Sex Differences in Brain Regions Modulating Pain Among Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Resting State Functional Connectivity Study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

A long-standing hypothesis is that when compared with males, females may be at increased risk of experiencing greater pain sensitivity and unpleasantness. The purpose of this study was to examine sex differences in pain psychophysics and resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) in core pain regions in an age- and sex-matched sample of healthy older adults.

Design

Between groups, cross-sectional.

Setting

Vanderbilt University and Medical Center.

Subjects

The sample in the analyses reported here consisted of 19 cognitively intact males matched with 19 cognitively intact females of similar ages (median ages: females = 70 years, males = 68 years).

Methods

Psychophysical assessment of experimental thermal pain and RSFC.

Results

There were

SUBMITTER: Monroe TB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6454788 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature