A new study performed at Vanderbilt University in Nashville shows that Alzheimer’s can affect a patient’s ability to realize when they are in pain. Unfortunately, this can result in health issues going unnoticed and untreated, which can result in complications.
The study lasted three years and consisted of two groups of adults, all 65 years of age or older. One group was made up of patients who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, while the second group did not have any patients diagnosed with the disorder.
Each group was subjected to a device that delivered different levels of heat sensations. The participants were asked to rate their pain levels, and the researchers later analyzed the self-reported pain.
The study shows that those with Alzheimer’s disease required higher temperatures before reporting warmth and different levels of pain. Todd Monroe, assistant professor at Vanderbilt’s School of Nursing and first author on the study, stated that the Alzheimer’s patients did not have diminished pain tolerance. They were just less able to recognize when they were in pain.
The study’s researchers explained that more studies are needed in order to explore how Alzheimer’s disease and pain perception are related, and that various methods for evaluating patient discomfort are needed.
Recent Study Shows that Alzheimer’s Can Affect Pain Recognition
Posted On: 07-22-2016
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