Genetic basis for individual variations in pain perception and the development of a chronic pain condition

Pain sensitivity varies substantially among humans. A significant part of the human population develops chronic pain conditions that are characterized by heightened pain sensitivity. We identified three genetic variants (haplotypes) of the gene encoding catecholamine-O-methyltransferase (COMT) that we designated as low pain sensitivity (LPS), average pain sensitivity (APS) and high pain sensitivity (HPS). We show that these haplotypes encompass 96% of the human population, and five combinations of these haplotypes are strongly associated (P=0.0004) with variation in the sensitivity to experimental pain. The presence of even a single LPS haplotype diminishes, by as much as 2.3 times, the risk of developing…

• NI
  National Institutes of Health

  Awards: AR/AI-44564, 5-P60 AR-30701-14, AR/AI-44030
• US
  Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences