High incidence of 'synaesthesia for pain' in amputees

Bernadette M. Fitzgibbon; Peter G. Enticott; Anina N. Rich; Melita J. Giummarra; Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis; Jack W. Tsao; Sharon R. Weeks; John L. Bradshaw

doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2010.07.029

High incidence of 'synaesthesia for pain' in amputees

Bernadette M. Fitzgibbon^*, Peter G. Enticott, Anina N. Rich, Melita J. Giummarra, Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis, Jack W. Tsao, Sharon R. Weeks, John L. Bradshaw

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

30 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Synaesthesia for pain is a phenomenon where a person experiences pain when observing or imagining another in pain. Anecdotal reports of this type of experience have most commonly occurred in individuals who have lost a limb. Distinct from phantom pain, synaesthesia for pain is triggered specifically in response to pain in another. Here, we provide the first preliminary investigation into synaesthesia for pain in amputees to determine the incidence and characteristics of this intriguing phenomenon. Self-referring amputees (n= 74) answered questions on synaesthesia for pain within a broader survey of phantom pain. Of the participants, 16.2% reported that observing or imagining pain in another person triggers their phantom pain. Further understanding of synaesthesia for pain may provide a greater insight to abnormal empathic function in clinical populations as well as therapeutic intervention for at risk groups.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	3675-3678
Number of pages	4
Journal	Neuropsychologia
Volume	48
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2010.07.029
Publication status	Published - Oct 2010

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10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2010.07.029

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title = "High incidence of 'synaesthesia for pain' in amputees",

abstract = "Synaesthesia for pain is a phenomenon where a person experiences pain when observing or imagining another in pain. Anecdotal reports of this type of experience have most commonly occurred in individuals who have lost a limb. Distinct from phantom pain, synaesthesia for pain is triggered specifically in response to pain in another. Here, we provide the first preliminary investigation into synaesthesia for pain in amputees to determine the incidence and characteristics of this intriguing phenomenon. Self-referring amputees (n= 74) answered questions on synaesthesia for pain within a broader survey of phantom pain. Of the participants, 16.2% reported that observing or imagining pain in another person triggers their phantom pain. Further understanding of synaesthesia for pain may provide a greater insight to abnormal empathic function in clinical populations as well as therapeutic intervention for at risk groups.",

author = "Fitzgibbon, {Bernadette M.} and Enticott, {Peter G.} and Rich, {Anina N.} and Giummarra, {Melita J.} and Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis and Tsao, {Jack W.} and Weeks, {Sharon R.} and Bradshaw, {John L.}",

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AU - Fitzgibbon, Bernadette M.

AU - Enticott, Peter G.

AU - Rich, Anina N.

AU - Giummarra, Melita J.

AU - Georgiou-Karistianis, Nellie

AU - Tsao, Jack W.

AU - Weeks, Sharon R.

AU - Bradshaw, John L.

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AB - Synaesthesia for pain is a phenomenon where a person experiences pain when observing or imagining another in pain. Anecdotal reports of this type of experience have most commonly occurred in individuals who have lost a limb. Distinct from phantom pain, synaesthesia for pain is triggered specifically in response to pain in another. Here, we provide the first preliminary investigation into synaesthesia for pain in amputees to determine the incidence and characteristics of this intriguing phenomenon. Self-referring amputees (n= 74) answered questions on synaesthesia for pain within a broader survey of phantom pain. Of the participants, 16.2% reported that observing or imagining pain in another person triggers their phantom pain. Further understanding of synaesthesia for pain may provide a greater insight to abnormal empathic function in clinical populations as well as therapeutic intervention for at risk groups.

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High incidence of 'synaesthesia for pain' in amputees

Abstract

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