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Author
Name Vaegter, Henrik Bjarke
hbv@rsyd.dk
Research field Pain and movement
Career stage professor
Home university/institution University of Southern Denmark
Department/Research unit at home university/institution Department of Clinical Research
Chair/Working group at home institution Pain Research Group, University Hospital Odense, Denmark

International activity
Country Germany
Location Bochum
University Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)
Fund Research School VIP
Type of activity other
Period starts 19-08-2019
ends 31-12-2022
Keywords pain, exercise, cognitions, avoidance, endurance, hypolagesia, pain sensitivity
Report Supported by the RUB Research School VIP grant, Prof Monika Hasenbring and Henrik Bjarke Vaegter are collaborating on pain research that investigates 1) the influence of cognitive processes on pain and the hypoalgesic effects of exercise and 2) translation, implementation and evaluation of the Avoidance-Endurance Model in a chronic pain rehabilitation center in Denmark. Their collaborative research will use experimental pain models as well as large datasets from clinical pain registries. In addition, they have organized a joint international hybrid conference: Cognitions and Emotions in Pain and Disability (PDF link) in June 2021 to discuss these aspects in assessment and management of chronic pain conditions with other international experts.
Henrik Bjarke Vaegter has had several visits to the department including discussion, data analyses and manuscript preparations with the research group.

Visits to the department:
AUGUST 2019
Dr. Vaegter had his first visit (August 21-23) to theDept. of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociologyat Ruhr-Universität Bochum after being awarded theVisiting International Professor fellowship together with two of his colleagues from the Multidisciplinary Pain Center at the University Hospital Odense, Denmark. Dr. Vaegter and his colleagues had several meetings with Prof. Hasenbring and her research group (picture attached). During the 3 days (see attached program ‘file.pdf’) presentations anddiscussions on different dissertational projects with a special focus on exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH) and the influence of cognitive processing and strategies as well as the Avoidance-Endurance Model (AEM) were performed. In addition, ongoing projects in the department were presented and Dr. Vaegter gave feedback on methodological issues.

NOVEMBER 2019
During Dr. Vaegter's second visit (November 24-27th) to the Dept. of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, RUB statistical analytical plans were discussed and finalized for 3 joint studies with completed data collectingon 1) fMRI of exercise-induced hypoalgesia with Dr Omar Chehadi, 2) exercise-induced hypoalgesia and cognitive inhibition with Hannah Gajsar, and 3) Characteristics of different Avoidance-Endurance subgroups in 800 patients with severe chronic pain referred to a multidisciplinary pain center in Denmark with Prof Monika Hasenbring. Responsibiities and plans were made for 3 joint publications.
The next visit will take place January 19-22nd 2020

JANUARY 2020
Dr. Vaegter's third visit (January 22-22nd) as Visiting International Professor at the Dept. of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, RUB was very productive. Results from joint research projects (one on exercise-hypoalgesia and cognitive inhibition and one on the Avoidance-Endurance Model) involving RUB PhD students were discussed and two papers were finalized for journal submission.
Furthermore, Prof. Hasenbring and Dr. Vaegter met with Prof Tobias Schulte at the University Clinic at St. Josef-Hospital to discuss future collaborations with a specific focus on implementation of joint psychological screening questionnaires/systems in clinical practice.

The next visit was originally scheduled for April/May 2020 where a guest lecture by Dr. Vaegter on development and implementation of the danish national pain registry was planned. Due to the COVID-19 situation this visit is postponed.

During the COVID-19 situation several meetings have been performed online.

JUNE 2021:
A successful international hybrid conference (joint btw RUB and University of Southern Denmark) on pain and disability with 150 participants was held in Odense Denmark.

SEPTEMBER 2021:
Dr. Vaegter's fourth visit (September 13-16th) as Visiting International Professor was planned to finalize the last work of several PhD students at the Dept. of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, RUB.

Publications based on collaboration:
Gomolka S, Vaegter HB, Nijs J, Meeus M, Gajsar H, Hasenbring M, Titze C. Assessing Endogenous Pain Inhibition: Test-Retest Reliability of Exercise-Induced Hypoalgesia in Local and Remote Body Parts after Aerobic Cycling. Pain Med 2019; 20(11):2272-2282.

Vaegter HB, Fehrman E, Gajsar H, Kreddig N. Endogenous modulation of pain: the role of exercise, stress and cognitions in humans. Clin J Pain 2020;36(3):150-161.

Gajsar H, Titze C, Koniertzny K, Meyer M, Vaegter HB, Hasenbring M. Cognitive inhibition correlates with widespread exercise-induced hypoalgesia after aerobic bicycling in pain-free participants. J Pain Research 2020; 13:847-858.

Titze C, Hasenbring M, Kristensen L, Bendix L, Vaegter HB. Patterns of approach to activity in 851 patients with severe chronic pain: translation and preliminary validation of the 9-item Avoidance-Endurance Fast-Screen (AEFS) into Danish. Clin J Pain 2021;37:226-236.

Gajsar H, Meyer M, Hasenbring MI, Vaegter HB. Pain and executive function: no association between remote exercise-induced hypoalgesia and cognitive inhibition in pain-free participants. Scand J Pain, in Press, doi: 10.1515/sjpain-2021-0071.

Ongoing manuscripts and projects:
C. Titze C, Konietzny K, Gajsar H, Koltyn K, Chehadi O, Hasenbring M, Vaegter HB. Associations between spontaneous and instructed attentional strategies with the pain response to a single bout of exercise in healthy individuals.

Hasenbring M, Vaegter HB. Content Validity of the Danish Version of the Avoidance-Endurance Fast Screen Questionnaire among patients with chronic pain.
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