The effect of acute pain on executive function
Journal Title: Journal of Clinical and Translational Research - Year 2018, Vol 4, Issue 2
Abstract
Background and Aim: Executive functions are high-level cognitive processes that allow a person to successfully engage in an independent and self-fulfilling life. Previous literature indicates that chronic pain can affect executive function, but there are limited studies that investigate the effect of acute pain on executive function. The purpose of this study was to determine if acute pain affects executive function in recreationally active individuals who sustained a musculoskeletal injury. Methods: Twenty-four recreationally active participants who presented with acute pain following a musculoskeletal injury underwent a neuropsychological battery within 72 hours of injury. Follow up testing occurred within two weeks from the initial testing session when participants were pain free. Pain intensity was measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). The neuropsychological battery consisted of the following tests: Digit Span (DS), Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT), and Trail Making Test B (TMT-B). The DS was broken into two separate scores, the RAVLT four scores, and TMT-B one score. Seven paired samples t-tests were conducted using an adjusted alpha level of 0.007. Results: Participants had significantly improved scores when pain free in DS forwards (p < 0.007) and TMT-B (p < 0.007). No significant difference was observed for the DS backward (p = 0.023), RAVLT A1 (p = 0.563), RAVLT sum A1 to A5 (p = 0.953), RAVLT A6 (p = 1.0), RAVLT recognition list A (p = 0.009). These results suggest that immediate recall and complex attention may be diminished in individuals who experience acute pain due to a musculoskeletal injury. Conclusions: Results from this study suggest acute pain from musculoskeletal injuries may disrupt executive function. Relevance for patients: Patients should be aware that there may be cognitive changes after a musculoskeletal injury. Knowing which cognitive domains may be impaired during acute pain could impact clinical practice and further benefit patients suffering from pain and its associated symptoms.
Authors and Affiliations
Jenna Morogiello, Nicholas G. Murray, Tamerah N. Hunt, Brandonn S. Harris, Brian J. Szekely, George W. Shaver
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP678750
- DOI -
- Views 232
- Downloads 0
Survey and critical appraisal of pharmacological agents with potential thermo-modulatory properties in the context of artificially induced hypometabolism
A reduction in body temperature can be achieved by a downward adjustment of the termoneutral zone, a process also described as anapyrexia. Pharmacological induction of anapyrexia could enable numerous applications in med...
Detection of misfolded protein aggregates from a clinical perspective
Neurodegenerative Protein Misfolding Diseases (PMDs), such as Alzheimer’s (AD), Parkinson’s (PD) and prion diseases, are generally difficult to diagnose before irreversible damage to the central nervous system damage has...
The effect of exercise training on disease progression, fitness, quality of life, and mental health in people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy: a systematic review
Background: Exercise has been associated with improvements in adverse physiological and psychological effects of long-term antiretroviral therapy (ART) in people living with HIV (PLWH). Aim: To summarizes the findings o...
Intravenous infusion of magnesium sulfate is not associated with cardiovascular, liver, kidney, and metabolic toxicity in adults
Background: Magnesium (Mg) deficiency contributes to the pathophysiology of numerous diseases. The therapeutic use of Mg has steadily increased over time. The increased in-hospital use of intravenous (IV) magnesium sulfa...
Mechanisms of acetaminophen hepatotoxicity and their translation to the human pathophysiology
Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose is the most common cause of acute liver failure in the United States and mechanisms of liver injury induced by APAP overdose have been the focus of extensive investigation. Studies in the mo...