Chronic pain can signifi cantly diminish life quality, causing depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances, and may lead to neuroplastic processes that infl uence pain modulation. The current study investigated eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) treatment of 38 patients suffering from chronic pain with 12 weekly 90-minute sessions. A battery of self-reported questionnaires assessing quality of life, pain intensity, and depression level were administered pre-and posttreatment for objective outcome evaluation. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM was administered at pretreatment to identify participants' personality traits that may infl uence pain perception. Patients showed statistically signifi cant improvement relative to baseline after 12 weeks of EMDR treatment. Our fi ndings suggest that EMDR is an effective tool in the psychological treatment of chronic pain, resulting in decrease pain sensations, pain-related negative affect, and anxiety and depression levels. We examine possible theories about the mechanisms by which EMDR achieves these effects. Results were consistent with the underlying EMDR premise that posits the important effect of emotions on pain perception.

Patients with syringomyelia showed a wide spectrum of involuntary movements. An increased excitability of spinal motor neurons was probably the basic underlying mechanism.

The results of the study show that the Argentinean version of the RMDQ is reliable and valid as a lumbar disability measurement tool. The authors recommend this tool for future clinical studies.

Spatiotemporal features of neuropathic hyperalgesia constitute key criteria for differential diagnosis between CRPS II and I and, together with other behavioral sensorimotor features, signal psychogenic pseudoneurological dysfunction vs structural neuropathology. 'Neuropathic' hyperalgesias may reflect neuropathological or psychopathological disorders.