Genetic variation in catechol-O-methyltransferase is associated with individual differences in conditioned pain modulation in healthy subjects.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Genetic variation in the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene is associated with sensitivity to both acute experimental pain and chronic pain conditions. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have traditionally been used to infer three common haplotypes designated as low, average and high pain sensitivity and are reported to affect both COMT enzymatic activity and pain sensitivity. One mechanism that may partly explain individual differences in sensitivity to pain is conditioned pain modulation (CPM). We hypothesized that variation in CPM may have a genetic basis.

Methods

We evaluated CPM in 77 healthy pain-free Caucasian subjects by applying repeated mechanical stimuli to the dominant forearm using 26-g von Frey filament as the test stimulus with immers

SUBMITTER: Korczeniewska OA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9926975 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature