Chronic Pain May Harm Brain

March 1, 2008

A new study says chronic pain harms the brain, which may help explain why so

many patients with chronic pain have common cognitive and behavioral

conditions, too.

Researchers at Northwestern University used functional MRI to show that

individuals with chronic back pain had alterations in the functional

connectivity of the cortical regions - brain areas related to pain -

compared to healthy subjects.

" This is the first clue we have that conditions such as depression, anxiety,

sleep disturbances and decision-making difficulties, which affect the

quality of life of chronic pain patients as much as the pain itself, may be

directly related to altered brain function as a result of chronic pain, "

principal investigator Dr. Dante Chialvo told Medscape Neurology &

Neurosurgery.

The study was recently published in the Journal of Neuroscience.

Chialvo said research has shown the healthy brain rests in a state of

cooperative equilibrium, so when one part becomes active, others become less

so. Regions engaged in this resting state are known as the default mode

network (DMN) and usually " shut off " when an individual is paying attention

or undertaking a task. They found the regions of the DMN in chronic pain

patients never " quiet down. "

" Our paper shows pain not only hurts patients, but the unrelenting

perception of pain also harms the brain. Using technology such as fMRI, we

can objectively quantify this effect, " said Dr. Chialvo.

http://deseretnews.com/article/content/mobile/0,5223,695256154,00.html

<http://deseretnews.com/article/content/mobile/0,5223,695256154,00html>

March 1, 2008

I know that I have to constantly override my natural response to

pain. I am sure others are too who have stubborn uncontrollable

pain. If I am busy overriding my reaction to the pain, i cannot be

fully present on any subject. My first reaction is to give in to

the pain but most times that is difficult to do if you are in the

middle of a task or even just walking from room to room.

thanks for article.

Ebony

--- In , " Lou " <cindylouwho777@...>

wrote:

>

> Chronic Pain May Harm Brain

>

> A new study says chronic pain harms the brain, which may help

explain why so

> many patients with chronic pain have common cognitive and

behavioral

> conditions, too.

>

> Researchers at Northwestern University used functional MRI to show

that

> individuals with chronic back pain had alterations in the

functional

> connectivity of the cortical regions - brain areas related to

pain -

> compared to healthy subjects.

>

> " This is the first clue we have that conditions such as

depression, anxiety,

> sleep disturbances and decision-making difficulties, which affect

the

> quality of life of chronic pain patients as much as the pain

itself, may be

> directly related to altered brain function as a result of chronic

pain, "

> principal investigator Dr. Dante Chialvo told Medscape Neurology &

> Neurosurgery.

>

> The study was recently published in the Journal of Neuroscience.

>

> Chialvo said research has shown the healthy brain rests in a state

of

> cooperative equilibrium, so when one part becomes active, others

become less

> so. Regions engaged in this resting state are known as the default

mode

> network (DMN) and usually " shut off " when an individual is paying

attention

> or undertaking a task. They found the regions of the DMN in

chronic pain

> patients never " quiet down. "

>

> " Our paper shows pain not only hurts patients, but the unrelenting

> perception of pain also harms the brain. Using technology such as

fMRI, we

> can objectively quantify this effect, " said Dr. Chialvo.

>

http://deseretnews.com/article/content/mobile/0,5223,695256154,00.htm

l

>

<http://deseretnews.com/article/content/mobile/0,5223,695256154,00htm

l>

>

March 1, 2008

Ebony,i so can relate.im in constant PAIN most of the time & yes it can become a

BIG PROBLEM!!!! also it is hard for me to complete whatever it is im doing

because of the pain.i sometimes even forget what i said or what im supposed to

do.thats not NORMAL!!!! god bless,MelyndaGamez>wrote

Ebony <stillbreathing29@...> wrote: I know that I have to

constantly override my natural response to

pain. I am sure others are too who have stubborn uncontrollable

pain. If I am busy overriding my reaction to the pain, i cannot be

fully present on any subject. My first reaction is to give in to

the pain but most times that is difficult to do if you are in the

middle of a task or even just walking from room to room.

thanks for article.

Ebony

--- In , " Lou " <cindylouwho777@...>

wrote:

>

> Chronic Pain May Harm Brain

>

> A new study says chronic pain harms the brain, which may help

explain why so

> many patients with chronic pain have common cognitive and

behavioral

> conditions, too.

>

> Researchers at Northwestern University used functional MRI to show

that

> individuals with chronic back pain had alterations in the

functional

> connectivity of the cortical regions - brain areas related to

pain -

> compared to healthy subjects.

>

> " This is the first clue we have that conditions such as

depression, anxiety,

> sleep disturbances and decision-making difficulties, which affect

the

> quality of life of chronic pain patients as much as the pain

itself, may be

> directly related to altered brain function as a result of chronic

pain, "

> principal investigator Dr. Dante Chialvo told Medscape Neurology &

> Neurosurgery.

>

> The study was recently published in the Journal of Neuroscience.

>

> Chialvo said research has shown the healthy brain rests in a state

of

> cooperative equilibrium, so when one part becomes active, others

become less

> so. Regions engaged in this resting state are known as the default

mode

> network (DMN) and usually " shut off " when an individual is paying

attention

> or undertaking a task. They found the regions of the DMN in

chronic pain

> patients never " quiet down. "

>

> " Our paper shows pain not only hurts patients, but the unrelenting

> perception of pain also harms the brain. Using technology such as

fMRI, we

> can objectively quantify this effect, " said Dr. Chialvo.

>

http://deseretnews.com/article/content/mobile/0,5223,695256154,00.htm

l

>

<http://deseretnews.com/article/content/mobile/0,5223,695256154,00htm

l>

>

March 2, 2008

I spent over 4 years where I took pain meds every day just to take the

edge off, and hopefully let me function. There were periods that were

so bad I don't even remember them because I was in a pain-med induced

fog. Now, I'm doing much better and only take an occasional Vicodin

(maybe I've just learned to live with the pain better?) but have all

the cognitive problems mentioned here. I figured all the pain meds

fried my brain, but maybe it was the pain itself! For me, this is

even worse than the pain itself, I've lost the person I used to be who

was detail oriented, could juggle several tasks at once, and had the

memory of an elephant. Now, I have trouble concentrating, short term

memory is shot. I wish they'd do a study of whether or not the brain

has a chance of recovery if you can get rid of the pain.

On Sat, Mar 1, 2008 at 7:21 PM, Lou <cindylouwho777@...> wrote:

>

> Chronic Pain May Harm Brain

>

> A new study says chronic pain harms the brain, which may help explain why

> so

> many patients with chronic pain have common cognitive and behavioral

> conditions, too.

>

> Researchers at Northwestern University used functional MRI to show that

> individuals with chronic back pain had alterations in the functional

> connectivity of the cortical regions - brain areas related to pain -

> compared to healthy subjects.

>

> " This is the first clue we have that conditions such as depression,

> anxiety,

> sleep disturbances and decision-making difficulties, which affect the

> quality of life of chronic pain patients as much as the pain itself, may be

> directly related to altered brain function as a result of chronic pain, "

> principal investigator Dr. Dante Chialvo told Medscape Neurology &

> Neurosurgery.

>

> The study was recently published in the Journal of Neuroscience.

>

> Chialvo said research has shown the healthy brain rests in a state of

> cooperative equilibrium, so when one part becomes active, others become

> less

> so. Regions engaged in this resting state are known as the default mode

> network (DMN) and usually " shut off " when an individual is paying attention

> or undertaking a task. They found the regions of the DMN in chronic pain

> patients never " quiet down. "

>

> " Our paper shows pain not only hurts patients, but the unrelenting

> perception of pain also harms the brain. Using technology such as fMRI, we

> can objectively quantify this effect, " said Dr. Chialvo.

>

> http://deseretnews.com/article/content/mobile/0,5223,695256154,00.html

> <http://deseretnews.com/article/content/mobile/0,5223,695256154,00html>

--

South Pasadena, CA / Lilydale, MN

You can see my galleries at http://www.pbase.com/arenared986

M. Schulz - " All you need is love. But a little chocolate now

and then doesn't hurt. "

March 2, 2008

I beleive that. I have had RA/fibro for the past 7 years. I thought

I was pretty lucky because of the medication regimne that I was on, I

hardly had any symptoms. (I had the occasional flare, where I was on

a medrol dose pak). About 1 1/2 years ago, I had gone through a

botched surgery. My bowel was nicked, I was closed up and

discharged. I returned to the hospital w/ severe pain and after 48

hours, I was back on the operating table due to organ failure from

becoming septic. I spent a month in a coma and another 5 months in

and out of the hospital. Ever since then, my pain has been

incrediably worse. I had to stop working because the pain got so

bad. It seemed like the sepsis triggered something in my body that

made my RA/fibro symptoms to go into overdrive. I don't know if it

changed how my mind perseves pain, or if it did make my already pre-

existing conditions worse. I never had am MRI of my brain, but I am

interested to see what effects the sepsis had on my brain chemistry.

Thanks for sharing this article.

--- In , " Lou " <cindylouwho777@...>

wrote:

>

> Chronic Pain May Harm Brain

>

> A new study says chronic pain harms the brain, which may help

explain why so

> many patients with chronic pain have common cognitive and behavioral

> conditions, too.

>

> Researchers at Northwestern University used functional MRI to show

that

> individuals with chronic back pain had alterations in the functional

> connectivity of the cortical regions - brain areas related to pain -

> compared to healthy subjects.

>

> " This is the first clue we have that conditions such as depression,

anxiety,

> sleep disturbances and decision-making difficulties, which affect

the

> quality of life of chronic pain patients as much as the pain

itself, may be

> directly related to altered brain function as a result of chronic

pain, "

> principal investigator Dr. Dante Chialvo told Medscape Neurology &

> Neurosurgery.

>

> The study was recently published in the Journal of Neuroscience.

>

> Chialvo said research has shown the healthy brain rests in a state

of

> cooperative equilibrium, so when one part becomes active, others

become less

> so. Regions engaged in this resting state are known as the default

mode

> network (DMN) and usually " shut off " when an individual is paying

attention

> or undertaking a task. They found the regions of the DMN in chronic

pain

> patients never " quiet down. "

>

> " Our paper shows pain not only hurts patients, but the unrelenting

> perception of pain also harms the brain. Using technology such as

fMRI, we

> can objectively quantify this effect, " said Dr. Chialvo.

>

http://deseretnews.com/article/content/mobile/0,5223,695256154,00.html

>

<http://deseretnews.com/article/content/mobile/0,5223,695256154,00html

>

March 2, 2008

We don't hear about it but I think they are doing studies on the brain

being able to recover at any age. I have been watching programs on

brain research lately and exercises we can do for the brain.

Apparently, the brain can adapt to injuries and find new pathways to

regain function.

I sure hope so for you and me both!

blessings,

Ebony

March 3, 2008

Ebony & Melynda,

I am in the same boat. I am in constant pain all the time that I

find it hard to get out of bed, to do daily tasks like bathing, let

alone try to excerise. I do take the occastional vicodin, but I hate

taking it. I tend to " hoard " my pain meds for a time when I am on

the verge of tears because of the pain. I take my RA/fibro

medications...but it seems like it is not enough. I have notcied the

difference before the sepsis where I had mild pain to now where I

would consider it moderate to severe. I truely think that it has

something to do w/ brain function. Like I said before, I don't know

if the sepsis triggered something in my brain to the way I perseve

pain...but it is worse.

Hopefully studies like this will lead to better ways to treat chronic

pain patients like us.

> >

> > Chronic Pain May Harm Brain

> >

> > A new study says chronic pain harms the brain, which may help

> explain why so

> > many patients with chronic pain have common cognitive and

> behavioral

> > conditions, too.

> >

> > Researchers at Northwestern University used functional MRI to

show

> that

> > individuals with chronic back pain had alterations in the

> functional

> > connectivity of the cortical regions - brain areas related to

> pain -

> > compared to healthy subjects.

> >

> > " This is the first clue we have that conditions such as

> depression, anxiety,

> > sleep disturbances and decision-making difficulties, which affect

> the

> > quality of life of chronic pain patients as much as the pain

> itself, may be

> > directly related to altered brain function as a result of chronic

> pain, "

> > principal investigator Dr. Dante Chialvo told Medscape Neurology &

> > Neurosurgery.

> >

> > The study was recently published in the Journal of Neuroscience.

> >

> > Chialvo said research has shown the healthy brain rests in a

state

> of

> > cooperative equilibrium, so when one part becomes active, others

> become less

> > so. Regions engaged in this resting state are known as the

default

> mode

> > network (DMN) and usually " shut off " when an individual is paying

> attention

> > or undertaking a task. They found the regions of the DMN in

> chronic pain

> > patients never " quiet down. "

> >

> > " Our paper shows pain not only hurts patients, but the unrelenting

> > perception of pain also harms the brain. Using technology such as

> fMRI, we

> > can objectively quantify this effect, " said Dr. Chialvo.

> >

>

http://deseretnews.com/article/content/mobile/0,5223,695256154,00.htm

> l

> >

>

<http://deseretnews.com/article/content/mobile/0,5223,695256154,00htm

> l>

> >

March 3, 2008

>

> We don't hear about it but I think they are doing studies on the

brain

> being able to recover at any age. I have been watching programs on

> brain research lately and exercises we can do for the brain.

> Apparently, the brain can adapt to injuries and find new pathways to

> regain function.

>

> I sure hope so for you and me both!

>

> blessings,

> Ebony

>

Ebony,

I am new to this group also and I'm not that good on my computer so i

hpoe this gets to you.I have lot's if pain and it comes and goes,mine

started almost sixteen years ago and over time i have also had to deal

with high blood preassure and diabets,i also have cronic fibromagly and

yes trouble with my brain from mini strokes and shinngles in my head

that went in so i'm a mess at times. I thank God for the good days and

when i'm in bad pain i take my pills -and go to bed and sometimes it

lets up and others it could be days of bed rest,that realy gets me down.

Ebony thanks for reading this and i hope to hear from you.

A FRIEND,NANCY

March 4, 2008

Ebony, is that why I found my remote control in the freezer?

hahahaha....

>

> We don't hear about it but I think they are doing studies on the

brain

> being able to recover at any age. I have been watching programs on

> brain research lately and exercises we can do for the brain.

> Apparently, the brain can adapt to injuries and find new pathways to

> regain function.

>

> I sure hope so for you and me both!

>

> blessings,

> Ebony

>

March 4, 2008

LOL! Hahaha!! I hear ya.

Ebony

>

> Ebony, is that why I found my remote control in the freezer?

> hahahaha....

> --- In , " Ebony " <stillbreathing29@>

wrote:

> >

> > We don't hear about it but I think they are doing studies on the

> brain

> > being able to recover at any age. I have been watching programs

on

> > brain research lately and exercises we can do for the brain.

> > Apparently, the brain can adapt to injuries and find new

pathways to

> > regain function.

> >

> > I sure hope so for you and me both!

> >

> > blessings,

> > Ebony

> >

>

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