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Central Sensitization in Chronic Pain and Eating Disorders: A Potential Shared Pathogenesis
Leslie Sim1, Cindy Harbeck Weber2, Tracy Harrison3
1Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic School of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA. sim.leslie@mayo.edu.
Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings
|December 6, 2019
Summary
Chronic pain and eating disorders share common vulnerabilities, potentially linked by central sensitization. Understanding these shared risks is key for effective treatment of both conditions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Chronic pain often involves eating disturbances, including appetite changes and dietary restrictions.
- Individuals with chronic pain and eating disorders may share underlying vulnerabilities.
- Nutritional status changes can elevate the risk for developing an eating disorder.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review temperamental, behavioral, and neurobiological risk factors linking chronic pain and eating disorders.
- To explore the role of central sensitization in these shared vulnerabilities.
- To discuss assessment and intervention strategies within the central sensitization framework.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on chronic pain and eating disorders.
- Analysis of shared risk factors (temperamental, behavioral, neurobiological).
- Application of the central sensitization model to explain observed phenomena.
Main Results:
- Shared vulnerabilities between chronic pain and eating disorders are identified.
- Central sensitization is proposed as a unifying mechanism for these conditions.
- Behavioral avoidance and restrictive eating may be coping strategies for heightened sensitivity.
Conclusions:
- Central sensitization may underlie the comorbidity of chronic pain and eating disorders.
- Targeting sensitivity is crucial for managing both conditions.
- Integrated assessment and intervention strategies are needed for individuals with co-occurring chronic pain and eating disorders.
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