Perspectives on pain in Down syndrome

Ammara Shaikh; Yun-Qing Li; Jie Lu

doi:10.1002/med.21954

Perspectives on pain in Down syndrome

Med Res Rev. 2023 Sep;43(5):1411-1437. doi: 10.1002/med.21954. Epub 2023 Mar 16.

Authors

Ammara Shaikh¹, Yun-Qing Li^{2

3}, Jie Lu¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Human Anatomy, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China.
² Department of Anatomy, Histology, and Embryology & K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China.
³ Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.

PMID: 36924439
DOI: 10.1002/med.21954

Abstract

Down syndrome (DS) or trisomy 21 is a genetic condition often accompanied by chronic pain caused by congenital abnormalities and/or conditions, such as osteoarthritis, recurrent infections, and leukemia. Although DS patients are more susceptible to chronic pain as compared to the general population, the pain experience in these individuals may vary, attributed to the heterogenous structural and functional differences in the central nervous system, which might result in abnormal pain sensory information transduction, transmission, modulation, and perception. We tried to elaborate on some key questions and possible explanations in this review. Further clarification of the mechanisms underlying such abnormal conditions induced by the structural and functional differences is needed to help pain management in DS patients.

Keywords: Down syndrome; methylation; modulation; pain; perception; sensitivity.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Central Nervous System
Chronic Pain* / complications
Down Syndrome* / complications
Down Syndrome* / genetics
Humans