Cited by 53Psychosomatic Disorders and Their TreatmentsPain Mechanisms and TreatmentsDermatology and Skin Diseases

Role of attentional focus on bodily sensations in sensitivity to itch and pain

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van Laarhoven, AIM, Kraaimaat, FW, Wilder-Smith, OH, Evers, AWM·2010·Acta Dermato Venereologica

Abstract

Patients frequently report high levels of physical symptoms, such as itch and pain, which do not completely correspond to pathophysiological findings, possibly indication heightened sensitivity to physical symptoms. Sensitivity to itch and pain is thought to be affected by processes such as attentional focus on bodily sensations. We investigated the role of attentional focus in sensitivity to various somatosensory stimuli evoking both itch and pain sensations in healthy female subjects. Different mechanical, chemical and electrical stimuli of quantitative sensory testing were applied. Attentional focus on bodily sensations was measured using validated questionnaires. The results indicated that focusing on bodily sensations is associated with higher levels of experienced itch and pain but not with tolerance to stimuli. This suggests that attentional focusing on bodily sensations is a mechanism responsible for sensitivity to different physical sensations, such as itch and pain.

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  • Studies using itch induction suggest that a focus on bodily sensations and catastrophizing of upcoming itch stimuli lead to greater itch intensity or more profound scratching behavior.

    “Furthermore, studies using itch induction suggest that a focus on bodily sensations and catastrophizing of upcoming itch stimuli lead to greater itch intensity or more profound scratching behavior (28, 29).”

    From Mindfulness as Predictor of Itch Catastrophizing in Patients With Atopic Dermatitis: Results of a Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study (2021) · cites this paper as [28]

    The Results section (“Association between attentional focus and itch and pain elicited by the stimuli”) reports that greater attention to bodily sensations was associated with higher induced-itch scores. The Discussion proposes catastrophic instructions as a topic for future research; this study does not show that catastrophizing upcoming itch increases itch or scratching, and it reports no scratching outcome. (LLM, conf=0.87)

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  1. Wiesenfeld-Hallin. Sex differenced in pain perception. Gend 42. Med 2005; 2: 137-145.

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Authors
van Laarhoven, A., Kraaimaat, F., Wilder-Smith, O., & Evers, A.
Venue
Acta Dermato Venereologica
Published
2010
Volume
90
Issue
1
Pages
46-51
ISSN
0001-5555 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2091824213
Cited by
53
References
41
Citations by year
2025: 2 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 3
FWCI
1.53
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by-nc
Locations
  • Acta Dermato Venereologica (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Radboud Repository (Radboud University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Radboud Repository (Radboud University) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Pain Mechanisms and Treatments
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Dermatology › Dermatology and Skin Diseases
Keywords
attentional focus, bodily sensations, pain sensitivity, somatosensory stimuli, quantitative sensory testing, pain tolerance, hyperalgesia, hyperosmia, attentional bias
MeSH terms
Administration, Topical, Adult, Attention, Capsaicin, Cold Temperature, Electric Stimulation, Female, Histamine, Humans, Iontophoresis, Middle Aged, Pain, Pain Measurement, Perception, Personality, Physical Stimulation, Pruritus, Surveys and Questionnaires, Sensory Thresholds, Pain Threshold, Young Adult

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