In this dissertation the influence of ageing on spinal and vegetative pain processing and pain perception was examined. Forty young and forty older participants took part in the study. The nociceptive flexion reflex was used as a tool for examining the spinal level of pain processing. Furthermore, the heart rate as a vegetative parameter of pain processing was recorded to prove age effects on pain induced heart rate changes. To examine the pain perception, participants used a pain rating scale with six different categories.
In addition, the influence of distraction and attention on the nociceptive flexion reflex threshold was examined in a group of twelve young participants.
As a result, no significant age differences could be observed concerning the reflex threshold and the reflex parameters latency, area and amplitude. Spinal nociception seems to remain unaffected by the process of ageing. There was also no age-difference in the pain ratings.
Pain evoked heart rate responses showed to be impaired in the older participants, which could be the result of an age-dependent degeneration of the vegetative nervous system.
As it has already been shown in previous studies, we could observe a positive correlation between pain threshold and reflex threshold in a group of twelve young participants. Distraction and attention did not influence the reflex threshold.
We can make no statement concerning the correlation of pain threshold and reflex threshold in the elderly. So herein and in the complexity of the process of ageing lie possibilities for further investigations.
Hennighausen, Elisabeth (134187881): Einfluss des Alters auf die spinale und vegetative Schmerzverarbeitung und Schmerzwahrnehmung. : Philipps-Universität Marburg 2008-05-16. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17192/z2008.0315.
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