One gene is the difference between being stoic or a wimp. Pain
isn't all in the mind; it's ingrained into the genetic code.
Neuroscientists at the University of Michigan have found a gene that
controls how your body reacts to pain.
By
Colin Allen, published on February 01, 2003
Pain isn't all in the mind; it's ingrained into the genetic code.
Neuroscientists at the University of Michigan have found a gene that
controls how your body reacts to pain. The gene effectively regulates the
amount of natural painkillers--called endorphins--a person has in their
brain. Understanding this genetic predisposition should help doctors give
better pain treatment to patients in the future.
People's reaction to pain varies greatly. A painful cut to one
person may be a mere scratch to another. In addition, the effectiveness
of pain medicine varies greatly between people. Because of this, pain
treatment is a hit or miss process for each individual. Once a test is
designed to identify this gene, doctors will be better equipped to give
the right medication for each suffering patient.
Dr. Jon-Kar Zubieta, who led the study, cautions that there are
other genes that help the body cope with suffering. For example, he notes
that women tolerate pain better during their menstrual cycle when their
estrogen levels are peaked. Still, the latest research should help many
who seek the right treatment for their aches and pains.
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