Pain During Illusory Own Arm Movement: A Study in Immersive Virtual Reality

Article


Zanini, Alessandro, Montalti, Martina, Caola, Barbara, Leadbetter, A. and Martini, M. 2017. Pain During Illusory Own Arm Movement: A Study in Immersive Virtual Reality. European Medical Journal. 2 (2), pp. 90-97.
AuthorsZanini, Alessandro, Montalti, Martina, Caola, Barbara, Leadbetter, A. and Martini, M.
Abstract

Previous studies have demonstrated that the vision of one’s own body, or of external embodied limbs, can lead to pain relieving outcomes. Analgesic effects have also been related to the vision of illusory limb movements. Nonetheless, whether these two processes can be put together to obtain a summatory analgesic effect is not yet clear. The aim of this work was to investigate if it is possible to combine the analgesic effects of looking at one’s own body with those deriving from the illusion that one’s own limb is moving. Thirty-eight healthy participants underwent four visual conditions in immersive virtual reality while their heat pain thresholds were measured. In different conditions the subject watched from a first-person perspective: i) a still virtual arm, ii) a moving virtual arm, iii) a still non-corporeal object, and iv) a moving non-corporeal object. All participants were asked to keep their arms completely still during the visual exposures. After each condition, participants answered questions about their illusory experience. Our results show that the vision of the ‘own’ body significantly increased participants’ pain threshold as compared to the vision of the non-corporeal object. However, no statistically significant analgesic effect of vision of the virtual arm movement was found. The implications and limitations of this study are discussed.

Keywordsbody ownership; illusory kinaesthesia; multisensory integration; pain modulation; pain threshold; Virtual arm; virtual reality (VR)
JournalEuropean Medical Journal
Journal citation2 (2), pp. 90-97
ISSN2397-6764
Year2017
PublisherGorely New Media
Publisher's version
License
CC BY
Web address (URL)http://emjreviews.com/therapeutic-area/e-m-j/pain-during-illusory-own-arm-movement-a-study-in-immersive-virtual-reality/
Publication dates
Print01 Jun 2017
Publication process dates
Deposited01 Jun 2017
Accepted03 Jan 2017
FunderUniversity of East London
Additional information

The authors are thankful to Cameron Magrath and Jackson Davies for their help with data collection.

Permalink -

https://repository.uel.ac.uk/item/84v7v

Download files


Publisher's version
  • 290
    total views
  • 389
    total downloads
  • 0
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Understanding fNIRS as a neuromodulatory technique
Jiménez-García, A., Arias Del Castillo, N., Waight, J. and Martini, M. 2023. Understanding fNIRS as a neuromodulatory technique. IBRO Neuroscience Reports. 15 (Sup. 1), pp. S312-S313. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibneur.2023.08.567
Sense of self, depression and adaption to grief, in emerging adults who suffered parental loss
Jones, S. and Martini, M. 2023. Sense of self, depression and adaption to grief, in emerging adults who suffered parental loss. Current Psychology. 42, p. 5212–5225. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-01843-z
Near-infrared light spectroscopy and stimulation in cognitive neuroscience: the need for an integrative view?
Martini, M. and Arias, N. 2021. Near-infrared light spectroscopy and stimulation in cognitive neuroscience: the need for an integrative view? Journal of Integrative Neuroscience. 20 (4), pp. 1105-1109. https://doi.org/10.31083/j.jin2004111
The Interaction of Diet and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Aging and Cognition
Kaliszewska, A., Allison, J., Martini, M. and Arias, N. 2021. The Interaction of Diet and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Aging and Cognition. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 22 (Art. 3574). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22073574
A Better Touch: C-tactile Fibers Related Activity is Associated to Pain Reduction During Temporal Summation of Second Pain
Fidanza, F., Polimeni, E., Pierangeli, V. and Martini, M. 2021. A Better Touch: C-tactile Fibers Related Activity is Associated to Pain Reduction During Temporal Summation of Second Pain. The Journal of Pain. 22 (5), pp. 567-576. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2021.01.001
Pain modulation by illusory body rotation: A new way to disclose the interaction between the vestibular system and pain processing
Daniel, A., Barker, L. and Martini, M. 2020. Pain modulation by illusory body rotation: A new way to disclose the interaction between the vestibular system and pain processing. European Journal of Pain. 24 (6), pp. 1119-1129. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejp.1556
Altered visual feedback from an embodied avatar unconsciously influences movement amplitude and muscle activity
Bourdin, P., Martini, M. and Sanchez-Vives, M. V. 2019. Altered visual feedback from an embodied avatar unconsciously influences movement amplitude and muscle activity. Scientific Reports. 9 (Art. 19747). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-56034-5
Agency and responsibility over virtual movements controlled through different paradigms of brain−computer interface
Nierula, B., Spanlang, B., Martini, M., Borrell, M., Nikulin, V. V. and Sanchez-Vives, M. V. 2019. Agency and responsibility over virtual movements controlled through different paradigms of brain−computer interface. Journal of Physiology. 599 (9), pp. 2419-2434. https://doi.org/10.1113/JP278167
Visuo-tactile stimulation, but not type of movement, modulates pain during the vision of a moving virtual limb
Gordon, C., Barbullushi, A., Tombolini, S., Margiotta, F., Ciacci, A., Sheck, L., Barker, L. and Martini, M. 2019. Visuo-tactile stimulation, but not type of movement, modulates pain during the vision of a moving virtual limb. Pain Management. 9 (5), pp. 449-460. https://doi.org/10.2217/pmt-2019-0019
Commentary: Mechanical Pain Thresholds and the Rubber Hand Illusion
Martini, M. 2018. Commentary: Mechanical Pain Thresholds and the Rubber Hand Illusion. Frontiers in Psychology. 9, p. Art. 1715. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01715
The Bodily Illusion in Adverse Conditions: Virtual Arm Ownership During Visuomotor Mismatch
Caola, Barbara, Montalti, Martina, Zanini, Alessandro, Leadbetter, Antony and Martini, M. 2018. The Bodily Illusion in Adverse Conditions: Virtual Arm Ownership During Visuomotor Mismatch. Perception. 47 (5), pp. 477 -491. https://doi.org/10.1177/0301006618758211
Selective distortion of body image by asynchronous visuotactile stimulation
Perez-Marcos, Daniel, Martini, M., Fuentes, Christina T., Bellido Rivas, Anna I., Haggard, Patrick and Sanchez-Vives, Maria V. 2017. Selective distortion of body image by asynchronous visuotactile stimulation. Body Image. 24, pp. 55-61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2017.11.002
Non-Pharmacological Interventions for Chronic Pain and Depression: any Possible Applications of Multisensory Feedback Approaches Based on Body Representation?
Martini, M. 2017. Non-Pharmacological Interventions for Chronic Pain and Depression: any Possible Applications of Multisensory Feedback Approaches Based on Body Representation? Psychology and Behavioral Science International Journal. 2 (5), p. 555599. https://doi.org/10.19080/PBSIJ.2017.02.555599
Seeing an embodied virtual hand is analgesic contingent on co-location
Nierula, Birgit, Martini, M., Matamala-Gomez, Marta, Slater, Mel and Sanchez-Vives, Maria V. 2017. Seeing an embodied virtual hand is analgesic contingent on co-location. The Journal of Pain. 18 (6), pp. 645-655. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2017.01.003
Real, rubber or virtual: The vision of “one’s own” body as a means for pain modulation. A narrative review
Martini, M. 2016. Real, rubber or virtual: The vision of “one’s own” body as a means for pain modulation. A narrative review. Consciousness and Cognition. 43, pp. 143-151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2016.06.005
Author's reply to the commentary by Gilpin et. al.
Martini, M., Perez-Marcos, D. and Sanchez-Vives, M.V. 2014. Author's reply to the commentary by Gilpin et. al. European Journal of Pain. 19 (1), pp. 143-144. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejp.606
Intracortical modulation, and not spinal inhibition, mediates placebo analgesia
Martini, M., Lee, M. C. H., Valentini, E. and Iannetti, G. D. 2014. Intracortical modulation, and not spinal inhibition, mediates placebo analgesia. European Journal of Neuroscience. 41 (4), pp. 498-504.
The body fades away: investigating the effects of transparency of an embodied virtual body on pain threshold and body ownership
Martini, M., Kilteni, Konstantina, Maselli, Antonella and Sanchez-Vives, Maria V. 2015. The body fades away: investigating the effects of transparency of an embodied virtual body on pain threshold and body ownership. Scientific Reports. 5, p. 13948. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep13948
Is That Me or My Twin? Lack of Self-Face Recognition Advantage in Identical Twins
Martini, M., Bufalari, Ilaria, Stazi, Maria Antonietta and Aglioti, Salvatore Maria 2015. Is That Me or My Twin? Lack of Self-Face Recognition Advantage in Identical Twins. PLoS ONE. 10 (4), p. e0120900. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0120900
Modulation of pain threshold by virtual body ownership
Martini, M., Perez-Marcos, D. and Sanchez-Vives, M.V. 2014. Modulation of pain threshold by virtual body ownership. European Journal of Pain. 18 (7), pp. 1040-1048.
Semantic priming over unrelated trials: evidence for different effects in word and picture naming
Vitkovitch, M., Cooper-Pye, Elisa and Leadbetter, A. 2006. Semantic priming over unrelated trials: evidence for different effects in word and picture naming. Memory and Cognition. 34 (3), pp. 715-725.