Pain Comorbidities with Attention Deficit: A Narrative Review of Clinical and Preclinical Research

Abstract

A negative correlation exists between attention and pain. The cognitive impairments linked to pain can significantly impede a patient’s healing process and everyday tasks, particularly for individuals experiencing persistent pain. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that diversion can effectively decrease pain levels in individuals. The focus of this review is to analyze clinical trials and fundamental investigations regarding alterations in focus and persistent discomfort. Moreover, we investigated the common neuroanatomy associated with attention and pain. Furthermore, we examined the impact of various neuromodulators on the transmission of pain and processes related to attention, while also considering the potential neural mechanisms that contribute to the co-occurrence of pain and attention deficits. Further investigation in this field will enhance our comprehension of patient symptoms and the underlying pathophysiology, ultimately resulting in more objective approaches to treatment.

Keywords:

• pain
• attention deficit
• brain
• neuromodulator

Disclosure

All authors declare no conflicts of interest in this work.

Additional information

Funding

The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This study was supported by a grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 82001197) and the Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province (No. 2021B1515120050).