Plasma proteomics reveals novel protein signatures associated with dementia in chronic pain individuals: a prospective cohort study

Our study revealed distinct protein signatures linking chronic pain to dementia risk, with GFAP as a key marker across all dementia types. The enriched cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and Pi3k-akt signaling pathways suggest chronic pain may accelerate neurodegeneration through neuroinflammation. These findings highlight potential mechanisms connecting chronic pain to cognitive decline and identify promising biomarkers for early dementia detection in chronic pain patients.