Hippocampal morphology mediates biased memories of chronic pain.

ABSTRACT: Experiences and memories are often mismatched. While multiple studies have investigated psychological underpinnings of recall error with respect to emotional events, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the divergence between experiences and memories remain relatively unexplored in the domain of chronic pain. Here we examined the discrepancy between experienced chronic low back pain (CBP) intensity (twice daily ratings) and remembered pain intensity (n = 48 subjects) relative to psychometric properties, hippocampus morphology, memory capabilities, and personality traits related to reward. 77% of CBP patients exaggerated remembered pain, which depended on their strongest experienced pain and their most recent mood rating. This bias persisted over nearly 1 year and was related to reward

SUBMITTER: Berger SE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5813825 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature