Genetic differences may influence sensitivity to pain

A team of scientists led by King's College London has identified a particular set of genes that interact with one another to regulate pain in humans, and found that differences in these genes may influence people's sensitivity to pain. The study, published today in PLoS Genetics , adds to a growing body of evidence that particular genes are involved in chronic pain and highlights this pathway as a potential target for more effective pain relief treatments for patients. The collaborative study between King's, Pfizer Ltd and the Beijing Genomics Institute, used a new method to study and compare DNA, called exome sequencing, to identify genetic variations relating to pain sensitivity. Frances Williams, Senior Lecturer from the Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology at King's College London, and lead author, said: 'Chronic pain is a significant personal and socio-economic burden, with nearly one in five people experiencing it at some time in their lives. Current pain treatments often have either limited efficacy or side effects for many, so the possibility of a new approach to pain relief is an exciting development. 'The findings of our study contribute to the steps required to identify new treatments. In addition, we have shown that the exome sequencing method could be used to find important pathways in other common conditions.' It is known that people who are most sensitive to pain encountered in everyday life are more likely to go on to develop chronic pain.