Glette M, Stiles TC, Jensen MP, et al. - In view of the hypothesis that pain catastrophizing plays a role in the development of depression and chronic pain, researchers conducted this longitudinal study investigating their correlation over a longer term. A random cohort from the general population (n = 4,764) responded to questions regarding pain, catastrophizing, and depression at 5 assessments in yearly intervals. In linear mixed models, increases in pain intensity and catastrophizing within persons, were independently linked with elevations in depressive symptoms. In prospective analyses restricted to individuals without depression above cutoff at baseline, the risk of endorsing depression increased over the following 4 years in correlation with presence of chronic pain. As per findings, change in pain intensity or catastrophizing correlates with change in depressive symptoms in the same direction. Pain and catastrophizing seem to be mutually reinforcing determinants for chronic depression when the two become chronic.