
M
M
Department of Acute Critical Medicine (Anesthesiology), Osaka University, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
Shibata
M
M
Iwakura
T
T
Matsuda
Y
Y
Sakaue
G
G
Inoue
T
T
Mashimo
T
T
Miyauchi
S
S
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D001828:Body Image; D020918:Complex Regional Pain Syndromes / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013028:Space Perception