Depression and Chronic Pain in the Elderly: Links and Management Challenges

Overview

Journal Clin Interv Aging

Publisher Dove Medical Press

Specialty Geriatrics

Date 2017 May 3

PMID 28461745

Citations 140

Authors

Panagiotis Zis

Argyro Daskalaki

Ilia Bountouni

Panagiota Sykioti

Giustino Varrassi

Antonella Paladini

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Aging is an inevitable process and represents the accumulation of bodily alterations over time. Depression and chronic pain are highly prevalent in elderly populations. It is estimated that 13% of the elderly population will suffer simultaneously from the two conditions. Accumulating evidence suggests than neuroinflammation plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of both depression and chronic pain. Apart from the common pathophysiological mechanisms, however, the two entities have several clinical links. Their management is challenging for the pain physician; however, both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic approaches are available and can be used when the two conditions are comorbid in the elderly patients.

Citing Articles

Exploring the Relationship Between Psychiatric Illness and Dermatological Disorders: A Narrative Review.

Kaye A, Islam R, Castine A, Wester G, Barham W, Nguyen C Cureus. 2025; 17(2):e78731.

PMID: 40065888 PMC: 11892542. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.78731.

Polypharmacy and Drug-Drug Interactions in Elderly Patients With Gastrointestinal Bleeding: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

Uskur T, Kurt B Cureus. 2025; 17(1):e77866.

PMID: 39991352 PMC: 11847164. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.77866.

Comparison of logistic regression and machine learning methods for predicting depression risks among disabled elderly individuals: results from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.

Hong S, Lu B, Wang S, Jiang Y BMC Psychiatry. 2025; 25(1):128.

PMID: 39953491 PMC: 11829540. DOI: 10.1186/s12888-025-06577-x.

Discovery of Novel Pain Regulators Through Integration of Cross-Species High-Throughput Data.

Chen Y, Bajpai A, Li N, Xiang J, Wang A, Gu Q CNS Neurosci Ther. 2025; 31(2):e70255.

PMID: 39924344 PMC: 11807727. DOI: 10.1111/cns.70255.

Construction and validation of a risk prediction model for depressive symptoms in a middle-aged and elderly arthritis population.

Shi J, Kang W, Wang X, Zheng J, Xu W World J Orthop. 2025; 15(12):1164-1174.

PMID: 39744727 PMC: 11686528. DOI: 10.5312/wjo.v15.i12.1164.

References

Forssell H . Trazodone in burning mouth pain: a placebo-controlled, double-blind study. J Orofac Pain. 1999; 13(2):83-8. View

Klinger L, Spaulding S, Polatajko H, MacKinnon J, Miller L . Chronic pain in the elderly: occupational adaptation as a means of coping with osteoarthritis of the hip and/or knee. Clin J Pain. 2000; 15(4):275-83. DOI: 10.1097/00002508-199912000-00003. View

Ciaramella A, Grosso S, Poli P . [Fluoxetine versus fluvoxamine for treatment of chronic pain]. Minerva Anestesiol. 2000; 66(1-2):55-61. View

Miller G, Boman J, Shrier I, Gordon P . Natural history of patients with adhesive small bowel obstruction. Br J Surg. 2000; 87(9):1240-7. DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2168.2000.01530.x. View

Anderson D . Treating depression in old age: the reasons to be positive. Age Ageing. 2001; 30(1):13-7. DOI: 10.1093/ageing/30.1.13. View

Schreiber S, Vinokur S, Shavelzon V, Pick C, Zahavi E, Shir Y . A randomized trial of fluoxetine versus amitriptyline in musculo-skeletal pain. Isr J Psychiatry Relat Sci. 2001; 38(2):88-94. View

Theobald D, Kirsh K, Holtsclaw E, Donaghy K, Passik S . An open-label, crossover trial of mirtazapine (15 and 30 mg) in cancer patients with pain and other distressing symptoms. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2002; 23(5):442-7. DOI: 10.1016/s0885-3924(02)00381-0. View

Brosse A, Sheets E, Lett H, Blumenthal J . Exercise and the treatment of clinical depression in adults: recent findings and future directions. Sports Med. 2002; 32(12):741-60. DOI: 10.2165/00007256-200232120-00001. View

Shimodozono M, Kawahira K, Kamishita T, Ogata A, Tohgo S, Tanaka N . Reduction of central poststroke pain with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluvoxamine. Int J Neurosci. 2003; 112(10):1173-81. DOI: 10.1080/00207450290026139. View

10.

Dickens C, McGowan L, Dale S . Impact of depression on experimental pain perception: a systematic review of the literature with meta-analysis. Psychosom Med. 2003; 65(3):369-75. DOI: 10.1097/01.psy.0000041622.69462.06. View

11.

Tsai P, Tak S, Moore C, Palencia I . Testing a theory of chronic pain. J Adv Nurs. 2003; 43(2):158-69. DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2648.2003.02690.x. View

12.

Barry L, Guo Z, Kerns R, Duong B, Reid M . Functional self-efficacy and pain-related disability among older veterans with chronic pain in a primary care setting. Pain. 2003; 104(1-2):131-7. DOI: 10.1016/s0304-3959(02)00471-2. View

13.

Herr K, Mobily P . Chronic pain and depression. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv. 1992; 30(9):7-12. DOI: 10.3928/0279-3695-19920901-05. View

14.

Baron R, Binder A . [How neuropathic is sciatica? The mixed pain concept]. Orthopade. 2004; 33(5):568-75. DOI: 10.1007/s00132-004-0645-0. View

15.

Gerdle B, Bjork J, Henriksson C, Bengtsson A . Prevalence of current and chronic pain and their influences upon work and healthcare-seeking: a population study. J Rheumatol. 2004; 31(7):1399-406. View

16.

Baird C, Sands L . A pilot study of the effectiveness of guided imagery with progressive muscle relaxation to reduce chronic pain and mobility difficulties of osteoarthritis. Pain Manag Nurs. 2004; 5(3):97-104. DOI: 10.1016/j.pmn.2004.01.003. View

17.

Rustoen T, Wahl A, Hanestad B, Lerdal A, Paul S, Miaskowski C . Prevalence and characteristics of chronic pain in the general Norwegian population. Eur J Pain. 2004; 8(6):555-65. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpain.2004.02.002. View

18.

Mossey J, Gallagher R . The longitudinal occurrence and impact of comorbid chronic pain and chronic depression over two years in continuing care retirement community residents. Pain Med. 2004; 5(4):335-48. DOI: 10.1111/j.1526-4637.2004.04041.x. View

19.

Aragona M, Bancheri L, Perinelli D, Tarsitani L, Pizzimenti A, Conte A . Randomized double-blind comparison of serotonergic (Citalopram) versus noradrenergic (Reboxetine) reuptake inhibitors in outpatients with somatoform, DSM-IV-TR pain disorder. Eur J Pain. 2005; 9(1):33-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpain.2004.03.003. View

20.

Lee R, West R, Wilson J . The response to sertraline in men with chronic pelvic pain syndrome. Sex Transm Infect. 2005; 81(2):147-9. PMC: 1764675. DOI: 10.1136/sti.2004.010868. View