Association of nociplastic pain with executive function decline in a longitudinal cohort of middle-age adults: a prospective cohort study
Main finding · Executive function, cross-sectionalResult — go to the resultβ −0.49 centiles 95% CI −0.59 to −0.39Authors' conclusion
Nociplastic pain severity is associated with worse executive function but reassuringly does not suggest worse cognitive decline.
Study context
- Population
- Middle-age adults in UK Biobank with baseline cognitive assessments (2017–20), pain questionnaire (2019) and follow-up cognitive assessments (2021–2)median age 65 yr
- Participants
- 35,423 adults
- Exposure
- Nociplastic pain severity and executive function
- Outcome
- Latent executive function measure (confirmatory factor analysis) and its decline over time
Methodological detailsUK Biobank, longitudinal structural equation modelling, mediation analysis
- UK Biobank
- Longitudinal structural equation modelling
- Mediation analysis
Main finding
Executive function, cross-sectional
β
−0.49 centiles
95% CI −0.59 to −0.39
As reported in the abstract
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Mediation of the cross-sectional association
- Abnormal sleep duration, anxiety, pain intensity and neuropathic pain features partially mediated the association
Original publication
Association of nociplastic pain with executive function decline in a longitudinal cohort of middle-age adults: a prospective cohort study. Br J Anaesth. Published 19 September 2025. doi:10.
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