Chronic Pain is Associated With Reduced Sympathetic Nervous System Reactivity During Simple and Complex Walking Tasks: Potential Cerebral Mechanisms.

Sympathetic reactivity is blunted during typical and complex walking tasks in persons with chronic pain. Additionally, blunted sympathetic reactivity is associated with CAN brain structure, with direction of association dependent on brain region. These results support the idea that chronic pain may negatively impact typical autonomic responses needed for walking performance via its potential impact on the brain.