Attentional Bias Towards Visual Itch and Pain Stimuli in Itch- and Pain-free Individuals?

Authors

  • Jennifer M. Becker
  • Sarah R. Vreijling
  • Sjoerd Dobbinga
  • Jolijn J.J. Giesbers
  • Andrea W.M. Evers
  • Dieuwke S. Veldhuijzen
  • Antoinette I.M. van Laarhoven

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2340/00015555-3537

Keywords:

attentional bias, pruritus, pain, cognitive processing

Abstract

Itch and pain are important attention-demanding sensations that allow adaptive responses to potential bodily harm. An attentional bias towards itch and pain stimuli, i.e. preferential attention allocation towards itch- and pain-related information, has been found in healthy, as well as patient groups. However, it remains unclear whether attentional bias for itch and pain differs from a general bias towards negative information. Therefore, this study investigated attentional bias towards itch and pain in 70 itch- and pain-free individuals. In an attention task, itch- and pain-related stimuli, as well as negative stimuli, were presented alongside neutral stimuli. The results did not indicate an attentional bias towards itch-, pain-, and negative visual information. This finding suggests that people without itch and pain symptoms do not prioritize itch- and pain-related information above neutral information. Future research should investigate whether attention towards itch- and pain-related information might be biased in patients with chronic itch and pain.

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Published

2020-07-02

How to Cite

M. Becker, J., R. Vreijling, S., Dobbinga, S., Giesbers, J. J., Evers, A. W., Veldhuijzen, D. S., & van Laarhoven, A. I. (2020). Attentional Bias Towards Visual Itch and Pain Stimuli in Itch- and Pain-free Individuals?. Acta Dermato-Venereologica, 100(14), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.2340/00015555-3537

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Section

Articles