Men and women process pain signals differently scientists discover

Neurons in the spinal cord process pain signals differently in women and men, scientists discover for the first time. The finding could lead to better and more personalised treatments for chronic pain.

The scientists used female and male spinal cord tissue from both rats and humans. By examining the spinal cord tissue, the researchers saw that a neuronal growth factor plays a major role in amplifying spinal cord pain signalling in men and male rats, but not in women or female rats. When female rats had their ovaries removed, the difference disappeared, pointing to a hormonal connection.

“Developing new pain drugs requires a detailed understanding of how pain is processed at the biological level,” says Dr Annemarie Dedek, lead author. “This new discovery lays the foundation for the development of new treatments to help those suffering from chronic pain.”

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