Authors: Jiang et al.
Anesthesiology August 25, 2025. doi:10.1097/ALN.0000000000005731
Summary
In a large population-based cohort study using UK Biobank data, researchers followed 188,594 participants over 13 years to assess the relationship between chronic widespread pain (CWP) and cognitive decline. Individuals with CWP showed a higher risk of mild cognitive impairment (HR 2.55) and dementia (HR 1.53). While no direct causal link to dementia was established, changes in brain structures such as the thalamus, insular cortex, prefrontal cortex, and amygdala, along with systemic inflammatory markers, appeared to mediate the observed associations.
What You Should Know
• Chronic widespread pain is associated with significantly increased risk of both cognitive impairment and dementia.
• Hazard ratios: 2.55 for mild cognitive impairment and 1.53 for dementia.
• Structural changes in brain regions and systemic inflammation may be important mediators.
• Findings underscore the need for clinicians to monitor cognitive function in patients with chronic widespread pain.
• The results suggest inflammation and neural alterations may contribute to the pain–cognition connection.
Thank you Anesthesiology for allowing us to use this article.