In research outlined in Nature Mental Health, teams from China and the United States have discovered that individuals experiencing chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) may be at an elevated risk of experiencing accelerated ageing of the brain.
CMP stands as a primary reason for disability worldwide, afflicting over 40% of the global populace and detrimentally affecting cognitive abilities. The precise processes behind this condition remain elusive, thereby obstructing efforts toward its prevention and treatment. Nonetheless, studies suggest that individuals with CMP exhibit elevated inflammatory markers linked to brain ageing, proposing a connection between CMP and the ageing brain.
In response to these findings, a group headed by Professor TU Yiheng from the Institute of Psychology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, alongside international colleagues, delved into the ageing patterns of the brain and the mechanisms at play in various CMP scenarios. Their research particularly underscores the link between chronic knee pain, mainly due to knee osteoarthritis (KOA), and the hastening of brain ageing.
Employing structural MRI data from upwards of 9,000 individuals, the team crafted a model to gauge brain age against chronological age. Their findings indicated that individuals suffering from KOA, identified through the UK Biobank and further corroborated by replication datasets from local communities, exhibited signs of faster brain ageing compared to their healthier counterparts. Moreover, brain regions integral to cognitive functions, such as the hippocampus, were implicated in this accelerated ageing process.
“Beyond pinpointing the specific rapid aging in the brains of those with KOA, we, more critically, furnished longitudinal proof of our brain aging marker’s predictive power regarding future memory deterioration and an increased likelihood of dementia,” commented Prof. TU, the study’s lead correspondent.
Furthermore, the study explored the genetic underpinnings, identifying the gene SLC39A8 as a mutual factor between KOA and rapid brain ageing. This gene’s expression in microglial cells and astrocytes highlights the possible involvement of inflammation and neurodevelopment in the phenomena observed.
The investigation not only underlines the neurocognitive consequences of KOA but also paves the way for novel approaches in the early detection and intervention of dementia risk factors.
This collaborative effort, bridging multidisciplinary expertise from China and the United States, emphasizes the collective determination to tackle the complex interplay of global ageing, chronic pain, and cognitive deterioration.
More information: Lei Zhao et al, Morphological and genetic decoding shows heterogeneous patterns of brain aging in chronic musculoskeletal pain, Nature Mental Health. DOI: 10.1038/s44220-024-00223-3
Journal information: Nature Mental Health Provided by Chinese Academy of Sciences
