New Delhi– Individuals suffering from chronic pain—defined as pain lasting at least three months—may be up to four times more likely to develop depression, according to a new study.
Nearly 30% of the global population lives with chronic pain conditions such as lower back pain or migraines. Among them, one in three also experiences multiple pain sites simultaneously, which can further compound the risk.
Published in Science Advances, the study revealed that chronic pain affecting multiple parts of the body poses a significantly greater risk for depression than pain localized to a single area.
“Pain isn’t only physical,” said Dr. Dustin Scheinost, Associate Professor of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging at Yale School of Medicine. “Our study adds to growing evidence that physical health conditions can directly impact mental well-being.”
Researchers from Yale University also uncovered a potential biological link between chronic pain and depression—inflammation. Elevated levels of inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive protein (CRP), which is produced by the liver in response to inflammation, may partially explain this connection.
“This provides preliminary evidence that inflammation could be one of the mechanisms linking chronic pain to depression,” said Rongtao Jiang, a postdoctoral associate at Yale School of Medicine.
The research analyzed data from over 431,000 participants in the UK Biobank over a 14-year follow-up period. Pain sites were categorized by region, including the head, face, neck, back, stomach, hip, knee, and generalized pain.
The findings showed that all types of pain—both acute and chronic—across various body parts were linked to a higher likelihood of depression. However, chronic pain had a notably stronger association.
“We often think of mental health as separate from other systems, like cardiac or liver health,” Scheinost added. “But in reality, all these systems are interconnected.”
The researchers emphasized that further studies into the biological and psychological drivers of pain and depression could pave the way for more targeted and effective treatments. (Source: IANS)
