Persistent Pains May Lead to Memory Loss

Los Angeles, June 7: Pain that continues, day in and day out, may trigger an unexpected and unwanted side effect a bigger risk of dementia and mental decline, a new study suggests.

California San Fransisco University (UCSF) Research Revealed it. They conducted the Survey more than 12 years.

They suggest that chronic pain may change the brain which contributes to memory problems. They also pointed New ways to protect age-related mental decline, the UCSF researchers told.

However, The study wasn't designed to prove a cause-and-effect relationship, it is important to note. It only shows a bonding between memory issues and pain.

More than 10,000 people included in the Study. All of the study participants included were 60years and more than older.

Those who had severe chronic pain or moderate pain in both 1998 and 2000 had more than a 9 percent faster decline on memory tests over the next 10 years than those who didn't have pain.

The researchers said memory loss would be enough to affect people's ability to do things such as manage their finances or keep track of their medications.

The study found that Patients with chronic pain also had a small but significantly increased risk of developing dementia.

The first author of Study Dr. Elizabeth Whitlock, a postdoctoral fellow in the department of anesthesia and perioperative care told 'Elderly people need to maintain their cognition to stay independent. Up to one in three older people suffer from chronic pain, so understanding the relationship between pain and cognitive decline is an important first step toward finding ways to help this population.'