Lifestyle Factors May Shield Brains from Accelerated Aging in Chronic pain Sufferers
New research from the University of Florida suggests that positive lifestyle factors can help protect the brain from age-related changes, even in individuals experiencing chronic pain, especially those with or at risk of knee osteoarthritis.The study, published in Brain Communications, challenges the simple link between chronic pain and brain aging, highlighting the meaningful role of psychosocial well-being and healthy behaviors.
Researchers analyzed data from 197 adults aged 45-85, with a focus on those reporting knee pain and/or at risk for osteoarthritis. Using machine learning applied to structural MRI scans, they estimated ”brain age” – the difference between a person’s chronological age and the age their brain appears to be.
the study revealed that both chronic pain severity and socioenvironmental risk factors (like education, income, and area deprivation) were associated with a larger ”brain age gap,” meaning brains appeared older than chronological age. Specifically, individuals with higher socioenvironmental risk showed brains approximately three years older than those with lower risk.
However, a key finding was the protective effect of behavioral and psychosocial factors. Participants who demonstrated more positive traits – including optimism, positive affect, strong social support, good sleep habits, and avoidance of tobacco – exhibited a smaller brain age gap. In fact, those with higher levels of these protective factors had brains that appeared over three years younger than those with fewer.
Importantly, this protective effect persisted even when accounting for pain levels and socioenvironmental factors. longitudinal analysis, following a subset of 128 participants over two years, showed that higher baseline levels of these behavioral/psychosocial protective factors were linked to slower brain aging.
“Our findings show behavioral/psychosocial protective factors may counteract neurobiological aging and help buffer the brain from chronic pain,” explains lead researcher Eric Hamilton. This suggests that focusing on fostering positive mental and behavioral health could be a crucial strategy for mitigating the neurological impact of chronic pain and promoting healthy brain aging.
Source: University of Florida. “More than chronic pain: behavioral and psychosocial protective factors predict lower brain age in adults with/at risk for knee osteoarthritis over two years.” Brain Communications. https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/braincomms/fcaf344
