Virtual reality exposure therapy as treatment for pain catastrophizing in fibromyalgia patients: proof-of-concept study (Study Protocol)

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dc.contributor.authorMorris, Linzetteen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorGrimmer-Somers, Karenen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorSpottiswoode, Bruceen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorLouw, Quinetteen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2015-11-11T11:52:15Z
dc.date.available2015-11-11T11:52:15Z
dc.date.issued2011en_ZA
dc.description.abstractBACKGROUND: Albeit exercise is currently advocated as one of the most effective management strategies for fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS); the implementation of exercise as a FMS treatment in reality is significantly hampered by patients' poor compliance. The inference that pain catastrophizing is a key predictor of poor compliance in FMS patients, justifies considering the alteration of pain catastrophizing in improving compliance towards exercises in FMS patients. The aim of this study is to provide proof-of-concept for the development and testing of a novel virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) program as treatment for exercise-related pain catastrophizing in FMS patients. METHODS: Two interlinked experimental studies will be conducted. Study 1 aims to objectively ascertain if neurophysiological changes occur in the functional brain areas associated with pain catastrophizing, when catastrophizing FMS subjects are exposed to visuals of exercise activities. Study 2 aims to ascertain the preliminary efficacy and feasibility of exposure to visuals of exercise activities as a treatment for exercise-related pain catastrophizing in FMS subjects. Twenty subjects will be selected from a group of FMS patients attending the Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa and randomly allocated to either the VRET (intervention) group or waiting list (control) group. Baseline neurophysiological activity for subjects will be collected in study 1 using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In study 2, clinical improvement in pain catastrophizing will be measured using fMRI (objective) and the pain catastrophizing scale (subjective).DISCUSSION:The premise is if exposing FMS patients to visuals of various exercise activities trigger the functional brain areas associated with pain catastrophizing; then as a treatment, repeated exposure to visuals of the exercise activities using a VRET program could possibly decrease exercise-related pain catastrophizing in FMS patients. Proof-of-concept will either be established or negated. The results of this project are envisaged to revolutionize FMS and pain catastrophizing research and in the future, assist health professionals and FMS patients in reducing despondency regarding FMS management.TRIAL REGISTRATION:PACTR201011000264179en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationMorris, L., Grimmer-Somers, K., Spottiswoode, B., & Louw, Q. (2011). Virtual reality exposure therapy as treatment for pain catastrophizing in fibromyalgia patients: proof-of-concept study (Study Protocol). <i>BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14851en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationMorris, Linzette, Karen Grimmer-Somers, Bruce Spottiswoode, and Quinette Louw "Virtual reality exposure therapy as treatment for pain catastrophizing in fibromyalgia patients: proof-of-concept study (Study Protocol)." <i>BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders</i> (2011) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14851en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationMorris, L. D., Grimmer-Somers, K. A., Spottiswoode, B., & Louw, Q. A. (2011). Virtual reality exposure therapy as treatment for pain catastrophizing in fibromyalgia patients: proof-of-concept study (Study Protocol). BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 12(1), 85.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Morris, Linzette AU - Grimmer-Somers, Karen AU - Spottiswoode, Bruce AU - Louw, Quinette AB - BACKGROUND: Albeit exercise is currently advocated as one of the most effective management strategies for fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS); the implementation of exercise as a FMS treatment in reality is significantly hampered by patients' poor compliance. The inference that pain catastrophizing is a key predictor of poor compliance in FMS patients, justifies considering the alteration of pain catastrophizing in improving compliance towards exercises in FMS patients. The aim of this study is to provide proof-of-concept for the development and testing of a novel virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) program as treatment for exercise-related pain catastrophizing in FMS patients. METHODS: Two interlinked experimental studies will be conducted. Study 1 aims to objectively ascertain if neurophysiological changes occur in the functional brain areas associated with pain catastrophizing, when catastrophizing FMS subjects are exposed to visuals of exercise activities. Study 2 aims to ascertain the preliminary efficacy and feasibility of exposure to visuals of exercise activities as a treatment for exercise-related pain catastrophizing in FMS subjects. Twenty subjects will be selected from a group of FMS patients attending the Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa and randomly allocated to either the VRET (intervention) group or waiting list (control) group. Baseline neurophysiological activity for subjects will be collected in study 1 using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In study 2, clinical improvement in pain catastrophizing will be measured using fMRI (objective) and the pain catastrophizing scale (subjective).DISCUSSION:The premise is if exposing FMS patients to visuals of various exercise activities trigger the functional brain areas associated with pain catastrophizing; then as a treatment, repeated exposure to visuals of the exercise activities using a VRET program could possibly decrease exercise-related pain catastrophizing in FMS patients. Proof-of-concept will either be established or negated. The results of this project are envisaged to revolutionize FMS and pain catastrophizing research and in the future, assist health professionals and FMS patients in reducing despondency regarding FMS management.TRIAL REGISTRATION:PACTR201011000264179 DA - 2011 DB - OpenUCT DO - 10.1186/1471-2474-12-85 DP - University of Cape Town J1 - BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2011 T1 - Virtual reality exposure therapy as treatment for pain catastrophizing in fibromyalgia patients: proof-of-concept study (Study Protocol) TI - Virtual reality exposure therapy as treatment for pain catastrophizing in fibromyalgia patients: proof-of-concept study (Study Protocol) UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14851 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/14851
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2474-12-85
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationMorris L, Grimmer-Somers K, Spottiswoode B, Louw Q. Virtual reality exposure therapy as treatment for pain catastrophizing in fibromyalgia patients: proof-of-concept study (Study Protocol). BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 2011; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/14851.en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisherBioMed Central Ltden_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentMRC/UCT Medical Imaging Research Uniten_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Health Sciencesen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.rightsThis is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licenseen_ZA
dc.rights.holder2011 Morris et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.en_ZA
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0en_ZA
dc.sourceBMC Musculoskeletal Disordersen_ZA
dc.source.urihttp://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcmusculoskeletdisord/en_ZA
dc.subject.otherfibromyalgia syndromeen_ZA
dc.subject.otherpain catastrophizingen_ZA
dc.subject.othervirtual reality exposure therapyen_ZA
dc.subject.otherexercise and complianceen_ZA
dc.titleVirtual reality exposure therapy as treatment for pain catastrophizing in fibromyalgia patients: proof-of-concept study (Study Protocol)en_ZA
dc.typeJournal Articleen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceArticleen_ZA
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