As people age, the resulting loss of cognitive function could lead to a decrease in pain tolerance.
In a new study in “The Clinical Journal of Pain”, researchers performed a battery of cognitive tests on a group of elderly subjects. The researchers then tested the pain sensitivity of the elderly subjects, as well as a group of younger subjects. The researchers found that in the younger subjects, the higher levels of the brain, such as the prefrontal cortex, were able to suppress some of the pain sensations. The elderly subjects were less effective at inhibiting pain responses, and the elderly subjects who scored poorly on the tests of cognitive function fared even worse.
Conclusions
Maintaining cognitive capacities throughout the lifespan may be paramount towards decreasing the likelihood of developing chronic pain as age increases.
References
Lithfous, S., Després, O., Pebayle, T., & Dufour, A. (2019). Modification of Descending Analgesia in Aging. The Clinical journal of pain, 35(1), 23-30.