Research on the Association Between Fostering Self-Management and Neuromodulators Among Community-Dwelling People with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K19442
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 58030:Hygiene and public health-related: excluding laboratory approach
• Research Institution: Nippon Medical School
• Principal Investigator: Jinnouchi Hiroshige 日本医科大学, 医学部, 准教授 (50805421)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 慢性腰痛 / セルフマネジメント支援 / 内因性鎮痛機構 / 地域保健

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Enhanced self-management from a public health perspective has been considered crucial in preventing the recurrence and exacerbation of persistent joint pain, such as chronic low back pain. This importance is considered as not only attributed to the effect on self-efficacy but also to the effect on endogenous analgesia. The present study supports the association between those factors. This study investigated that exercise-based self-management support for middle and older adults with chronic low back pain in the community could be involved in the modulation of endogenous analgesisia via serotonin and β-endorphin according to a randomized controlled trial. As a result, the serum β-endorphin levels showed an increasing trend in persons with chronic low back pain who received a self-management program, compared to persons who recieived a material-based education. In the present study, no association was found with serum serotonin levels.

Free Research Field

衛生学・公衆衛生学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

慢性腰痛などの長引く関節の痛みに対し、公衆衛生学的観点からのセルフマネジメント強化が再発や重症化の予防に重要と考えられてきた。このメカニズムには、セルフマネジメント強化に伴う自己効力感の向上のみでなく、生体内の鎮痛作用を高める効果が期待されていた。本研究において、その関連が支持される結果となった。このような関連を解明していくことで、地域保健で用いられる介入手法の客観的根拠となり、慢性運動器痛の予防の推進に貢献すると考えられる。