AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL MEMORY AND CHRONIC PAIN

The influence of chronic pain on the recall of autobiographical memori es of pain and non-pain events was examined. Eleven chronic pain patie nts and 11 age- and sex-matched control subjects retrieved autobiograp hical memories to neutral and pain-related cue words. Patients and con trols retrieved equal numbers of memories, but pain subjects retrieved more memories incorporating elements of physical pain. Analysis of th e content of these memories revealed that patients and controls recall ed equal numbers of memories of themselves and other people in acute p ain and that the difference observed was attributable to the pain pati ents recalling memories of themselves in chronic pain. Memories of pai n were recalled significantly faster than non-pain memories. The resul ts are discussed with reference to the possible biasing effects of pai n state on memory and the schematic processing of pain memories.