Genetics, Parenting, and Stress May All Play a
Role
Newswise, July 8, 2016– Can an increased risk of chronic pain be transmitted from parents to
children? Several factors may contribute, including genetics, effects on early
development, social learning, and more according to a report in the
journal PAIN®, the
official publication of the International
Association for the Study of Pain (IASP). The journal is published
by Wolters Kluwer.
Amanda L. Stone of Vanderbilt University, in Nashville, Tenn.,
and Anna C. Wilson of Oregon Health & Science University, in Portland,
Ore., present a conceptual model of transmission of chronic pain, including
potential mechanisms and moderating factors.
The researchers write, "Such a framework highlights
chronic pain as inherently familial and intergenerational, opening up avenues
for new models of intervention and prevention that can be family-centered and
include at-risk children."
Proposed Explanations for Familial Transmission of
Chronic Pain Risk
Knowing that offspring of parents with chronic pain are at increased risk of developing chronic pain, as well as the adverse mental and physical health outcomes associated with chronic pain, Drs. Stone and Wilson developed an "integrative conceptual model" to explore possible explanations for this risk.
Knowing that offspring of parents with chronic pain are at increased risk of developing chronic pain, as well as the adverse mental and physical health outcomes associated with chronic pain, Drs. Stone and Wilson developed an "integrative conceptual model" to explore possible explanations for this risk.
The researchers identify five "plausible mechanisms"
to explain the transmission of chronic disease risk from parent to child:
• Genetics. Children of parents with chronic pain might
be at increased genetic risk for sensory as well as psychological components of
pain. Research suggests that genetic factors may account for roughly half of
the risk of chronic pain in adults.
• Early Neurobiological Development. Having a parent with
chronic pain may affect the features and functioning of the nervous system
during critical periods in early development. For example, a baby's development
might be affected by the mother's stress level or health behaviors during and
after pregnancy.
• Pain-Specific Social Learning. Children may
learn "maladaptive pain behaviors" from their parents, who may act in
ways that reinforce those behaviors. Catastrophizing—exaggerated responses and
worries about pain—might be one key factor.
• General Parenting and Health Habits. Chronic
pain risk could be affected by parenting behaviors linked to adverse child
outcomes—for example, permissive parenting or lack of consistency and warmth.
The parents' physical activity level and other health habits might also play a
role.
• Exposure to Stressful Environment. There may be
adverse effects from growing up in stressful circumstances related to chronic
pain—for example, financial problems or parents' inability to perform daily
tasks.
The model also identifies some "moderators" that
might explain when and under what circumstances children are at highest risk of
developing chronic pain. These include chronic pain in the other parent; the
timing, course, and location of the parent's pain; and the children's characteristics,
including their personal temperament.
"The outlined mechanisms, moderators, and vulnerabilities
likely interact over time to influence the development of chronic pain and
related outcomes in offspring of parents with chronic pain," Drs. Stone
and Wilson note.
They hope their model will provide a framework to guide future
research—toward the goal of developing effective prevention and treatment
approaches for children of parents with chronic pain.
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