title: Genetic influence on variability in human acute experimental pain sensitivity associated with gender, ethnicity and psychological temperament.
abstract: While a variety of cultural, psychological and physiological factors contribute to variability in both clinical and experimental contexts, the role of genetic factors in human pain sensitivity is increasingly recognized as an important element. This study was performed to evaluate genetic influences on variability in human pain sensitivity associated with gender, ethnicity and temperament. Pain sensitivity in response to experimental painful thermal and cold stimuli was measured with visual analogue scale ratings and temperament dimensions of personality were evaluated. Loci in the vanilloid receptor subtype 1 gene (TRPV1), delta opioid receptor subtype 1 gene (OPRD1) and catechol O-methyltransferase gene (COMT) were genotyped using 5' nuclease assays. A total of 500 normal participants (306 females and 194 males) were evaluated. The sample composition was 62.0% European American, 17.4% African American, 9.0% Asian American, and 8.6% Hispanic, and 3.0% individuals with mixed racial parentage. Female European Americans with the TRPV1 Val(585) Val allele and males with low harm avoidance showed longer cold withdrawal times based on the classification and regression tree (CART) analysis. CART identified gender, an OPRD1 polymorphism and temperament dimensions of personality as the primary determinants of heat pain sensitivity at 49 degrees C. Our observations demonstrate that gender, ethnicity and temperament contribute to individual variation in thermal and cold pain sensitivity by interactions with TRPV1 and OPRD1 single nucleotide polymorphisms.
authors.affiliation: Pain and Neurosensory Mechanisms Branch, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, 10 center Dr Building 10 Rm 1N103, Bethesda, MD 20892-1197, USA Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Hyungsuk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: John K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Neubert
authors.forename: Anitza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: San Miguel
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Raj K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Krishnaraju
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Iadarola
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.forename: Raymond A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Dionne
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000235:genetics; D005820:Genetic Testing; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010146:Pain / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000208:ethnology / Q000502:physiology*; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology; D011955:Receptors, Drug / Q000235:genetics; D017465:Receptors, Opioid, delta / Q000235:genetics; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013694:Temperament / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D011955:Receptors, Drug; D017465:Receptors, Opioid, delta; D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase