Disfunzioni della Percezione Corporea nelle Patologie Muscoloscheletriche e Reumatiche

This thesis presents a group of studies published, submitted or in preparation, and other research study projects approved by Ethics Committees. Its general aim is to explore how patients with MDRDs may show dysfunctions in body perception. It is composed of two main parts. PART I presents a general overview of body perception mechanisms and perceptual dysfunctions in MDRDs. More particularly, Chapter I offers a systematic review of the literature dedicated to the questions and knowledge gaps highlighted in the introduction. PART II approaches the relationship between BPDs and neuropathic pain through an overview of the neurophysiological mechanisms described in the literature dedicated to the role of neuropathic pain in “phantom perceptions”. A special focus has been placed on dysfunctions of the so-called small-fibers. Finally, Chapters II-V will address the hypotheses guiding the subsequent studies and research projects, which explore phenomena of bodily illusions in two categories of MDRDs: fibromyalgic patients and subjects with chronic low back pain affected by failed back surgery. A series of studies has been conducted during the three-year period of PhD training (2017-2019), while other research projects were proposed for future development. Research lines promoted has been planned and conducted from different perspectives, adopting a variety of methodologies in order to cover the complexity of body perception phenomena in chronic painful MDRDs.