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ABSTRACT
Imagery in the correct context and at the right time is healthy for a person with a pain problem. Imagining moving a body part in a non-painful, smooth way can alter the individual pain neuromatrix through changes in cognitive factors (feeling happier about moving the painful part), affective components (reducing the fear and anxiety attributed to the movement) and the sensory changes manifested (normalising sensory discrimination).

From a biological viewpoint imagery, both motor and mental, could affect changes in all bodily systems dynamically and synchonously. Most notably are changes in the pain modulatory system, immune system (altered immunomodulation), autonomic nervous system and the motor system (increased strength and motor perfromance),

Imagery could include visualisation in social situations or in different environments and as such may affect the persons' interaction with family and friends, ability to work and to continue with their previous creative outlets.

TITLE OF THE STUDY
'Accuracy and response time for cervical laterality appreciation.'

In plain English: What is the accuracy and response time for someone to judge whether a pictured model has their head turned to the left or the right?

AIM OF THE STUDY
To determine accuracy and response time in a normal healthy population, for making left/right neck rotation judgements.

SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION
There are a set of complex brain processes that are involved when a person is judging whether a picture of someone else's hand is a left or a right hand. The same applies when judging whether a pictured foot belongs to the left or the right, or if a person has their trunk rotated to the left or right.

There is a growing body of literature that links pain to a reduced ability to make left/right judgements of body parts. It is believed that a distorted representation of the body within the brain is responsible for this pain. So far, this relationship has been observed in people with arm pain, leg pain or back pain. To date, no one has investigated left/right judgements of neck rotation. This study aims to address this.

Left/right judgement have recently been introduced into a treatment program to help reduce pain in people suffering specific pain conditions. It is suggested that this method works by a process of reorganising the distorted image of the body within the brain.

There are two aims of this study:

1. to establish baseline data for left/right judgements of neck rotation,
2. to identify relationships between accuracy and response time of left

Jamie Catto was a founding member of the British electronica band 'Faithless'. He then set off on his epic music and philosophy project '1 Giant Leap' with Duncan Bridgeman which gathered numerous music and film awards all over the world including two Grammy nominations for their first album and DVD. Jamie has also recently released his first solo album.

As with many artists, Jamie's work is often inspired by pain, as well as his own thoughtful explorations of the brain and the big questions of life. He will open the conference with a performance which draws from these thoughts and experiences.