Brain Aging Provides Clues on Trigeminal Neuralgia
Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a severe facial pain condition that remains poorly understood. Researchers are exploring how the brain might play a role in TN, particularly through a “brain age gap” measure, which compares someone’s predicted brain age (from MRI scans) to their actual age. A larger gap suggests faster brain aging.
A recent study titled, “Brain Aging Among Individuals with Classical Trigeminal Neuralgia” focused on comparing brain aging among two types of TN patients. The study, which was conducted by Yenisel Cruz-Almeida, Pedro Valdes-Hernandez, Yun Liang, Mingzhou Ding and John Neubert, found that brain aging was faster in patients with classical TN and suggested that emotional responses to pain may play a role in brain aging for those patients.
Access the PDF of this study here!
Position Statement on Disparities, Inequities and Injustices
A recent position statement by the American Society for Pain Management Nursing (ASPMN), “Disparities, Inequities, and Injustices in Populations With Pain: An ASPMN Position Statement,” co-authored by Star Booker, sheds light on the unequal treatment and systemic challenges faced by people living with pain, particularly those from marginalized groups.
The statement underscores the necessity of fair, high-quality, and evidence-based pain management for all, emphasizing the need for ethical, individualized care plans. It also highlights the critical role of community and societal systems in ensuring equitable care and calls for justice in pain management across all populations.
The article has been published in Pain Management Nursing.