Visuo–tactile Stimulation, but not Type of Movement, Modulates Pain During the Vision of a Moving Virtual Limb

Abstract

Aim: Evidence has revealed a relationship between pain and the observation of limb movement, but it is unknown whether different types of movements have diverse modulating effects. In this immersive virtual reality study, we explored the effect of the vision of different virtual arm movements (arm vs wrist) on heat pain threshold of healthy participants. Patients & methods: 40 healthy participants underwent four conditions in virtual reality, while heat pain thresholds were measured. Visuo–tactile stimulation was used to attempt to modulate the feeling of virtual limb ownership while the participants kept their arms still. Results: Effects on pain threshold were present for type of stimulation but not type of movement. Conclusion: The type of observed movement does not appear to influence pain modulation, at least not during acute pain states.

Keywords::

• body ownership
• illusory kinesthesia
• multisensory integration
• pain modulation
• pain threshold
• virtual arm
• virtual reality

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to Chloe Lattimore, for their help with data collection.

Financial & competing interests disclosur

This research was supported by the UEL Research Capital Fund. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

The study was approved by the University of East London Ethics Committee. The authors state that they have obtained appropriate institutional review board approval or have followed the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki for all human or animal experimental investigations. In addition, the authors state that they have obtained verbal/written informed consent from the patients for the inclusion of their medical and treatment history within this research article.

Additional information

Funding

The study was approved by the University of East London Ethics Committee. The authors state that they have obtained appropriate institutional review board approval or have followed the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki for all human or animal experimental investigations. In addition, the authors state that they have obtained verbal/written informed consent from the patients for the inclusion of their medical and treatment history within this research article.