Named an unexpected source of pain in people

Researchers from University College London have found that in middle-aged and elderly people suffering from chronic pain, signs of depression begin to intensify eight years before the onset of pain and remain pronounced after its onset. The results are published in the journal EClinicalMedicine.

Analysis of data from more than 3,600 people over 50 years old showed that participants with pain syndrome experienced deterioration in their psycho-emotional state long before its onset. Their depression symptoms peaked during the onset of pain and remained at a high level, whereas in people without pain, the level of depression remained consistently low.

A similar trend was observed with feelings of loneliness - it increased both before and after the onset of pain. However, the level of social isolation, measured by the number of social contacts, did not differ significantly between the two groups. This led the authors to suggest that it's not the quantity but the quality of social connections that matters more.

"We knew that pain and depression mutually reinforce each other, but now we've found that deterioration in mental state often precedes pain. This opens up possibilities for early prevention," noted the lead author of the study, Dr. Michaela Bloomberg.

It was also found that psycho-emotional deterioration before the onset of pain was more pronounced in people with low income and education, which may be related to limited access to mental and medical resources. Scientists emphasize the need to direct preventive measures toward vulnerable population groups.