title: Hippocampal subfields differentially correlate with chronic pain in older adults.
abstract: Although previous studies have demonstrated that the hippocampus plays a role in pain processing, the role of hippocampal subfields is uncertain. The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between hippocampal subfield volumes and chronic pain in nondemented older adults. The study sample included 86 community-residing adults age 70 or older who were free of dementia and recruited from the Einstein Aging Study. Chronic pain was defined as pain over the last 3 months, that was moderate or severe (minimum rating of 4 out of 10) most, or all of the time. Hippocampal subfield volumes were estimated using FreeSurfer software. We modeled the association between chronic pain and hippocampal and subfield volume using linear regression. The sample had a mean age of 80 and was 58% female. Chronic pain, present in 55% of the sample, was associated with smaller right and total hippocampal volumes, particularly in women, after adjusting for age, education, and intracranial volume (eTICV). In addition, in women, volume was significantly reduced in participants with chronic pain in right CA2-3 (β=-0.35, p=0.010), right CA4-DG (β=-0.35, p=0.011), left presubiculum (β=-0.29, p=0.030), and left fimbria (β=-0.30, p=0.023). In men, chronic pain was not associated with the volume of any of the hippocampal subfield volumes. Chronic pain in women is associated with a reduction in the volume of right hippocampus and also selected hippocampal subfields. Future studies should clarify the mechanisms underlying the association between regional hippocampal volumes and chronic pain, particularly in women.
authors.affiliation: Saul B. Korey Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, 111 East 210th Street, Bronx, NY 10467, USA. Electronic address: ali.ezzati@einstein.yu.edu.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ezzati
authors.affiliation: Saul B. Korey Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
authors.forename: Molly E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Zimmerman
authors.affiliation: Saul B. Korey Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
authors.forename: Mindy J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.affiliation: Saul B. Korey Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
authors.forename: Erin E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Sundermann
authors.affiliation: The Gruss Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; Department of Radiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
authors.forename: Jeremy L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: The Gruss Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; Department of Radiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; The Department of Radiology, Montefiore Medical Center, 111 East 210th Street, Bronx, NY 10467, USA; Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; The Dominick P Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lipton
authors.affiliation: Saul B. Korey Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY 10461, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Lipton
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000473:pathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009929:Organ Size; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012727:Sex Characteristics
keywords: Chronic pain; Hippocampal subfields; Hippocampal volume; MRI; Older adults