{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,14]],"date-time":"2026-01-14T19:04:45Z","timestamp":1768417485992,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":44,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,14]],"date-time":"2026-01-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1768348800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sensors"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: This study investigates the influence of emotional processing on flexor reflex responses in the upper limbs, focusing on cutaneomuscular reflexes (CMRs) and the cutaneous silent period (CSP) in patients with chronic neuropathic pain. The modulation of motor reflexes by emotions remains unclear. Methods: Fifty-one patients with chronic upper limb neuropathic pain (carpal tunnel syndrome, other neuropathies, post-burn hypertrophic scars) and twenty healthy controls underwent standardized electrodiagnostic signal acquisition. Neurophysiological assessments (CMRs, CSP, standard nerve conduction tests) and psychological evaluations (anxiety, depression, emotion processing) were conducted. Neurophysiological signal acquisition included median and ulnar nerve conduction studies recorded with an electrodiagnostic system (48 kHz sampling rate; 30\u20133000 Hz bandpass). CSP and CMRs were recorded from the abductor pollicis brevis using surface electrodes (bipolar belly\u2013tendon montage) and were evoked by electrical stimulation delivered through ring electrodes, with individualized perceptual-threshold calibration. Statistical analyses examined correlations between neurophysiological and psychological measures. Results: Patients showed significantly longer duration and higher intensity of CMRs and CSP than controls (p &lt; 0.01). CMR and CSP durations correlated positively with anxiety, depression, and alexithymia scores, and negatively with facial emotion recognition. General Linear Model analyses indicated these relations were mediated by tactile and pain perception thresholds. Conclusions: The findings support that spinal reflex responses in the upper limbs are modulated by emotional and cognitive-affective processes, especially in chronic pain contexts. This highlights the complex interaction between emotion regulation and motor control in neuropathic pain conditions.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/s26020557","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,14]],"date-time":"2026-01-14T11:01:14Z","timestamp":1768388474000},"page":"557","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["The Relationship Between Emotion Processing and Flexor Afferent Responses in Upper Limbs"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"26","author":[{"given":"Gianluca","family":"Isoardo","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"SC Neurologia 1U, Hospital \u201cCitt\u00e0 della Salute e della Scienza di Torino\u201d, 10126 Turin, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5020-6598","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rita B.","family":"Ardito","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Stefano","family":"Ciullo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Elena","family":"Fontana","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9815-5446","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ilaria","family":"Stura","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department Neuroscience \u201cRita Levi Montalcini\u201d, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Giuseppe","family":"Migliaretti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health and Paediatric Sciences, University of Torino, 10124 Torino, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Paolo","family":"Titolo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"UOD Reconstructive Microsurgery, Department of Orthopedics & Traumatology, Hospital \u201cCitt\u00e0 della Salute e della Scienza di Torino\u201d, 10126 Turin, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-2963-8821","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Enrico","family":"Matteoni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department Neuroscience \u201cRita Levi Montalcini\u201d, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5122-7243","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andrea","family":"Calvo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"SC Neurologia 1U, Hospital \u201cCitt\u00e0 della Salute e della Scienza di Torino\u201d, 10126 Turin, Italy"},{"name":"Department Neuroscience \u201cRita Levi Montalcini\u201d, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Valeria","family":"Fonzo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"SC Psichiatria SPDC, Hospital \u201cCitt\u00e0 della Salute e della Scienza di Torino\u201d, 10126 Turin, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Federica","family":"Laino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unit of Pain Management and Palliative Care, Department of Anesthesia, Intensive Care and Emergency, Hospital \u201cCitt\u00e0 della Salute e della Scienza di Torino\u201d, 10126 Turin, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6997-9283","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mauro","family":"Adenzato","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychology, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,14]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"28","DOI":"10.1113\/jphysiol.1910.sp001362","article-title":"Flexion-reflex of the limb, crossed extension-reflex, and reflex stepping and standing","volume":"40","author":"Sherrington","year":"1910","journal-title":"J. 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