title: Pain can produce systematic distortions of autobiographical memory.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cognitive-behavioral models highlight the role of learning and memory biases in the development and maintenance of chronic pain. However, the extent to which a memory bias is a consequence of the clinical state of being a chronic pain subject is unknown. This article presents a study which delineates the influence of chronic and acute pain on autobiographical memory retrieval.
  
  
  METHODS
  16 healthy controls and 16 individuals with chronic pain participated in an autobiographical memory task during two sessions (a current pain and a pain-free session for the chronic pain subjects) and received neutral words that served as a cue for the retrieval of past life events.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The valence of remembered life events in individuals with chronic pain was more negative when they were in pain compared to pain-free states. Conversely, both groups did not differ in their ratings of the reported memories during the pain-free condition. In addition, no significant relationship between mood and the valence of retrieved memories was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present data demonstrate that current pain but not chronic pain per se can exert specific influences on remembering in participants with chronic pain. This memory bias could be a predisposition for the development of chronic pain but could also be a pain-maintaining consequence of painful experiences. This should be addressed in longitudinal studies.
authors: Department of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim / Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
authors: Patric
authors: P
authors: Meyer
authors: Mood Disorders Centre, College for Life and Environmental Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of Exeter, United Kingdom.
authors: Anke
authors: A
authors: Karl
authors: Department of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim / Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
authors: Herta
authors: H
authors: Flor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D061212:Memory, Episodic; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Autobiographical Memory; Chronic Pain; Current Pain; Headache Pain; Memory Bias; Pain