Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — Chronic pain, such as arthritis, cancer, or back pain, that lasts for more than three months increases the risk of cognitive decline and dementia, a new study finds.
The hippocampus, a brain structure closely associated with learning and memory, increased its lifespan by about a year in a 60-year-old with chronic localized pain compared to those without pain.
And when he felt pain in two parts of the body, the hippocampus shrank even more, just over two years of ageing, estimates the study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, or PNAS, on Monday.
In other words, the volume of the hippocampus (the volume of gray matter) of a 60-year-old individual with (chronic pain) in two parts of the body was similar to that of the hippocampus of Those who are 62 years old and are not in pain.
The study found that the risk rises with the number of pain sites in the body. And the size of the hippocampus was nearly four times smaller in people who experienced pain in five or more parts of the body compared to those who had only two, which equals eight years of ageing.
Dr. Richard Isaacson, an Alzheimer’s disease researcher and preventive neurologist at the Neurological Institute in Florida, who was not involved in the new study, said: “Asking people about any chronic pain conditions, and advocating for their care by a pain specialist, may be a modifiable risk factor.” Anti-cognitive decline that we can address proactively.”
Perception declines with pain
The study analyzed data from more than 19,000 people who underwent brain scans as part of the UK Biobank, a long-running government study involving more than 500,000 British participants between the ages of 40 and 69.
The study found that people with pain at multiple body sites performed worse than those without pain on seven of 11 cognitive tasks. In contrast, people with a single pain site performed worse on only one cognitive task: the ability to remember to perform a task in the future.
After identifying a variety of conditions contributing to the study such as: age, alcohol use, body mass, race, genetics, history of cancer, diabetes, vascular or heart problems, medications, psychological symptoms and smoking status, to name a few. However, the study wasn’t able to control for levels of exercise, says Isaacson.
“Exercise is the number one and most powerful tool in combating cognitive decline and dementia,” he told CNN. He continued: “People with chronic multi-site pain may be less able to adhere to regular physical activity, as a possible mechanism for the increased risk of dementia.”
The link between chronic pain and inflammation is just as important, Isaacson added. A 2019 review of studies showed that pain stimulates immune cells called microglia to create neuroinflammation that may lead to changes in brain connectivity and function.
And people with higher levels of pain were more likely to have gray matter decline in other brain regions that affect cognition, such as the prefrontal cortex and prefrontal lobe, the same areas attacked by Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, more than 45% of Alzheimer’s patients live with chronic pain, according to a 2016 study cited in the review.
The study also wasn’t able to identify sleep defects, as chronic pain often makes it difficult to get a good night’s sleep. A 2021 study found that sleeping less than six hours a night in middle age increases the risk of dementia by 30%.
universal disability
Globally, low back pain is a leading cause of years of living with disability, and neck pain ranks fourth, according to the 2016 Global Burden of Disease Study. Other leading causes are arthritis, nerve damage, and pain from cancer and injuries.
Researchers estimate that more than 30% of people worldwide suffer from chronic pain: “pain is the most common reason people seek healthcare and the leading cause of disability in the world,” according to articles published in The Lancet in 2021. .
In the United States alone, about 50 million Americans live with long-term pain, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Control.
Nearly 11 million Americans suffer from high-impact chronic pain, defined as pain that lasts more than three months “with at least one major activity limitation, such as the inability to work outside the home, go to school, or do housework,” according to the center. National Complementary and Integrative Health.
Chronic pain has been linked to anxiety, depression, limitations in movement and daily activities, opioid dependence, increased health care costs, and poor quality of life. A 2019 study estimated that between 5 and 8 million Americans use opioids to manage chronic pain.
Chronic pain management
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, pain management programs usually involve a number of specialists to find the best relief for symptoms while providing support for the emotional and mental burden of pain.
Medical treatment may include over-the-counter and prescription medications to stop the cycle of pain and reduce inflammation. Injections of steroids may also help. Antidepressants increase the amount of serotonin, which controls part of the pain pathway in the brain. Applying short bursts of electricity to muscles and nerve endings is another treatment.
Treatments such as massages, soaking in whirlpools, exercises by occupational and physical therapists, hot and cold therapies, and acupuncture can also be suggested.
Psychologists who specialize in rehabilitation may recommend cognitive and relaxation techniques such as meditation, tai chi, and yoga that can take the mind away from focusing on pain.
An anti-inflammatory diet, such as reducing your intake of trans fats, sugars and other processed foods, may be suggested. Weight loss may also be helpful, especially for back and knee pain.
