Modern medicine has assumed for decades that humans process pain in the same way, however, a new study has shown otherwise.
In general, scientists believed that women they have a lower threshold for pain than men, however the claims were highly problematic because pain can also be subjective.
Now, thanks to a new study conducted by researchers in Canada and published by Brain magazine, we are closer to understanding the biological differences that lead to differences based on sex when it comes to feeling pain.
According to the findings, neurons in the spinal cold process signal pain differently in women than in men.
Important data to know which sex feels more pain
The importance of this discovery cannot be underestimated and these data could bring us closer to the answer:
About 20% of people worldwide experience chronic pain, and the vast majority of them are women. · Most pain relievers on the market offer the same medication for everyone, regardless of gender. Most pain research uses male rodents.
Studies have found that women are more sensitive to painful stimuli . It is not clear why this is so, although there is evidence that the female body has a higher nerve density and fluctuations in female hormones, according to the journal Nature, can amplify the body’s perception of pain.
A study from the University of North Carolina also points to inherent genetic differences, finding that the RNA molecules encoded by genes on the X chromosome, of which there are two copies in women, are higher in women who develop chronic pain.
Now, the spinal cord is a kind of intermediary in the path of pain. When neural sensors in the skin, muscles, joints, and organs detect a potentially damaging sensation, such as a burn or injury, they send signals to the spinal cord, which in turn activates other nerves that send signals to the brain stem and to the brain Ultimately, this signal train is processed and interpreted as “ouch”.
When spinal cord tissue was analyzed in the laboratory, the researchers noted that a neuron growth factor called BDNF it is critical for amplifying spinal cord pain signaling in humans and male rats.
However, human females and female rats were not affected by BDNF. When the female rats had their ovaries surgically removed, these sex differences disappeared, suggesting that the hormonal explanation for why women feel more pain may be on the mark.
“The development of new analgesics requires a detailed understanding of how pain is processed at a biological level,” said Dr. Dedek, an industry researcher funded by MITACS and Eli Lilly at Carleton University and Ottawa Hospital. “This new discovery lays the groundwork for the development of new treatments to help those who suffer from chronic pain.”
This is the first time that scientists have found sex-based differences in pain signaling in the human spinal cord, but more research will be required to better understand how these biological differences cause men and women to process pain. so differently.
Future painkillers are likely to be tailored to individuals and gender will play a key factor in these personalized prescriptions. For example, women may need different pain relievers as hormone levels fluctuate throughout life. 2022
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