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Failla MD, Beach PA, Atalla S, Dietrich MS, Bruehl S, Cowan RL, Monroe TB. Gender Differences in Pain Threshold, Unpleasantness, and Descending Pain Modulatory Activation Across the Adult Life Span: A Cross Sectional Study. J Pain 2024; 25:1059-1069. [PMID: 37956742 PMCID: PMC10960699 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2023.10.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
The neurobiological underpinnings of gender differences in pain perception, and how these differences may be modified by age, are incompletely understood, placing patients at risk of suboptimal pain management. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we examined brain responses in the descending pain modulatory system (DPMS, specifically, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, insula, hypothalamus, amygdala, and periaqueductal gray, during an evoked pain task. We investigated the interaction of age and gender in our sample of healthy adults (27 females, 32 males, 30-86 years) on DPMS response. In a perceptually matched thermal pain paradigm, we investigated pain unpleasantness and neural responses for 3 heat pain percepts: just noticeable pain, weak pain, and moderate pain (MP). Females reported just noticeable pain at a lower temperature, but reported less unpleasantness at weak pain and MP percepts, compared to males. There was a significant age-by-gender interaction during moderate pain in the right anterior cingulate cortex and bilateral insula, such that, males had a stronger positive relationship between DPMS response and age compared to females in these regions. Our results indicate that differences in DPMS responses may explain some gender differences in pain perception and that this effect may change across the adult lifespan. PERSPECTIVE: Gender differences in pain have been well-documented but the brain mechanisms for these differences are still unclear. This article describes potential differences in brain functioning during different levels of pain that could explain differences in pain responses between men and women across the adult lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle D. Failla
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
- Nisonger Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
| | - Paul A. Beach
- Department of Neurology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
| | | | | | - Stephen Bruehl
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Ronald L. Cowan
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
| | - Todd B. Monroe
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
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Muench U, Kim KM, Zimmer Z, Monroe TB. The association between cognitive ability and opioid prescribing in vulnerable older adults with chronic pain in ambulatory care: a secondary data analysis using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. BMC Med 2023; 21:446. [PMID: 37974164 PMCID: PMC10655447 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-023-03133-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vulnerable older adults living with Alzheimer's disease or Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (AD/ADRD) and chronic pain generally receive fewer pain medications than individuals without AD/ADRD, especially in nursing homes. Little is known about pain management in older adults with AD/ADRD in the community. The aim of the study was to examine opioid prescribing patterns in individuals with chronic pain by levels of cognitive ability in ambulatory care. METHODS We used the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), years 2002-2017, and identified three levels of cognitive impairment: no cognitive impairment (NCI), individuals reporting cognitive impairment (CI) without an AD/ADRD diagnosis, and individuals with a diagnosis of AD/ADRD. We examined any receipt of an opioid prescription and the number of opioid prescriptions using a logistic and negative binomial regression adjusting for sociodemographic and health characteristics and stratifying by three types of chronic pain (any chronic pain, severe chronic pain, and chronic pain identified through ICD 9/10 chronic pain diagnoses). RESULTS Among people with any chronic pain, adjusted odds of receiving an opioid for people with CI (OR 1.41, 95% confidence interval 1.31-1.52) and AD/ADRD (OR 1.23, 95% confidence interval 1.04-1.45) were higher compared to NCI. Among people with chronic pain ICD 9/10 conditions, the odds of receiving an opioid were also higher for those with CI (OR 1.43, 95% confidence interval 1.34-1.56) and AD/ADRD (OR 1.48, 95% confidence interval 1.23-1.78) compared to NCI. Among those with severe chronic pain, people with CI were more likely to receive an opioid (OR 1.17, 95% confidence interval 1.07-1.27) relative to NCI (OR 0.89, 95% confidence interval 0.75-1.06). People with AD/ADRD experiencing severe chronic pain were not more likely to receive an opioid compared to the NCI group. Adjusted predicted counts of opioid prescriptions showed more opioids in CI and AD/ADRD in all chronic pain cohorts, with the largest numbers of opioid prescriptions in the severe chronic pain and ICD 9/10 diagnoses groups. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest increased opioid use in people living with CI and AD/ADRD in the ambulatory care setting and potentially indicate that these individuals either require more analgesics or that opioids may be overprescribed. Further research is needed to examine pain management in this vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike Muench
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Nursing, University of California, 490 Illinois St., Floor 12, Box 0612, San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
- Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
- Healthforce Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, USA.
| | - Kyung Mi Kim
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Nursing, University of California, 490 Illinois St., Floor 12, Box 0612, San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
- Office of Research Patient Care Services, Stanford Health Care, Stanford, USA
- Clinical Excellence Research Center, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, USA
| | - Zachary Zimmer
- Global Aging and Community Initiative and Department of Family Studies & Gerontology, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, Canada
| | - Todd B Monroe
- Center for Healthy Aging Self-Management, and Complex Care, College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, USA
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Anderson AR, Mahajan I, Ford JL, Wright KD, Mackos AR, Rose KM, Monroe TB, Moss KO. Dyadic Hair Cortisol Self-Collection Procedure. Nurs Res 2023; 72:404-408. [PMID: 37625184 PMCID: PMC10463209 DOI: 10.1097/nnr.0000000000000672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND At-home self-collection of specimens has become more commonplace because of measures taken in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Self-collection of hair cortisol is important because chronic stress is present in many populations, such as older adults living with Alzheimer's disease and their family caregivers. For the evaluation of chronic stress, scalp hair can be used as a predictive biomarker because it examines the cumulative, retrospective stress from previous months. OBJECTIVES The aim of the paper is to provide a study procedure for at-home, scalp hair self-collection for cortisol concentration analysis from dyads consisting of a person living with Alzheimer's disease and their family caregiver. METHODS After informed electronic consent is obtained, a package containing the necessary tools for self-collection of hair samples from the dyad is mailed to the participant's home. Participants are provided detailed print and video multimedia guides outlining how to obtain the hair samples. Ideally, the hair samples are obtained during the virtual data collection meeting with research personnel. Participants mail back the hair sample in a prepaid package to the biomedical laboratory for analysis. DISCUSSION At-home, self-collection of hair provides potential advantages such as reduced participant burden, especially for vulnerable populations where transportation and different environments are challenging. At-home sample collection options may increase research participation and can be applied to multiple research foci. Research considerations for dyads, such as people living with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers, are discussed.
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McDaniel AL, Dimitrov TN, Bruehl SP, Monroe TB, Failla MD, Cowan RL, Ryan C, Anderson AR. Psychophysics of Pain: A Methodological Introduction. Pain Manag Nurs 2023; 24:442-451. [PMID: 36948969 PMCID: PMC10440278 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmn.2023.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
For over 100 years, psychophysics ..÷ the scientific study between physical stimuli and sensation ... has been successfully employed in numerous scientific and healthcare disciplines, as an objective measure of sensory phenomena. This manuscript provides an overview of fundamental psychophysical concepts, emphasizing pain and research application..÷defining common terms, methods, and procedures.Psychophysics can provide systematic and objective measures of sensory perception that can be used by nursing scientists to explore complex, subjective phenomena..÷such as pain perception. While there needs to be improved standardization of terms and techniques, psychophysical approaches are diverse and may be tailored to address or augment current research paradigms. The interdisciplinary nature of psychophysics..÷like nursing..÷provides a unique lens for understanding how our perceptions are influenced by measurable sensations. While the quest to understand human perception is far from complete, nursing science has an opportunity to contribute to pain research by using the techniques and methods available through psychophysical procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron L McDaniel
- From The Ohio State University College of Nursing, Columbus, Ohio.
| | | | - Stephen P Bruehl
- Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Todd B Monroe
- From The Ohio State University College of Nursing, Columbus, Ohio
| | | | - Ronald L Cowan
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Claire Ryan
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
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Dimitrov T, Iversen WL, Anderson AR, Monroe TB, Failla MD, Wang J. Pain interference, cognition, and depressive symptoms in Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimers Dement 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/alz.065907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Todd B Monroe
- The Ohio State University Columbus OH USA
- Vanderbilt University Nashville TN USA
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Monroe TB, Anderson A, Failla M, Carter MI. Study protocol for an integrative theory review of the concept of unidentified pain. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e065662. [PMID: 36414279 PMCID: PMC9685192 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-065662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Most definitions of pain require individuals experiencing pain to report their pain. There are three groups who may not always report pain including those who: (1) lack the cognitive ability to verbally communicate their pain and also lack a proxy/surrogate to report pain for them; (2) lack the cognitive ability to verbally communicate their pain but have a proxy to report the pain; and (3) have the cognitive ability to verbally report pain but are unable or unwilling to do so. Clinicians may not be able to determine which patients are at risk for unidentified pain. Therefore, in this study, we present a protocol for an integrative review with the aim of identifying existing theoretical approaches to understanding unidentified pain. METHODS AND ANALYSIS We propose a systematic overview of the existing theoretical approaches to understanding 'unidentified pain'. We will use Campbell and colleagues' criteria for systematic reviews of theory and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols guidelines. Our search will be broad to cover theoretical approaches to 'unidentified pain' using MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase and Google Scholar. Covidence systematic review software will be used for data extraction and analysis. Then, qualitative content analysis will take place. The content analysis will be presented as a narrative. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION No human or animal subjects will be involved. The results are to be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at conferences in the USA and internationally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd B Monroe
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Alison Anderson
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Michelle Failla
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Nisonger Center UCEDD, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - MIchael Carter
- College of Nursing, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
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Abstract
Cultural stereotypes that equate aging with decreased competence and increased forgetfulness have persisted for decades. Stereotype threat (ST) refers to the psychological discomfort people experience when confronted by a negative, self-relevant stereotype in a situation where their behavior could be construed as confirming that belief. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships of ST on memory performance in older adults over 24 months. The ST levels on average significantly declined, or improved in the memory training, but not the health training group. Although not significant at the .01 level, the bivariate correlation indicated that change in ST was moderately related to change in verbal memory, suggesting the possibility that improvements (or reductions) in ST may be related to increases in verbal memory scores. We discovered that the unique contribution of ST into the memory performance of healthy older adults offers a possible malleable trait.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Todd B. Monroe
- The Ohio State University College of Nursing, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Keenan A. Pituch
- Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Michael A. Carter
- The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, College of Nursing, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Laurie Abbott
- Florida State University College of Nursing, Tallahassee, FL, USA
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Anderson AR, Monroe TB, Dietrich MS, Bruehl SP, Iversen WL, Cowan RL, Failla MD. Increased pain unpleasantness and pain-related fMRI activation in the periaqueductal gray in Alzheimer's disease. Front Pain Res (Lausanne) 2022; 3:914473. [PMID: 36387417 PMCID: PMC9650512 DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2022.914473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Pain continues to be underrecognized and undertreated in people with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The periaqueductal gray (PAG) is essential to pain processing and modulation yet is damaged by AD. While evidence exists of altered neural processing of pain in AD, there has not been a focused investigation of the PAG during pain in people with AD. Purpose To investigate the role of the PAG in sensory and affective pain processing for people living with AD. Methods Participants from a larger study completed pain psychophysics assessments and then a perceptually-matched heat pain task (warmth, mild, and moderate pain) during a functional MRI scan. In this cross-sectional study, we examined blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) responses in the PAG and other pain-related regions in participants with AD (n = 18) and cognitively intact older adults (age- and sex-matched, n = 18). Associations of BOLD percent signal change and psychophysics were also examined. Results There were significant main effects of AD status on the temperature needed to reach each perception of warmth or pain, where people with AD reached higher temperatures. Furthermore, participants with AD rated mild and moderate pain as more unpleasant than controls. PAG BOLD activation was greater in AD relative to controls during warmth and mild pain percepts. No significant differences were found for moderate pain or in other regions of interest. Greater PAG activation during mild pain was associated with higher affective/unpleasantness ratings of mild pain in participants with AD but not in controls. Conclusion Results suggest a role for the PAG in altered pain responses in people with AD. The PAG is the primary source of endogenous opioid pain inhibition in the neuroaxis, thus, altered PAG function in AD suggests possible changes in descending pain inhibitory circuits. People with AD may have a greater risk of suffering from pain compared to cognitively intact older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison R. Anderson
- Center for Complex Care, Self-Management and Healthy Aging, The Ohio State University, College of Nursing, Columbus, OH, United States
- School of Nursing, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Todd B. Monroe
- Center for Complex Care, Self-Management and Healthy Aging, The Ohio State University, College of Nursing, Columbus, OH, United States
- School of Nursing, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Mary S. Dietrich
- School of Nursing, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Stephen P. Bruehl
- Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - W. Larkin Iversen
- Center for Complex Care, Self-Management and Healthy Aging, The Ohio State University, College of Nursing, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Ronald L. Cowan
- Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, College of Medicine, Memphis, TN, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Michelle D. Failla
- Center for Complex Care, Self-Management and Healthy Aging, The Ohio State University, College of Nursing, Columbus, OH, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
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Iversen WL, Monroe TB, Atalla S, Anderson AR, Cowan RL, Wright KD, Failla MD, Moss KO. Promoting successful participation of people living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in pain-related neuroimaging research studies. Front Pain Res (Lausanne) 2022; 3:926459. [PMID: 36061416 PMCID: PMC9437430 DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2022.926459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recruitment and retention of participants for pain-related neuroimaging research is challenging and becomes increasingly so when research participants have a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). This article shares the authors' recommendations from several years of successful recruitment and completion of pain-related neuroimaging studies of people living with ADRD and includes supportive literature. While not an exhaustive list, this review covers several topics related to recruitment and retention of participants living with ADRD, including community engagement, capacity to consent, dementia diagnostic criteria, pain medication and other study exclusion criteria, participant and caregiver burden, communication concerns, and relationships with neuroimaging facilities. Threaded throughout the paper are important cultural considerations. Additionally, we discuss implications of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic for recruitment. Once tailored to specific research study protocols, these proven strategies may assist researchers with successfully recruiting and retaining participants living with ADRD for pain-related neuroimaging research studies toward improving overall health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wm. Larkin Iversen
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Todd B. Monroe
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Sebastian Atalla
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Alison R. Anderson
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Ronald L. Cowan
- University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Kathy D. Wright
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Michelle D. Failla
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Karen O. Moss
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
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Richards EL, Wright KD, Richards Adams IK, Klatt MD, Monroe TB, Nguyen CM, Rose KM. Hair Cortisol Concentration, Perceived Stress, Mental Well-Being, and Cardiovascular Health in African American Older Adults: A Pilot Study. Geriatrics (Basel) 2022; 7:geriatrics7030053. [PMID: 35645276 PMCID: PMC9149889 DOI: 10.3390/geriatrics7030053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: African Americans experience high rates of psychological stress and hypertension, which increases their risk of cardiovascular disease with age. Easy-to-collect psychological and biological stress data are valuable to investigations of this association. Hair cortisol concentration (HCC), as a proxy biomarker of chronic stress exposure, provides such advantages in contrast to collection of multiple daily samples of saliva. Objective: To examine the relationships among HCC, perceived stress, mental well-being, and cardiovascular health (systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP)). (2) Methods: Cross-sectional secondary data (N = 25) were used from a mind–body intervention study in hypertensive African Americans ages 65 and older. Data included HCC, a four-item perceived stress scale, SF-36 mental components summary, and SBP/DBP. SBP + 2 (DBP)/3 was used to calculate MAP. (3) Results: The relationship between mental well-being and perceived stress (r = −0.497, p ≤ 0.01) and mental well-being and DBP (r = −0.458, p = 0.02) were significant. HCC change was not significant. In a regression model, every unit increase in well-being predicted a 0.42 decrease in DBP (β = −0.42, 95% CI (−0.69–0.15)) and a 1.10 unit decrease in MAP (β = −1.10, 95% CI (−1.99–0.20)). (4) Conclusions: This study contributes to the knowledge of physiologic data regarding the relationship between MAP and well-being. Findings from this study may aid in the development of interventions that address mental well-being and cardiovascular health in African American older adults with hypertension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ericka L. Richards
- Center for Healthy Aging, Self-Management, and Complex Care, College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (E.L.R.); (T.B.M.); (K.M.R.)
| | - Kathy D. Wright
- Center for Healthy Aging, Self-Management, and Complex Care, College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (E.L.R.); (T.B.M.); (K.M.R.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-614-292-0309
| | - Ingrid K. Richards Adams
- School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, Medical Dietetics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
- Department of Extension, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Maryanna D. Klatt
- Center for Integrative Health, Department of Family and Community Medicine, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH 43201, USA;
| | - Todd B. Monroe
- Center for Healthy Aging, Self-Management, and Complex Care, College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (E.L.R.); (T.B.M.); (K.M.R.)
| | - Christopher M. Nguyen
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH 43214, USA;
| | - Karen M. Rose
- Center for Healthy Aging, Self-Management, and Complex Care, College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; (E.L.R.); (T.B.M.); (K.M.R.)
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Iversen WL, Monroe TB, Failla MD. Structural covariance in the affective pain network in Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimers Dement 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/alz.056587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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12
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Failla MD, Iversen WL, Atalla SW, Cowan RL, Monroe TB. Sex‐differences in neural responses to experimental pain in Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/alz.053664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ronald L Cowan
- University of Tennessee Health Science Center Memphis TN USA
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Moss KO, Wright KD, Tan A, Rose KM, Scharre DW, Gure TR, Cowan RL, Failla MD, Monroe TB. Race-Related Differences Between and Within Sex to Experimental Thermal Pain in Middle and Older Adulthood: An Exploratory Pilot Analysis. Front Pain Res (Lausanne) 2021; 2:780338. [PMID: 35295420 PMCID: PMC8915615 DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2021.780338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This brief report details a pilot analysis conducted to explore racial differences in pain sensitivity and unpleasantness between cognitively healthy Black and White adults, stratified by sex. A total of 24 cognitively healthy adults (12 Black and 12 White) from two completed studies were matched by age and sex, and divided into two groups based on race. Stratified analyses by sex demonstrated that Black females reported experiencing pain intensity ratings of all three intensity sensations at lower temperatures than White females. These findings will inform future research studies to determine if these results hold true in a fully-powered sample and should include mixed methodologies, incorporating neuroimaging data to further assess this phenomenon. Improving pain assessment and management across racial/ethnic groups will help healthcare providers such as nurses and physicians to ensure optimal quality of life for all.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen O. Moss
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Center for Healthy Aging, Self-Management and Complex Care, College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Center for Health Outcomes in Medicine, Scholarship and Service (HOMES), College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Kathy D. Wright
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Center for Healthy Aging, Self-Management and Complex Care, College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Discovery Themes-Chronic Brain Injury Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Alai Tan
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Karen M. Rose
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Center for Healthy Aging, Self-Management and Complex Care, College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Douglas W. Scharre
- Center for Cognitive and Memory Disorders, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
- College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Tanya R. Gure
- College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Ronald L. Cowan
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Michelle D. Failla
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Center for Healthy Aging, Self-Management and Complex Care, College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Todd B. Monroe
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Center for Healthy Aging, Self-Management and Complex Care, College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
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Beach PA, Humbel A, Dietrich MS, Bruehl S, Cowan RL, Moss KO, Monroe TB. A Cross-Sectional Study of Pain Sensitivity and Unpleasantness in People with Vascular Dementia. Pain Med 2021; 23:1231-1238. [PMID: 34791388 DOI: 10.1093/pm/pnab327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Advanced age holds higher risk of both pain and dementia, with many studies finding dementia often heightens sensitivity to pain. VaD is the second most common type of dementia. Only a few observational or retrospective studies have examined pain responsiveness in VaD, suggesting it may increase pain unpleasantness (i.e., pain affect). This study compared thermal pain psychophysics between a cohort of vascular dementia (VaD) patients and healthy control (HC) subjects. DESIGN Single center, cross-sectional, between-subjects design. SUBJECTS Verbally communicative, probable VaD patients (N = 23) and age- and sex-matched HC (N = 23). METHODS A thermal psychophysics protocol assessed "mild pain" and "moderate pain" thresholds (oC temperature) and associated unpleasantness ratings (0-20 scale) in both VaD and HC groups. Psychophysics were compared between groups by way of a mixed-effects analysis, controlling for depressive symptoms. RESULTS There were no significant differences between groups for pain thresholds (main effect p = 0.086, Cohen's d: mild = 0.55, moderate = 0.27). However, unpleasantness ratings were higher in the VaD group compared to HC (main effect p = 0.003; mild pain p = 0.022, Cohen's d = 0.79; moderate pain p = 0.057, Cohen's d = 0.6). CONCLUSIONS These results are consistent with prior observational findings suggesting VaD may make patients more susceptible to pain, particularly its affective component.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul A Beach
- Bachelors of Science in Nursing Program, The Ohio State University College of Nursing, Columbus, OH
| | - Angela Humbel
- Bachelors of Science in Nursing Program, The Ohio State University College of Nursing, Columbus, OH
| | - Mary S Dietrich
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and School of Nursing, Nashville, TN
| | - Stephen Bruehl
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
| | - Ronald L Cowan
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy and Neurobiology, Center for Addiction Science; College of Medicine; The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
| | - Karen O Moss
- Center for Health Outcomes in Medicine, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH.,Center for Healthy Aging, The Ohio State University College of Nursing, Columbus, OH
| | - Todd B Monroe
- Center for Healthy Aging, The Ohio State University College of Nursing, Columbus, OH
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15
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Rosa WE, Buck HG, Squires AP, Kozachik SL, Huijer HAS, Bakitas M, Boit JM, Bradley PK, Cacchione PZ, Chan GK, Crisp N, Dahlin C, Daoust P, Davidson PM, Davis S, Doumit MAA, Fink RM, Herr KA, Hinds PS, Hughes TL, Karanja V, Kenny DJ, King CR, Klopper HC, Knebel AR, Kurth AE, Madigan EA, Malloy P, Matzo M, Mazanec P, Meghani SH, Monroe TB, Moreland PJ, Paice JA, Phillips JC, Rushton CH, Shamian J, Shattell M, Snethen JA, Ulrich CM, Wholihan D, Wocial LD, Ferrell BR. American Academy of Nursing Expert Panel consensus statement on nursing's roles in ensuring universal palliative care access. Nurs Outlook 2021; 69:961-968. [PMID: 34711419 PMCID: PMC8717680 DOI: 10.1016/j.outlook.2021.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this consensus paper was to convene leaders and scholars from eight Expert Panels of the American Academy of Nursing and provide recommendations to advance nursing's roles and responsibility to ensure universal access to palliative care. Part I of this consensus paper herein provides the rationale and background to support the policy, education, research, and clinical practice recommendations put forward in Part II. On behalf of the Academy, the evidence-based recommendations will guide nurses, policy makers, government representatives, professional associations, and interdisciplinary and community partners to integrate palliative nursing services across health and social care settings. The consensus paper's 43 authors represent eight countries (Australia, Canada, England, Kenya, Lebanon, Liberia, South Africa, United States of America) and extensive international health experience, thus providing a global context for the subject matter. The authors recommend greater investments in palliative nursing education and nurse-led research, nurse engagement in policy making, enhanced intersectoral partnerships with nursing, and an increased profile and visibility of palliative nurses worldwide. By enacting these recommendations, nurses working in all settings can assume leading roles in delivering high-quality palliative care globally, particularly for minoritized, marginalized, and other at-risk populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- William E Rosa
- Palliative Care & End-of-Life Expert Panel; Global Nursing & Health Expert Panel; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) Health Expert Panel.
| | - Harleah G Buck
- Palliative Care & End-of-Life Expert Panel; Expert Panel on Aging
| | | | | | - Huda Abu-Saad Huijer
- Palliative Care & End-of-Life Expert Panel; Global Nursing & Health Expert Panel
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Patricia M Davidson
- Palliative Care & End-of-Life Expert Panel; Global Nursing & Health Expert Panel
| | | | | | | | - Keela A Herr
- Palliative Care & End-of-Life Expert Panel; Expert Panel on Aging
| | | | - Tonda L Hughes
- Global Nursing & Health Expert Panel; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) Health Expert Panel
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Todd B Monroe
- Palliative Care & End-of-Life Expert Panel; Expert Panel on Aging
| | - Patricia J Moreland
- Palliative Care & End-of-Life Expert Panel; Global Nursing & Health Expert Panel
| | | | - J Craig Phillips
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) Health Expert Panel
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16
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Rosa WE, Buck HG, Squires AP, Kozachik SL, Huijer HAS, Bakitas M, Boit JM, Bradley PK, Cacchione PZ, Chan GK, Crisp N, Dahlin C, Daoust P, Davidson PM, Davis S, Doumit MAA, Fink RM, Herr KA, Hinds PS, Hughes TL, Karanja V, Kenny DJ, King CR, Klopper HC, Knebel AR, Kurth AE, Madigan EA, Malloy P, Matzo M, Mazanec P, Meghani SH, Monroe TB, Moreland PJ, Paice JA, Phillips JC, Rushton CH, Shamian J, Shattell M, Snethen JA, Ulrich CM, Wholihan D, Wocial LD, Ferrell BR. International consensus-based policy recommendations to advance universal palliative care access from the American Academy of Nursing Expert Panels. Nurs Outlook 2021; 70:36-46. [PMID: 34627615 DOI: 10.1016/j.outlook.2021.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this consensus paper was to convene leaders and scholars from eight Expert Panels of the American Academy of Nursing and provide recommendations to advance nursing's roles and responsibility to ensure universal access to palliative care. On behalf of the Academy, these evidence-based recommendations will guide nurses, policy makers, government representatives, professional associations, and interdisciplinary and community partners to integrate palliative nursing services across health and social care settings. Through improved palliative nursing education, nurse-led research, nurse engagement in policy making, enhanced intersectoral partnerships with nursing, and an increased profile and visibility of palliative care nurses worldwide, nurses can assume leading roles in delivering high-quality palliative care globally, particularly for minoritized, marginalized, and other at-risk populations. Part II herein provides a summary of international responses and policy options that have sought to enhance universal palliative care and palliative nursing access to date. Additionally, we provide ten policy, education, research, and clinical practice recommendations based on the rationale and background information found in Part I. The consensus paper's 43 authors represent eight countries (Australia, Canada, England, Kenya, Lebanon, Liberia, South Africa, United States of America) and extensive international health experience, thus providing a global context for the subject matter.
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Affiliation(s)
- William E Rosa
- Palliative Care & End-of-Life Expert Panel; Global Nursing & Health Expert Panel; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) Health Expert Panel.
| | - Harleah G Buck
- Palliative Care & End-of-Life Expert Panel; Expert Panel on Aging
| | | | | | - Huda Abu-Saad Huijer
- Palliative Care & End-of-Life Expert Panel; Global Nursing & Health Expert Panel
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Patricia M Davidson
- Palliative Care & End-of-Life Expert Panel; Global Nursing & Health Expert Panel
| | | | | | | | - Keela A Herr
- Palliative Care & End-of-Life Expert Panel; Expert Panel on Aging
| | | | - Tonda L Hughes
- Global Nursing & Health Expert Panel; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) Health Expert Panel
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Todd B Monroe
- Palliative Care & End-of-Life Expert Panel; Expert Panel on Aging
| | - Patricia J Moreland
- Palliative Care & End-of-Life Expert Panel; Global Nursing & Health Expert Panel
| | | | - J Craig Phillips
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ) Health Expert Panel
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17
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Wang J, Cato K, Conwell Y, Yu F, Heffner K, Caprio TV, Nathan K, Monroe TB, Muench U, Li Y. Pain treatment and functional improvement in home health care: Relationship with dementia. J Am Geriatr Soc 2021; 69:3545-3556. [PMID: 34418061 DOI: 10.1111/jgs.17420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pain management is important to post-acute functional recovery, yet older persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) are often undertreated for pain. The main objectives were (1) to examine the relationship between ADRD and analgesic use among Medicare home health care (HHC) recipients with daily interfering pain, and (2) to examine the impact of analgesic use on functional outcome in patients with and without ADRD. METHODS We analyzed longitudinal data from the Outcome and Assessment Information Set, Medicare HHC claims, and HHC electronic medical records during a 60-day HHC episode. The sample included 6048 Medicare beneficiaries ≥65 years receiving care from an HHC agency in New York in 2019 who reported daily interfering pain. Analgesic use was assessed during HHC medication reconciliation and included any analgesic, non-opioid analgesic, and opioid. ADRD was identified from ICD-10 codes (HHC claims) and cognitive impairment symptoms (Outcome and Assessment Information Set [OASIS]). Functional outcome was measured as change in the composite Activity of Daily Living (ADL) limitation score in the HHC episode. RESULTS ADRD was related to a lower likelihood of using any analgesic (odds ratio [OR] = 0.66, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.49, 0.90, p = 0.008) and opioids (OR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.47, 0.62, p < 0.001), but not related to non-opioid analgesic use (OR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.74, 1.18, p = 0.58). Stratified analyses showed that any analgesic use (β = -0.43, 95% CI: -0.73, -0.13, p = 0.004) and non-opioid analgesic use (β = -0.31, 95% CI: -0.56, -0.06, p = 0.016) were associated with greater ADL improvement in patients with ADRD, but not in patients without ADRD. Opioid use was not significantly related to ADL improvement regardless of ADRD status. CONCLUSIONS HHC patients with ADRD may be undertreated for pain, yet pain treatment is essential for functional improvement in HHC. HHC clinicians and policymakers should ensure adequate pain management for older persons with ADRD for improved functional outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinjiao Wang
- Elaine Hubbard Center for Nursing Research on Aging, School of Nursing, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Kenrick Cato
- Columbia University School of Nursing, New York, New York, USA.,Department of Emergency Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Yeates Conwell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Fang Yu
- Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Kathi Heffner
- Elaine Hubbard Center for Nursing Research on Aging, School of Nursing, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.,Division of Geriatrics & Aging, Department of Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Thomas V Caprio
- Division of Geriatrics & Aging, Department of Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA.,UR Medicine Home Care, University of Rochester Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.,Finger Lakes Geriatric Education Center, University of Rochester Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kobi Nathan
- Division of Geriatrics & Aging, Department of Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA.,Wegmans School of Pharmacy, St. John Fisher College, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Todd B Monroe
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Ulrike Muench
- School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Yue Li
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester, New York, New York, USA
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18
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Strassels SA, Moss KO, Mallow PJ, Tamer RM, Monroe TB, Williams NO, Levine AS, Muench U. Hospital Admissions Associated With Cancer Pain in Older Adults With and Without Dementia. Pain Manag Nurs 2021; 22:496-502. [PMID: 33741261 PMCID: PMC9128229 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmn.2021.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neoplasm-related pain is often suboptimally treated, contributing to avoidable suffering and increased medical resource use and costs. We hypothesized that dementia may contribute to increased resource use and costs in patients hospitalized for neoplasm-related pain in the United States. AIMS To examine how persons with cancer and dementia use medical resources and expenditures in US hospitals compared to ondividuals without dementia. DESIGN This study examined a retrospective cohort. SETTING Admissions to US hospitals for neoplasm-related pain from 2012-2016 PARTICIPANTS/SUBJECTS: METHODS: Data were obtained from the 2012-2016 National Inpatient Sample (NIS). The sample included hospital admissions of individuals aged 60 or older with a primary diagnosis of neoplasm-related pain. Dementia was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM), and ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes. Primary outcomes were number of admissions, costs, and length of stay (LOS). Descriptive statistics and multivariable regression models were used to examine the relationships among dementia, costs, and LOS. RESULTS Of 12,034 admissions for neoplasm-related pain, 136 (1.1%) included a diagnosis of dementia and 11,898 (98.9%) did not. Constipation was present in 13.2% and 24.5% of dementia and nondementia admissions, respectively. The median LOS was 4 days in persons with dementia and three in those without. Mean costs per admission were higher in persons without dementia ($10,736 vs. $9,022, p = .0304). In adjusted regression results, increased costs were associated with nonelective admissions and longer LOS, and decreased costs with age above the mean. In contrast, decreased LOS was associated with age above the mean and nonelective admissions. Dementia was associated with neither endpoint. CONCLUSION This study provides nurses and other health care professionals with data to further explore opportunities for improvement in cancer pain management in patients with and without dementia that may optimize use of medical resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott A Strassels
- Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio; College of Nursing, Center for Surgical Health Assessment, Research, and Policy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio.
| | | | - Peter J Mallow
- Xavier University, Department of Health Services Administration, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Robert M Tamer
- Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio; College of Nursing, Center for Surgical Health Assessment, Research, and Policy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
| | | | | | | | - Ulrike Muench
- University of California at San Francisco, School of Nursing, San Francisco, California
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19
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McDougall GJ, Pituch KA, Martorella G, Monroe TB. Senior WISE intervention: Gender differences in bodily pain and trait anxiety. Arch Psychiatr Nurs 2021; 35:347-357. [PMID: 34176575 PMCID: PMC8239252 DOI: 10.1016/j.apnu.2021.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE In this secondary analysis we tested whether 12 h of Senior WISE (Wisdom Is Simply Exploration) memory or health training with older adults would produce better outcomes by gender in perceptions of anxiety and bodily pain and whether the effects of the Senior WISE training on pain were mediated by anxiety. DESIGN An implemented Phase III randomized clinical trial with follow up for 24 months in Central Texas. The sample was mostly female (79%), 71% Caucasian, 17% Hispanic, and 12% African American with an average age of 75 and 13 years of education. RESULTS The effects of the memory intervention on anxiety were consistent across time, with effects present for males but not females at post-treatment and end-of-study. Although males had more anxiety in the health promotion group, the memory training reduced males' anxiety such that no gender difference was present in this group. The Senior WISE intervention reduced pain for both males and females at post-intervention but not at end-of-study. Although gender differences did not depend on the treatment group for pain, females reported somewhat, but not significantly, less pain at post-treatment and end-of-study. Mediation analysis indicated that, for males, the memory intervention indirectly affected pain at post-treatment, in part, by reducing anxiety, which lowered pain. However, at end-of-study, no indirect effect was present. Males responded to memory training. Training tailored to gender may increase the efficacy of the programs and "buy-in" from male participants, especially if tailored to anxiety and pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham J McDougall
- Florida State University, College of Nursing, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4310, USA.
| | - Keenan A Pituch
- Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, 500 North Third Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA.
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20
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Iversen WL, Cowan RL, Atalla S, Englehart SS, Gure TR, Moss KO, Ryan CM, Scharre DW, Wright KD, Monroe TB. Treating the most vulnerable: A discursive review of experimental pain in Alzheimer's disease. Nurs Open 2021; 9:942-949. [PMID: 34165251 PMCID: PMC8859087 DOI: 10.1002/nop2.922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM The purpose of this manuscript is to summarize research on how experimental pain is experienced by adults with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to translate results into implications for nurses. DESIGN This discursive review synthesizes the results of three previous research studies exploring experimental pain in adults with AD. METHODS Using a series of fictional clinical vignettes, the authors discuss how the results from three previous papers using acute experimental pain can potentially be translated into clinical practice. The authors also introduce the reader to the concept of research-related psychophysics using introductory definitions and concepts with the impetus to encourage other nurses to consider this research methodology. RESULTS Pain characteristics in AD that differ from cognitively intact controls must be explored to properly address pain in this population. Nurses are well positioned to address these issues in order to provide a high quality of care to adults with AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wm Larkin Iversen
- The Ohio State University College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Ronald L Cowan
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Sebastian Atalla
- The Ohio State University College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Sydney S Englehart
- The Ohio State University College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Tanya R Gure
- Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Karen O Moss
- The Ohio State University College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Claire M Ryan
- Vanderbilt Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Douglas W Scharre
- Department of Neurology, Division of Cognitive Neurology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Kathy D Wright
- The Ohio State University College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Todd B Monroe
- The Ohio State University College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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21
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Anderson AR, Iversen WL, Carter MA, Moss KO, Cowan RL, Monroe TB. Experimentally evoked pain in Alzheimer's disease. J Am Assoc Nurse Pract 2021; 34:18-25. [PMID: 33731557 PMCID: PMC9118535 DOI: 10.1097/jxx.0000000000000580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pain continues to be underrecognized and undertreated in Alzheimer's disease (AD) while existing guidance about pain assessment and management in dementia is not widespread. Brain regions involved in pain processing and modulation are damaged during AD, and the pain experience in AD is not well understood. Experimental pain studies using psychophysics can further our understanding of the pain experience in AD, which may lead to improved assessment and management of pain in people living with AD. OBJECTIVE A systematic review was conducted to explicate the current understanding of experimentally evoked pain in AD from primary research using psychophysical methods. DATA SOURCES Peer-reviewed publications were found via PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. A total of 18 primary research, peer-reviewed full articles that met inclusion criteria were included, representing 929 total participants. CONCLUSIONS Experimentally evoked pain in people with AD demonstrates that despite cognitive impairment and a reduced ability to effectively communicate, individuals with AD experience pain similar to or more unpleasant than cognitively intact older adults. This may mean amplified pain unpleasantness in people with AD. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Our current best practices need to be widely disseminated and put into clinical practice. Self-report of pain continues to be the gold standard, but it is ineffective for noncommunicative patients and those unable to understand pain scales or instructions because of memory/cognitive impairment. Instead, pain treatment should be ethically initiated based on patient reports and behaviors, caregiver/surrogate reports, review of the medical record for painful conditions, analgesic trials, and regular reassessments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Michael A. Carter
- University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Nursing, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Karen O. Moss
- The Ohio State University College of Nursing, Columbus, Ohio
| | - Ronald L. Cowan
- University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Todd B. Monroe
- The Ohio State University College of Nursing, Columbus, Ohio
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22
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Atalla SW, Cowan RL, Anderson AR, Dietrich MS, Iversen L, Beth Kalvas L, Moss KO, Wright K, Monroe TB. Determining the impact of age and sex on the psychophysical and neurophysiological response to thermal pain across the adult lifespan. J Adv Nurs 2021; 77:1546-1555. [PMID: 33450111 PMCID: PMC7898385 DOI: 10.1111/jan.14514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Determine sex- and age-associated psychophysical and neurophysiological differences in the processing of pain across the adult lifespan. DESIGN Preliminary, exploratory, cross-sectional study. METHODS Using psychophysics (to measure intensity and unpleasantness) and functional magnetic resonance imaging blood oxygenation level dependent methods (to measure stimulus-evoked brain activation), we will examine sex- and age-associated differences in thermal pain processing and their underlying neurophysiology in a broad range of healthy adults (ages 30-89). We will acquire resting state functional connectivity data for secondary analyses exploring whether resting state connectivity predicts psychophysical and neurophysiological responses to thermal pain. To examine the effects of altered blood flow, we will acquire resting-state arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging data to quantify resting cerebral blood flow. We will interpret findings in the context of a proposed neural model of pain, ageing, and sex. Study funding was received in June of 2014. Ethical approval was obtained from the Vanderbilt University IRB prior to study initiation. CONCLUSION Exploring the biological reasons for age- and sex-associated differences in pain processing will increase our understanding of pain in older adults. The paucity of neurobiological evidence to support best practice pain management in older adults places these individuals at risk for poor pain management. IMPACT Poorly treated pain in older adults is a critical public health problem associated with a poor quality of life and increased healthcare costs. Understanding how age and sex have an impact on central processing of pain across the lifespan is a critical step toward improving personalized pain medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian W. Atalla
- The Ohio State University College of NursingColumbusOHUSA
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center Psychiatric Neuroimaging ProgramNashvilleTNUSA
| | - Ronald L. Cowan
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center Psychiatric Neuroimaging ProgramNashvilleTNUSA
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center Institute of Imaging ScienceNashvilleTNUSA
- Vanderbilt University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesNashvilleTNUSA
| | - Alison R. Anderson
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center Psychiatric Neuroimaging ProgramNashvilleTNUSA
- Vanderbilt University School of NursingNashvilleTNUSA
| | | | - Larkin Iversen
- The Ohio State University College of NursingColumbusOHUSA
| | | | - Karen O. Moss
- The Ohio State University College of NursingColumbusOHUSA
| | - Kathy Wright
- The Ohio State University College of NursingColumbusOHUSA
| | - Todd B. Monroe
- The Ohio State University College of NursingColumbusOHUSA
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23
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Romano RR, Carter MA, Dietrich MS, Cowan RL, Bruehl SP, Monroe TB. Could Altered Evoked Pain Responsiveness Be a Phenotypic Biomarker for Alzheimer's Disease Risk? A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Cognitively Healthy Individuals. J Alzheimers Dis 2021; 79:1227-1233. [PMID: 33337380 PMCID: PMC7990440 DOI: 10.3233/jad-201293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study evaluated whether the apolipoprotein ɛ4 (APOE4) allele, a genetic marker associated with increased risk of developing late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD), was associated with differences in evoked pain responsiveness in cognitively healthy subjects. OBJECTIVE The aim was to determine whether individuals at increased risk of late-onset AD based on APOE allele genotype differ phenotypically in their response to experimentally-induced painful stimuli compared to those who do not have at least one copy of the ɛ4 allele. METHODS Forty-nine cognitively healthy subjects aged 30-89 years old with the APOE4 allele (n = 12) and without (n = 37) were assessed for group differences in pain thresholds and affective (unpleasantness) responses to experimentally-induced thermal pain stimuli. RESULTS Statistically significant main effects of APOE4 status were observed for both the temperature at which three different pain intensity percepts were reached (p = 0.040) and the level of unpleasantness associated with each (p = 0.014). APOE4 positive participants displayed lower overall pain sensitivity than those who were APOE4 negative and also greater overall levels of pain unpleasantness regardless of intensity level. CONCLUSION Cognitively healthy APOE4 carriers at increased risk of late-onset AD demonstrated reduced thermal pain sensitivity but greater unpleasantness to thermal pain stimuli relative to individuals at lower risk of late-onset AD. These results suggest that altered evoked pain perception could potentially be used as a phenotypic biomarker of late-onset AD risk prior to disease onset. Additional studies of this issue may be warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymond R. Romano
- College of Graduate Health Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Michael A. Carter
- College of Nursing, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Mary S. Dietrich
- School of Medicine (Biostatistics, Psychiatry) and School of Nursing, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Ronald L. Cowan
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy and Neurobiology,College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Stephen P. Bruehl
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Todd B. Monroe
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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Natavio T, McQuillen E, Dietrich MS, Wells N, Rhoten BA, Vallerand AH, Monroe TB. A Comparison of the Pain Assessment Checklist for Seniors with Limited Ability to Communicate (PACSLAC) and Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia Scale (PAINAD). Pain Manag Nurs 2020; 21:502-509. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pmn.2020.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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25
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Atalla SW, Iversen L, Moss K, Wright K, Monroe TB. Decreased task‐evoked functional connectivity in the descending pain modulatory network in Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimers Dement 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/alz.046571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Karen Moss
- The Ohio State University Columbus OH USA
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26
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Wright KD, Klatt MD, Adams IR, Nguyen CM, Mion LC, Tan A, Monroe TB, Rose KM, Scharre DW. Mindfulness in Motion and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) in Hypertensive African Americans. J Am Geriatr Soc 2020; 69:773-778. [PMID: 33227157 DOI: 10.1111/jgs.16947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Hypertension increases the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease or related dementias. This pilot study's purpose was to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a novel intervention, Mindfulness in Motion (MIM) and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension DASH (MIM DASH), to improve diet, mindfulness, stress, and systolic blood pressure (BP) in older African Americans with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and hypertension. DESIGN Cluster randomized controlled trial. SETTING Intergenerational community center in a large metropolitan area. PARTICIPANTS African Americans with MCI and hypertension. Participants were divided into six groups randomized 1:1:1 to the MIM DASH group, attention only (non-hypertensive education) group, or true control group. The MIM DASH and attention only interventions were delivered in 8-weekly 2 hour group sessions. MIM included mindful movements from chair/standing, breathing exercises, and guided meditation. The DASH component used a critical thinking approach of problem solving, goal setting, reflection, and self-efficacy. The true control group received a DASH pamphlet at the end. MEASUREMENTS Feasibility was tracked through enrollment and attendance records; acceptability was assessed through interviews. Blood pressure was measured using the Omron HEM-907XL Monitor. Dietary intake was measured by DASH-Q. Mindfulness was measured by the Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale. Stress was measured by the Perceived Stress Scale. MCI was determined using the Self-Administered Gerocognitive Examination. Data were collected at baseline and 3-months. RESULTS Median session attendance was six for the MIM DASH group and six for the attention only group. There were no changes in diet, mindfulness, or stress. There was a clinically significant reduction in systolic BP in the MIM DASH group (-7.2 mmHg) relative to the attention only group (-.7), and no change between the MIM DASH and true control groups. CONCLUSION Results indicate that the MIM DASH intervention was feasible and culturally acceptable in African Americans with hypertension and MCI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathy D Wright
- College of Nursing, Center of Excellence in Critical and Complex Care, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Maryanna D Klatt
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA.,The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Ingrid Richards Adams
- The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA.,Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, Medical Dietetics, College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Christopher M Nguyen
- The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA.,Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Health, Neurology, & Psychology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Lorraine C Mion
- College of Nursing, Center of Excellence in Critical and Complex Care, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Alai Tan
- College of Nursing, Center of Excellence in Critical and Complex Care, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Todd B Monroe
- College of Nursing, Center of Excellence in Critical and Complex Care, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Karen M Rose
- College of Nursing, Center of Excellence in Critical and Complex Care, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Douglas W Scharre
- The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA.,Department of Neurology, Center for Cognitive and Memory Disorders, Center for Neuromodulation, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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Beach PA, Cowan RL, Dietrich MS, Bruehl SP, Atalla SW, Monroe TB. Thermal Psychophysics and Associated Brain Activation Patterns Along a Continuum of Healthy Aging. Pain Med 2020; 21:1779-1792. [PMID: 31769853 PMCID: PMC7553022 DOI: 10.1093/pm/pnz281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine psychophysical and brain activation patterns to innocuous and painful thermal stimulation along a continuum of healthy older adults. DESIGN Single center, cross-sectional, within-subjects design. METHODS Thermal perceptual psychophysics (warmth, mild, and moderate pain) were tested in 37 healthy older adults (65-97 years, median = 73 years). Percept thresholds (oC) and unpleasantness ratings (0-20 scale) were obtained and then applied during functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning. General linear modeling assessed effects of age on psychophysical results. Multiple linear regressions were used to test the main and interaction effects of brain activation against age and psychophysical reports. Specifically, differential age effects were examined by comparing percent-signal change slopes between those above/below age 73 (a median split). RESULTS Advancing age was associated with greater thresholds for thermal perception (z = 2.09, P = 0.037), which was driven by age and warmth detection correlation (r = 0.33, P = 0.048). Greater warmth detection thresholds were associated with reduced hippocampal activation in "older" vs "younger" individuals (>/<73 years; beta < 0.40, P < 0.01). Advancing age, in general, was correlated with greater activation of the middle cingulate gyrus (beta > 0.44, P < 0.01) during mild pain. Differential age effects were found for prefrontal activation during moderate pain. In "older" individuals, higher moderate pain thresholds and greater degrees of moderate pain unpleasantness correlated with lesser prefrontal activation (anterolateral prefrontal cortex and middle-frontal operculum; beta < -0.39, P < 0.009); the opposite pattern was found in "younger" individuals. CONCLUSIONS Advancing age may lead to altered thermal sensation and (in some circumstances) altered pain perception secondary to age-related changes in attention/novelty detection and cognitive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul A Beach
- Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Ronald L Cowan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Mary S Dietrich
- Biostatistics, School of Medicine and School of Nursing, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Stephen P Bruehl
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Sebastian W Atalla
- Center of Healthy Aging, The Ohio State University College of Nursing, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Todd B Monroe
- Center of Healthy Aging, The Ohio State University College of Nursing, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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Abstract
Early recognition of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the prodromal period has not been robust yet will be necessary if effective disease-modifying drugs are to be useful in preventing or delaying the condition. The objective of this narrative review was to describe the current, evidenced based understanding of alterations in sensory data as potential biomarkers for AD. Review of empirical studies that tested senses as biomarkers for AD and were published in English within the past 50 years was completed. Eighteen empirical studies were identified that met the strict criteria for inclusion, with 12 of these studies being related to the olfactory system. Two studies examined auditory, two examined vision, one examined proprioception, and one examined taste. Thus, only olfaction has been studied to any extent, leaving a clear gap in the literature for the use of other senses. A promising area of research has begun to be reported concerning differences in responses to pain stimuli in AD relative to cognitively normal subjects. Pain is not a single sense like the others but integrates several senses and may allow for use as an early biomarker for AD, as it integrates several brain areas and pathways. Unlike the other senses, simple devices can be used to measure changes in pain perception in cognitively normal adults with genetic predispositions for possible AD, making this potentially useful for clinicians in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymond R Romano
- College of Nursing, 12326University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Michael A Carter
- College of Nursing, 12326University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Todd B Monroe
- College of Nursing, 2647Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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Smallwood RF, Price LR, Campbell JL, Garrett AS, Atalla SW, Monroe TB, Aytur SA, Potter JS, Robin DA. Network Alterations in Comorbid Chronic Pain and Opioid Addiction: An Exploratory Approach. Front Hum Neurosci 2019; 13:174. [PMID: 31191279 PMCID: PMC6548857 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2019.00174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The comorbidity of chronic pain and opioid addiction is a serious problem that has been growing with the practice of prescribing opioids for chronic pain. Neuroimaging research has shown that chronic pain and opioid dependence both affect brain structure and function, but this is the first study to evaluate the neurophysiological alterations in patients with comorbid chronic pain and addiction. Eighteen participants with chronic low back pain and opioid addiction were compared with eighteen age- and sex-matched healthy individuals in a pain-induction fMRI task. Unified structural equation modeling (SEM) with Lagrange multiplier (LM) testing yielded a network model of pain processing for patient and control groups based on 19 a priori defined regions. Tests of differences between groups on specific regression parameters were determined on a path-by-path basis using z-tests corrected for the number of comparisons. Patients with the chronic pain and addiction comorbidity had increased connection strengths; many of these connections were interhemispheric and spanned regions involved in sensory, affective, and cognitive processes. The affected regions included those that are commonly altered in chronic pain or addiction alone, indicating that this comorbidity manifests with neurological symptoms of both disorders. Understanding the neural mechanisms involved in the comorbidity is crucial to finding a comprehensive treatment, rather than treating the symptoms individually.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel F Smallwood
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Larry R Price
- Metholology, Measurement and Statistical Analysis, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, United States
| | - Jenna L Campbell
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, United States
| | - Amy S Garrett
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Sebastian W Atalla
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Todd B Monroe
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Semra A Aytur
- Department of Health Management and Policy, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, United States
| | - Jennifer S Potter
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Donald A Robin
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, United States.,Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience and Behavior, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, United States
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Abstract
Delirium is a serious complication of acute illness. Little is known, however, regarding the neurobiology of delirium, largely due to challenges in studying the complex inpatient population. Neuroimaging is one noninvasive method that can be used to study structural and functional brain abnormalities associated with delirium. The purpose of this integrative literature review was to examine the content and quality of current structural neuroimaging evidence in delirium. After meeting inclusion criteria, 11 articles were included in the review. Commonly noted structural abnormalities were impaired white matter integrity, brain atrophy, ischemic lesions, edema, and inflammation. Findings demonstrated widespread alterations in several brain structures. Limitations of the studies in this review included small sample sizes, inappropriate or questionable delirium measurements, and failure to consider confounding variables. This review provides insight into possible structural changes responsible for the signs and symptoms seen in patients with delirium, but more high-quality studies are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Todd B Monroe
- 1 The Ohio State University College of Nursing, Columbus, OH, USA
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Romano RR, Anderson AR, Failla MD, Dietrich MS, Atalla S, Carter MA, Monroe TB. Sex Differences in Associations of Cognitive Function with Perceptions of Pain in Older Adults. J Alzheimers Dis 2019; 70:715-722. [PMID: 31256133 PMCID: PMC6700616 DOI: 10.3233/jad-190142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sex differences in pain have been shown to exist in older adults with normal cognition and people with Alzheimer's disease. It is unknown if sex differences in pain in older adults exist in a range of communicative older adults with varying cognitive ability from no impairment to moderately severe cognitive impairment. OBJECTIVE This study proposes to compare the association between psychophysical responses to experimental thermal pain between males and females to determine if sex differences in pain exist across the cognitive spectrum. METHODS We conducted a secondary analysis of data from an age- and sex-matched between-groups cross-sectional study examining the psychophysical response to contact heat in people with and without dementia. RESULTS Median age of males (n = 38) and females (n = 38) was 73 (range: 68-87) with similar distributions of Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores (range: 11-30). Findings revealed inverse statistically significant associations with the threshold temperature of warmth (females: r = -0.41, p = 0.010; males: r = -0.33, p = 0.044). There was an apparent divergent pattern of MMSE associations with unpleasantness ratings between the groups. At the moderate pain threshold, that difference became statistically significant (p = 0.033). Females demonstrated a positive association of MMSE with unpleasantness (r = 0.30, p = 0.072), while males demonstrated an inverse association at that respective threshold (r = -0.20, p = 0.221). CONCLUSIONS Between-group findings suggest that patterns of responses to thermal stimulus intensity may differ between males and females with worsening cognition with females reporting significantly less unpleasantness with the percept of moderate pain and males reporting significantly higher unpleasantness with moderate pain perception.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Michelle D. Failla
- Department of Psychiatry at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Mary S. Dietrich
- School of Nursing, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | | | - Michael A. Carter
- College of Nursing, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Todd B. Monroe
- College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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Monroe TB, Fillingim RB, Bruehl SP, Rogers BP, Dietrich MS, Gore JC, Atalla SW, Cowan RL. Sex Differences in Brain Regions Modulating Pain Among Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Resting State Functional Connectivity Study. Pain Med 2018; 19:1737-1747. [PMID: 28505337 PMCID: PMC6454788 DOI: 10.1093/pm/pnx084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Objective A long-standing hypothesis is that when compared with males, females may be at increased risk of experiencing greater pain sensitivity and unpleasantness. The purpose of this study was to examine sex differences in pain psychophysics and resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) in core pain regions in an age- and sex-matched sample of healthy older adults. Design Between groups, cross-sectional. Setting Vanderbilt University and Medical Center. Subjects The sample in the analyses reported here consisted of 19 cognitively intact males matched with 19 cognitively intact females of similar ages (median ages: females = 70 years, males = 68 years). Methods Psychophysical assessment of experimental thermal pain and RSFC. Results There were no significant differences in perceptual thresholds or unpleasantness ratings in response to thermal stimuli. Older males showed greater RSFC between the affective and sensory networks and between affective and descending modulatory networks. Conversely, older females showed greater RSFC between the descending modulatory network and both sensory and affective networks. The strongest evidence for sex differences emerged in the associations of thermal pain with RSFC between the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and amygdala and between the ACC and periaqueductal gray matter in older females relative to older males. Conclusions We found no differences in pain sensitivity or pain affect between older males and older females. Additionally, we found that older females exhibited a greater association between thermal pain sensitivity and RSFC signal between regions typically associated with pain affect and the descending modulatory system. One interpretation of these findings is that older females may better engage the descending pain modulatory system. This better engagement possibly translates into older females having similar perceptual thresholds for temperature sensitivity and unpleasantness associated with mild and moderate pain. These findings contrast with studies demonstrating that younger females find thermal pain more sensitive and more unpleasant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd B Monroe
- School of Nursing
- Medical Center Institute of Imaging Science
- Medical Center Psychiatric Neuroimaging Program
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Roger B Fillingim
- University of Florida, College of Dentistry, Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | | | | | - Mary S Dietrich
- School of Nursing
- Medical Center Psychiatric Neuroimaging Program
- School of Medicine
| | - John C Gore
- Medical Center Institute of Imaging Science
- School of Medicine
| | - Sebastian W Atalla
- School of Nursing
- Medical Center Institute of Imaging Science
- Medical Center Psychiatric Neuroimaging Program
| | - Ronald L Cowan
- Medical Center Psychiatric Neuroimaging Program
- School of Medicine
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
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Cowan RL, Beach PA, Atalla SW, Dietrich MS, Bruehl SP, Deng J, Wang J, Newhouse PA, Gore JC, Monroe TB. Sex Differences in the Psychophysical Response to Contact Heat in Moderate Cognitive Impairment Alzheimer's Disease: A Cross-Sectional Brief Report. J Alzheimers Dis 2018; 60:1633-1640. [PMID: 28968238 PMCID: PMC5676864 DOI: 10.3233/jad-170532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Background: People with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) report pain less frequently and receive less pain medication than people without AD. Recent studies have begun to elucidate how pain may be altered in those with AD. However, potential sex differences in pain responsiveness have never been explored in these patients. It is unclear whether sex differences found in prior studies of healthy young and older individuals extend to people with AD. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine sex differences in the psychophysical response to experimental thermal pain in people with AD. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of 14 male and 14 female age-matched (≥65 years of age, median = 74) and AD severity-matched (Mini-Mental State Exam score <24, median = 16) communicative people who completed thermal psychophysics. Results: There was a statistically significant main effect of sex for both temperature and unpleasantness ratings that persisted after controlling for average and current pain (mixed-effects general liner model: temperature: p = 0.004, unpleasantness: p < 0.001). Females reported sensing mild pain and moderate pain percepts at markedly lower temperatures than did males (mild: Cohen’s d = 0.72, p = 0.051, moderate: Cohen’s d = 0.80, p = 0.036). By contrast, males rated mild and moderate thermal pain stimuli as more unpleasant than did females (mild: Cohen’s d = 0.80, p = 0.072, moderate: Cohen’s d = 1.32, p = 0.006). There were no statistically significant correlations of temperature with perceived unpleasantness for mild or moderate pain (rs = 0.29 and rs = 0.20 respectively, p > 0.05). Conclusions: Results suggest experimental pain-related sex differences persist in older adults with AD in a different manner than those previously demonstrated in cognitively intact older adults. These findings could potentially aid in developing targeted pain management approaches in this vulnerable population. Further studies are warranted to replicate the findings from this pilot work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald L Cowan
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center Institute of Imaging Science, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt University Medical Center Psychiatric Neuroimaging Program, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Paul A Beach
- Emory University School of Medicine Department of Neurology, Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Sebastian W Atalla
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center Psychiatric Neuroimaging Program, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Mary S Dietrich
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center Psychiatric Neuroimaging Program, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Nashville, TN, USA
| | | | - Jie Deng
- Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Jinjiao Wang
- Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Paul A Newhouse
- Vanderbilt University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Center for Cognitive Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - John C Gore
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center Institute of Imaging Science, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Todd B Monroe
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center Institute of Imaging Science, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt University Medical Center Psychiatric Neuroimaging Program, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Nashville, TN, USA
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Wang J, Dietrich MS, Simmons SF, Cowan RL, Monroe TB. Pain interference and depressive symptoms in communicative people with Alzheimer's disease: a pilot study. Aging Ment Health 2018; 22:808-812. [PMID: 28466655 PMCID: PMC6370478 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2017.1318258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To examine pain interference in verbally communicative older adults with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to examine the association of pain interference with cognitive function and depressive symptoms. METHOD For this pilot study, we used a cross-sectional design to examine pain interference (Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form), cognitive function (Mini-Mental State Exam), and depressive symptoms (15-item Geriatric Depression Scale) in 52 older (≥65) communicative adults with AD who reported being free from chronic pain requiring daily analgesics. RESULTS Pain was reported to interfere with general activity (13.5%), mood (13.5%), walking ability (13.5%), normal work (11.5%), enjoyment of life (11.5%), relationships with other people (9.6%), and sleep (9.6%). Pain interference was significantly positively correlated with both cognitive function (rs = 0.46, p = 0.001) and depressive symptomology (rs = 0.45, p = 0.001), indicating that greater reported pain interference was associated with better cognitive function and more depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION Among older people with AD who report being free from chronic pain requiring daily analgesics, 2 in 10 are at risk of pain interference and depressive symptoms. Those with better cognitive function reported more pain interference and depressive symptoms, meaning pain is likely to be under-reported as AD progresses. Clinicians should regularly assess pain interference and depressive symptoms in older persons with AD to identify pain that might be otherwise overlooked..
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinjiao Wang
- Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Mary S. Dietrich
- Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Nashville, TN, USA,Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Sandra F. Simmons
- Center for Quality Aging, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Ronald L. Cowan
- Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Todd B. Monroe
- Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Nashville, TN, USA,Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
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Atalla SW, Anthony RS, Dietrich MS, Cowan RL, Monroe TB. [P3–593]: SEX DIFFERENCES IN THE PSYCHOPHYSICAL RESPONSE TO CONTACT HEAT IN ALZHEIMER's DISEASE. Alzheimers Dement 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jalz.2017.06.1813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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36
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Monroe TB, Beach PA, Bruehl SP, Dietrich MS, Rogers BP, Gore JC, Atalla SW, Cowan RL. The Impact of Alzheimer's Disease on the Resting State Functional Connectivity of Brain Regions Modulating Pain: A Cross Sectional Study. J Alzheimers Dis 2017; 57:71-83. [PMID: 28222526 PMCID: PMC6461741 DOI: 10.3233/jad-161187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is currently unknown why people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) receive less pain medication and report pain less frequently. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of AD on thermal psychophysics and resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) among sensory, affective, descending modulatory, and default mode structures. METHODS Controls (n = 23, 13 = female) and age-matched people with AD (n = 23, 13 = females) underwent psychophysical testing to rate perceptions of warmth, mild, and moderate pain and then completed resting-state fMRI. Between groups analysis in psychophysics and RSFC were conducted among pre-defined regions of interest implicated in sensory and affective dimensions of pain, descending pain modulation, and the default mode network. RESULTS People with AD displayed higher thermal thresholds for warmth and mild pain but similar moderate pain thresholds to controls. No between-group differences were found for unpleasantness at any percept. Relative to controls, people with AD demonstrated reduced RSFC between the right posterior insula and left anterior cingulate and also between right amygdala and right secondary somatosensory cortex. Moderate pain unpleasantness reports were associated with increased RSFC between right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and left ACC in controls only. CONCLUSIONS While AD had little effect on unpleasantness, people with AD had increased thermal thresholds, altered RSFC, and no association of psychophysics with RSFC in pain regions. Findings begin to elucidate that in people with AD, altered integration of pain sensation, affect, and descending modulation may, in part, contribute to decreased verbal pain reports and thus decreased analgesic administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd B. Monroe
- School of Nursing, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Psychiatric Neuroimaging Program, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Paul A. Beach
- Department of Neurology & Ophthalmology, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | | | - Mary S. Dietrich
- School of Nursing, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Baxter P. Rogers
- Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - John C. Gore
- Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Sebastian W. Atalla
- School of Nursing, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Psychiatric Neuroimaging Program, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Ronald L. Cowan
- Psychiatric Neuroimaging Program, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
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Monroe TB, Gibson SJ, Bruehl SP, Gore JC, Dietrich MS, Newhouse P, Atalla S, Cowan RL. Contact heat sensitivity and reports of unpleasantness in communicative people with mild to moderate cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease: a cross-sectional study. BMC Med 2016; 14:74. [PMID: 27164846 PMCID: PMC4863331 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-016-0619-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2016] [Accepted: 04/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Compared to healthy controls, people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) have been shown to receive less pain medication and report pain less frequently. It is unknown if these findings reflect less perceived pain in AD, an inability to recognize pain, or an inability to communicate pain. METHODS To further examine aspects of pain processing in AD, we conducted a cross-sectional study of sex-matched adults ≥65 years old with and without AD (AD: n = 40, female = 20, median age = 75; control: n = 40, female = 20, median age = 70) to compare the psychophysical response to contact-evoked perceptual heat thresholds of warmth, mild pain, and moderate pain, and self-reported unpleasantness for each percept. RESULTS When compared to controls, participants with AD required higher temperatures to report sensing warmth (Cohen's d = 0.64, p = 0.002), mild pain (Cohen's d = 0.51, p = 0.016), and moderate pain (Cohen's d = 0.45, p = 0.043). Conversely, there were no significant between-group differences in unpleasantness ratings (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The between-group findings demonstrate that when compared to controls, people with AD are less sensitive to the detection of thermal pain but do not differ in affective response to the unpleasant aspects of thermal pain. These findings suggest that people with AD may experience greater levels of pain and potentially greater levels of tissue or organ damage prior to identifying and reporting injury. This finding may help to explain the decreased frequency of pain reports and consequently a lower administration of analgesics in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd B Monroe
- Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt Psychiatric Neuroimaging Program, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
| | - Stephen J Gibson
- National Ageing Research Institute, Royal Melbourne Hospital, PO Box 2127, Melbourne, VIC, 3050, Australia
| | - Stephen P Bruehl
- Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - John C Gore
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Mary S Dietrich
- Vanderbilt Psychiatric Neuroimaging Program, Vanderbilt University Schools of Medicine and Nursing, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Paul Newhouse
- Vanderbilt Center for Cognitive Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Sebastian Atalla
- Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt Psychiatric Neuroimaging Program, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Ronald L Cowan
- Vanderbilt Psychiatric Neuroimaging Program, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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Monroe TB, Gore JC, Bruehl SP, Benningfield MM, Dietrich MS, Chen LM, Newhouse P, Fillingim R, Chodkowski B, Atalla S, Arrieta J, Damon SM, Blackford JU, Cowan RL. Sex differences in psychophysical and neurophysiological responses to pain in older adults: a cross-sectional study. Biol Sex Differ 2015; 6:25. [PMID: 26579217 PMCID: PMC4647695 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-015-0041-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2015] [Accepted: 10/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Neuroimaging studies in younger adults have demonstrated sex differences in brain processing of painful experimental stimuli. Such differences may contribute to findings that women suffer disproportionately from pain. It is not known whether sex-related differences in pain processing extend to older adults. Methods This cross-sectional study investigated sex differences in pain reports and brain response to pain in 12 cognitively healthy older female adults and 12 cognitively healthy age-matched older male adults (age range 65–81, median = 67). Participants underwent psychophysical assessments of thermal pain responses, functional MRI, and psychosocial assessment. Results When compared to older males, older females reported experiencing mild and moderate pain at lower stimulus intensities (i.e., exhibited greater pain sensitivity; Cohen’s d = 0.92 and 0.99, respectively, p < 0.01) yet did not report greater pain-associated unpleasantness. Imaging results indicated that, despite the lower stimulus intensities required to elicit mild pain detection in females, they exhibited less deactivations than males in regions associated with the default mode network (DMN) and in regions associated with pain affect (bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, somatomotor area, rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC), and dorsal ACC). Conversely, at moderate pain detection levels, males exhibited greater activation than females in several ipsilateral regions typically associated with pain sensation (e.g., primary (SI) and secondary somatosensory cortices (SII) and posterior insula). Sex differences were found in the association of brain activation in the left rACC with pain unpleasantness. In the combined sample of males and females, brain activation in the right secondary somatosensory cortex was associated with pain unpleasantness. Conclusions Cognitively healthy older adults in the sixth and seventh decades of life exhibit similar sex differences in pain sensitivity compared to those reported in younger individuals. However, older females did not find pain to be more unpleasant. Notably, increased sensitivity to mild pain in older females was reflected via less brain deactivation in regions associated with both the DMN and in pain affect. Current findings elevate the rACC as a key region associated with sex differences in reports of pain unpleasantness and brain deactivation in older adults. Also, pain affect may be encoded in SII in both older males and females. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13293-015-0041-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd B Monroe
- Vanderbilt Psychiatric Neuroimaging Program, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Nashville, TN USA
| | - John C Gore
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, School of Medicine, Nashville, TN USA
| | | | - Margaret M Benningfield
- Vanderbilt Psychiatric Neuroimaging Program, School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Mary S Dietrich
- Vanderbilt Psychiatric Neuroimaging Program, School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Li Min Chen
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, School of Medicine, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Paul Newhouse
- Vanderbilt Center for Cognitive Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Roger Fillingim
- University of Florida Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida College of Dentistry, Gainesville, FL USA
| | - BettyAnn Chodkowski
- Vanderbilt Psychiatric Neuroimaging Program, School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Sebastian Atalla
- Vanderbilt Psychiatric Neuroimaging Program, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Julian Arrieta
- Vanderbilt Psychiatric Neuroimaging Program, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Stephen M Damon
- Vanderbilt Memory and Alzheimer's Center, Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Jennifer Urbano Blackford
- Vanderbilt Psychiatric Neuroimaging Program, School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Ronald L Cowan
- Vanderbilt Psychiatric Neuroimaging Program, School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN USA
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Monroe TB, Parish A, Mion LC. Decision Factors Nurses Use to Assess Pain in Nursing Home Residents With Dementia. Arch Psychiatr Nurs 2015; 29:316-20. [PMID: 26397435 PMCID: PMC4580913 DOI: 10.1016/j.apnu.2015.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2015] [Revised: 05/05/2015] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Nurses caring for older people with various psychiatric illnesses face many obstacles when treating pain. One setting with a high percentage of psychiatric conditions is long-term care where more than half of residents have some form of dementia, and behavioral symptoms of dementia (BSDs) may mimic behavioral displays of pain. Furthermore, two-thirds of nursing home residents have pain. Thus, many nursing home residents with dementia have pain that may be confounded by BSDs. Since many people with dementia are at risk for poor pain management, determining current methods in which nurses assess and manage pain in nursing home residents will aid in recognizing potential barriers to using current pain management guidelines and help develop strategies to enhance nurses' assessment and management of pain in this vulnerable population. The aim of this study was to explore nursing home nurses' cues and practices to identify and alleviate pain in nursing home residents with dementia. Nurses use the constructs of 'comfort' and 'quality of life' as key components in their overall pain assessment strategy in people with dementia. Indeed, the extensive process they use involving frequent reassessment and application of interventions is geared towards "appearance of comfort." Nurses reported difficulty in ascertaining whether a person with dementia was in pain, and they expressed further difficulty determining the intensity associated with resident pain. Nurses further reported that residents with dementia who are not well know by the staff were are greater risk of poor pain management. It was not unusual for nurses to discuss the importance of conflict resolution among family members as well as allowing for open expression of family's concerns. Nurses had to focus not only on the resident's comfort, but also the families' level of comfort with pain management, especially at the end-of-life. Findings support further use and development of discomfort behavior scales to help manage pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd B Monroe
- Vanderbilt University, 461 21st Ave. South, Nashville, TN 37240, USA.
| | - Abby Parish
- Vanderbilt University, 461 21st Ave. South, Nashville, TN 37240, USA.
| | - Lorraine C Mion
- Vanderbilt University, 461 21st Ave. South, Nashville, TN 37240, USA.
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Monroe TB, Misra S, Habermann RC, Dietrich MS, Bruehl SP, Cowan RL, Newhouse PA, Simmons SF. Specific Physician Orders Improve Pain Detection and Pain Reports in Nursing Home Residents: Preliminary Data. Pain Manag Nurs 2015; 16:770-80. [PMID: 26259882 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmn.2015.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2014] [Revised: 05/29/2015] [Accepted: 06/03/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Despite evidence that many nursing home residents' pain is poorly managed, reasons for this poor management remain unanswered. The aim of this study was to determine if specific order sets related to pain assessment would improve pain management in nursing home (NH) residents. Outcomes included observed nurse pain assessment queries and resident reports of pain. The pretest/post-test study was performed in a 240-bed for-profit nursing home in the mid-southern region of the United States and participants were 43 nursing home residents capable of self-consent. Medical chart abstraction was performed during a 2-week (14-day) period before the implementation of specific order sets for pain assessment (intervention) and a 2-week (14-day) period after the intervention. Trained research assistants observed medication administration passes and performed participant interviews after each medication pass. One month after intervention implementation, 1 additional day of observations was conducted to determine data reliability. Nurses were observed to ask residents about pain more frequently, and nurses continued to ask about pain at higher rates 1 month after the intervention was discontinued. The proportion of residents who reported pain also significantly increased in response to increased nurse queries (e.g., "Do you have any pain right now?"), which underscores the importance of nurses directly asking residents about pain. Notably 70% of this long-stay NH population only told the nurses about their pain symptoms when asked directly. Findings uncover that using specific pain order sets seems to improve the detection of pain, which should be a routine part of nursing assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd B Monroe
- Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Nashville, Tennessee.
| | - Sumathi Misra
- Palliative Medicine Program, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Ralf C Habermann
- Department of Internal Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Mary S Dietrich
- Vanderbilt University Schools of Medicine and Nursing, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Stephen P Bruehl
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Ronald L Cowan
- Department of Radiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Paul A Newhouse
- Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Vanderbilt Center for Cognitive Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Tennessee Valley Healthcare System Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (TVHS-GRECC), Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Sandra F Simmons
- Vanderbilt University Department of Medicine, Center for Quality Aging and the Division of Geriatrics and the Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), Veterans Affairs Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville, Tennessee
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Monroe TB, Carter MA, Feldt KS, Dietrich MS, Cowan RL. Pain and hospice care in nursing home residents with dementia and terminal cancer. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2013; 13:1018-25. [PMID: 23506621 PMCID: PMC4850827 DOI: 10.1111/ggi.12049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
AIM One condition associated with severe end-of-life pain that can lead to a poor quality of death is cancer. Cancer pain in people with dementia is of particular concern because of communication problems that occur with worsening disease. The aim of the current pilot study was to examine the association between hospice enrolment, dementia severity and pain among nursing home residents who died from advanced cancer. METHODS Between-groups cross-sectional chart audits of 55 nursing home residents with dementia who died from cancer were carried out. RESULTS A total of 45% of residents were in hospice at the end-of-life. Residents in hospice were more likely to receive an opioid (80% vs 43%, P = 0.005); but less likely to show severe cognitive impairment (20% vs 50%, P = 0.050). Enrolment in hospice was associated with an increased likelihood of receiving an opioid after controlling for level of cognitive impairment (OR = 3.9, 95% CI = 1.1-14.0, P = 0.037). Lower levels of cognitive functioning were associated with a decreased likelihood of receiving an opioid after controlling for enrolment in hospice (OR = 0.3, 95% CI = 0.1-0.8, P = 0.030). Notably, 40% of nursing home residents with dementia who died from cancer did not receive any opioid during this time. CONCLUSIONS Preliminary results suggest that hospice enrolment might be influenced by the facility or region of this particular country. Hospice enrolment predicts more opioid pain treatment in residents with dementia and terminal cancer; however, no resident with very severe dementia and terminal cancer was placed in hospice care. Severely cognitively impaired nursing home residents requiring opioids are at great risk of suffering from untreated advanced cancer pain. New methods are urgently required to improve end-of-life palliative care for nursing home residents with terminal cancer and severe dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael A Carter
- College of Nursing, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Karen S Feldt
- College of Nursing, Seattle University, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Mary S Dietrich
- Schools of Nursing & Medicine, Vanderbilt University, Nashville
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Monroe TB, Misra SK, Habermann RC, Dietrich MS, Cowan RL, Simmons SF. Pain reports and pain medication treatment in nursing home residents with and without dementia. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2013; 14:541-8. [PMID: 24020433 DOI: 10.1111/ggi.12130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/01/2013] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
AIM The purpose of this pilot study was to determine if a diagnosis of dementia influenced pain self-reports and pain medication use in a group of verbally communicative nursing home (NH) residents. METHODS The study design was a between groups, cross-sectional chart audit and a seven-question structured pain interview comparing outcomes in residents with and without a diagnosis of dementia. The study was carried out at a large metropolitan NH in the southern USA. The participants consisted of 52 long-stay NH residents capable of self-consent with at least one order for pain medication (opioid or non-narcotic) either pro re nata, scheduled or both. Approximately 40% (n = 20) had a diagnosis of dementia. RESULTS Although each group had similar pain-related diagnoses, residents without a dementia diagnosis were significantly more likely to have a medication order for an opioid (OR 4.37,95% CI 1.29-14.73, P = 0.018). Based on self-reported pain interview responses, no statistically significant differences were identified between the groups for chronic pain symptoms. However, among residents who reported current pain, those with a dementia diagnosis reported greater pain intensity (based on a 0-10 numeric rating scale) than did those without dementia (median 8.0 vs 6.0, respectively; P = 0.010). CONCLUSIONS Verbally communicative NH residents with mild and moderate cognitive impairment can report their pain symptoms and pain intensity. Nurses in long-term care might assume that residents with dementia cannot reliably self-report their pain; however, suffering from untreated severe pain could exacerbate cognitive impairment, worsen functional impairment and severely impair sleep. A brief, focused pain interview might be one method for increasing the detection of moderate to severe pain in verbally communicative NH residents with dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd B Monroe
- School of Nursing, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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Monroe TB, Herr KA, Mion LC, Cowan RL. Ethical and legal issues in pain research in cognitively impaired older adults. Int J Nurs Stud 2012; 50:1283-7. [PMID: 23245707 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2012.11.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2012] [Revised: 11/17/2012] [Accepted: 11/27/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Research involving those with dementia is critical to informing best practices and improving the quality of their lives. Pain research in people with dementia is of particular interest because the prevalence of both dementia and painful conditions increases with age. Considerable evidence exists documenting inadequate assessment and treatment of pain in this vulnerable population. Unfortunately, research that supports best practices for assessing and treating pain in the cognitively impaired is limited with obstacles to conducting research. Obstacles to research in older adults, including those with cognitive impairment, have been highlighted along with an urgent call for increased research to promote quality pain care for all older adults. The aims of this paper are to provide an overview of major ethical challenges that can occur in pain research in cognitively impaired populations and to present potential solutions when preparing study protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd B Monroe
- School of Nursing, Vanderbilt University, Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University, 461 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37240, USA.
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Monroe TB, Gore JC, Chen LM, Mion LC, Cowan RL. Pain in people with Alzheimer disease: potential applications for psychophysical and neurophysiological research. J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 2012; 25:240-55. [PMID: 23277361 PMCID: PMC4455539 DOI: 10.1177/0891988712466457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Pain management in people with dementia is a critical problem. Recently, psychophysical and neuroimaging techniques have been used to extend our understanding of pain processing in the brain as well as to identify structural and functional changes in Alzheimer disease (AD). But interpreting the complex relationship between AD pathology, brain activation, and pain reports is challenging. This review proposes a conceptual framework for designing and interpreting psychophysical and neuroimaging studies of pain processing in people with AD. Previous human studies describe the lateral (sensory) and medial (affective) pain networks. Although the majority of the literature on pain supports the lateral and medial networks, some evidence supports an additional rostral pain network, which is believed to function in the production of pain behaviors. The sensory perception of pain as assessed through verbal report and behavioral display may be altered in AD. In addition, neural circuits mediating pain perception and behavioral expression may be hyperactive or underactive, depending on the brain region involved, stage of the disease, and type of pain (acute experimental stimuli or chronic medical conditions). People with worsening AD may therefore experience pain but be unable to indicate pain through verbal or behavioral reports, leaving them at great risk of experiencing untreated pain. Psychophysical (verbal or behavioral) and neurophysiological (brain activation) approaches can potentially address gaps in our knowledge of pain processing in AD by revealing the relationship between neural processes and verbal and behavioral outcomes in the presence of acute or chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd B Monroe
- School of Nursing, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240, USA.
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Monroe TB, Carter MA. A retrospective pilot study of African-American and caucasian nursing home residents with dementia who died from cancer. J Pain Symptom Manage 2010; 40:e1-3. [PMID: 20817471 PMCID: PMC6602905 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2010.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2010] [Revised: 06/21/2010] [Accepted: 06/24/2010] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Monroe TB, Carter MA. Hospice care in US nursing homes: benefits and barriers. Eur J Palliat Care 2010; 17:144-149. [PMID: 32218687 PMCID: PMC7098682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Todd B Monroe
- The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Michael A Carter
- The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
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Monroe TB, Carter MA. Biopsychosocial model & direct observation of behavior. Res Gerontol Nurs 2010; 2:4-5; author reply 5. [PMID: 20077987 DOI: 10.3928/19404921-20090101-07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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