Loss in Executive Functioning Best Explains Changes in Pain Responsiveness in Patients with Dementia-Related Cognitive Decline
Joint Authors
Lautenbacher, Stefan
Mylius, Veit
Schepelmann, Karsten
Kunz, Miriam
Source
Issue
Vol. 2015, Issue 2015 (31 Dec. 2015), pp.1-7, 7 p.
Publisher
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Publication Date
2015-12-14
Country of Publication
Egypt
No. of Pages
7
Main Subjects
Abstract EN
There is ample evidence that dementia changes the processing of pain.
However, it is not known whether this change in pain processing is related to the general decline in cognitive functioning or whether it may be related to specific domains of cognitive functioning.
With the present study we tried to answer this question.
We assessed different cognitive domains (orientation, memory, abstract thinking/executive function, aphasia and apraxia, and information processing speed) in 70 older patients with cognitive impairment (mild cognitive impairment up to moderate degrees of dementia).
Pain responsiveness was assessed by measuring the nociceptive flexion reflex (NFR) threshold and facial responses to noxious electrical stimulation.
Using regression analyses, we assessed which domain of cognitive functioning best predicted variance in pain responsiveness.
Variance in pain responsiveness (NFR and facial expressions) was best explained by those items assessing executive functioning even when controlling for overall cognitive performance and memory functioning.
The close association between executive functioning and pain responsiveness suggests that dementia-related neurodegeneration in prefrontal areas might result not only in reduced executive functioning but also in a loss of pain inhibitory potency, rendering the patient more vulnerable to pain.
Our findings also suggest that pain assessment in dementia should be regularly completed by tests of cognitive functions.
American Psychological Association (APA)
Kunz, Miriam& Mylius, Veit& Schepelmann, Karsten& Lautenbacher, Stefan. 2015. Loss in Executive Functioning Best Explains Changes in Pain Responsiveness in Patients with Dementia-Related Cognitive Decline. Behavioural Neurology،Vol. 2015, no. 2015, pp.1-7.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-1057585
Modern Language Association (MLA)
Kunz, Miriam…[et al.]. Loss in Executive Functioning Best Explains Changes in Pain Responsiveness in Patients with Dementia-Related Cognitive Decline. Behavioural Neurology No. 2015 (2015), pp.1-7.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-1057585
American Medical Association (AMA)
Kunz, Miriam& Mylius, Veit& Schepelmann, Karsten& Lautenbacher, Stefan. Loss in Executive Functioning Best Explains Changes in Pain Responsiveness in Patients with Dementia-Related Cognitive Decline. Behavioural Neurology. 2015. Vol. 2015, no. 2015, pp.1-7.
https://search.emarefa.net/detail/BIM-1057585
Data Type
Journal Articles
Language
English
Notes
Includes bibliographical references
Record ID
BIM-1057585