An experiment to relieve pain reveals the difference between females and males

2015/06/30 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Farmakologia
• Medikuntza
• Anatomia/Fisiologia

The cells involved in the mechanism of chronic pain are different in male and female mice. In fact, in an experiment carried out in collaboration with researchers from Canada and the United States, participation in the transmission of the pain of specialized cells of the immune system, microglía, in male mice, has been confirmed, but they have also shown that other cells are responsible in females. According to the researchers, this can explain why blocking of microglia eliminates pain in mice and not in females.

The study was published in the journal Nature Neuroscience. In the experiment with mice, the researchers caused chronic pain and inflammation, affecting two of the three sciatic nerves of the back legs. Seven days later, they were given a drug that blocks the microglia and realized that despite relieving the pain to the males, the females did not have the same thing.

They expected the response of those present. In fact, they already knew that microscopy expresses a protein called BDNF, which transmits the signal of pain in the cells of the spinal cord. However, the ineffectiveness of treatment in females taught them that in them the pain is transmitted in another way. It seems that the key is the effect of testosterone on the immune system.

The next step has been to investigate females. They have not yet managed to clarify the mechanism, but have advanced that in females it seems that T cells are the ones involved in the transmission of pain.

According to the researchers, the experiment reveals the need to use cells of female and female animals. It is recalled that last year the Institute of Health of the United States (NIH) modified the instructions to consider both sexes in the experiments, but many only use males, with the excuse of avoiding the vicissitudes of the menstrual cycle. However, it is impossible to know what happens in females. The researchers have shown hope that the research they have done now serves to warn them.