A systematic review with subset meta-analysis of studies exploring memory recall biases for pain-related information in adults with chronic pain

Abstract

Pain-related memory biases have been frequently explored in individuals with chronic pain, and along with attentional and interpretation biases are hypothesised to contribute to the onset and/or maintenance of chronic pain. The aim of this review is to provide a systematic review and synthesis of studies exploring memory recall biases for pain-related information in individuals with chronic pain relative to healthy controls and the recall of neutral information. Studies were identified via a search of Medline, PsychINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL, Cochrane Library and Open Grey databases. Search terms were memory, recall, recognition, and bias*, intersected with pain. Eighteen studies meeting the inclusion criteria were included. Sub-set meta-analyses are also reported from 12 studies with relevant between-groups data (comparing recall in chronic pain versus healthy control groups) and 12 studies with relevant within-groups data (for example comparing recall of pain-related/emotional versus neutral words). Between-groups analysis revealed significantly weaker recall bias for affective-pain words in individuals with chronic pain relative to healthy controls, but only when non-depressed chronic pain individuals were included. No significant differences were found between groups in the recall of sensory-pain, illness-related or depression-related words. Within-groups analysis revealed individuals with chronic pain show a significant recall bias favouring sensory-pain words relative to neutral and affective-pain words, and a bias for illness-related words relative to depression-related words. A recall bias favouring neutral words was found in healthy individuals. Evidence for the presence of pain-related memory biases in patients with chronic pain is inconclusive. Further methodologically rigorous research is required.

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ORCID for Christina Liossi: orcid.org/0000-0003-0627-6377

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