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Association of Chronic Pain with Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration, Microglial Activation, and Inflammation in Cerebrospinal Fluid and Impaired Cognitive Function
Sadlon A, Takousis P, Ankli B, Alexopoulos P, Perneczky R, Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative.. Annals of neurology, 2023-10-03
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Objective Debate surrounds the role of chronic pain as a risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia. This study aimed at examining the association of chronic pain with biomarkers of neurodegeneration using data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Methods Participants were classified using the ATN (amyloid, tau, neurodegeneration) classification.
Key findings
- This study aimed at examining the association of chronic pain with biomarkers of neurodegeneration using data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative.
- Methods Participants were classified using the ATN (amyloid, tau, neurodegeneration) classification.
- Chronic pain was defined as persistent or recurrent pain reported at baseline.
- For each ATN group, analysis of covariance models identified differences in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of amyloid β 1-42 , phosphorylated tau 181 (ptau 181 ), total tau (t-tau), soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (sTREM2), and cognitive function between chronic pain states.
Why it matters
This study examined whether chronic pain is associated with CSF markers of neurodegeneration, microglial activation and inflammation, and with cognitive function. It investigates chronic pain as a possible risk factor but does not test any treatment or show that treating pain prevents dementia.
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Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Participants995
- Effect size60.81%
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 63/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a longitudinal study following the same people over time. Scored zero for randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 60 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 63 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Annals of neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Annals of Neurology: journal h-index 437 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A longitudinal study following the same people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 3 / 5 | 2023 — within 6 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 995 participants |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 3 / 7 | Cited 24 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 4.8 citations a year over 5 year(s) since 2023 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 24 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Imperial College London: institution h-index 1,744 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 16 institution(s) in 6 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 37787094) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 60 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 60 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 63 out of 100. |
| Total | 63 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Sadlon, A., Takousis, P., Ankli, B., Alexopoulos, P., Perneczky, R., & Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. (2023). Association of Chronic Pain with Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration, Microglial Activation, and Inflammation in Cerebrospinal Fluid and Impaired Cognitive Function. Annals of neurology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.26804
Vancouver
Sadlon A, Takousis P, Ankli B, Alexopoulos P, Perneczky R, Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Association of Chronic Pain with Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration, Microglial Activation, and Inflammation in Cerebrospinal Fluid and Impaired Cognitive Function. Annals of neurology. 2023. doi:10.1002/ana.26804. PMID: 37787094.
BibTeX
@article{sadlon2023-37787094,
author = {Sadlon, A. and Takousis, P. and Ankli, B. and Alexopoulos, P. and Perneczky, R. and {Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative}},
title = {{Association of Chronic Pain with Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration, Microglial Activation, and Inflammation in Cerebrospinal Fluid and Impaired Cognitive Function}},
journal = {Annals of neurology},
year = {2023},
doi = {10.1002/ana.26804},
pmid = {37787094},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.26804}
}
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