The DOI matches its Crossref record; 26 of the 26 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Sex differences in temporal summation but not sensory-discriminative processing of thermal pain
Abstract
Gender differences in experimental pain sensitivity have been widely investigated, and the results generally indicate that females exhibit greater sensitivity to noxious stimuli than males. However, results using thermal pain procedures have been inconsistent, with some studies reporting greater responses among females and other studies reporting no gender differences. The present study investigated gender differences in thermal pain perception using several different psychophysical procedures. Twenty-seven females and 22 males underwent thermal testing, including: determination of thermal pain threshold and tolerance, a thermal discrimination procedure, real-time magnitude estimates of heat pulses, and temporal summation of thermal pain. The results indicated lower thermal pain threshold and tolerance and greater temporal summation of thermal pain among females, but no gender differences in thermal discrimination or real-time magnitude estimates of discrete heat pulses. These findings suggest that gender differences in thermal pain perception may be more robust for sustained, temporally dynamic thermal stimuli with a strong C-fiber component.
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In the citing paper
“Several studies found that patients reporting positive general social support but lacking solicitous responses to pain were less likely to develop persistent phantom limb pain post-amputation and report lower levels of physical dysfunction 85, 107, 109.”
From Evaluating psychosocial contributions to chronic pain outcomes (2018) · cites this paper as [107]
In the citing paper
“there is considerable evidence that a higher degree of solicitousness in response to pain behaviors predicts increased pain-related disability 85, 106–108.”
From Evaluating psychosocial contributions to chronic pain outcomes (2018) · cites this paper as [107]
In the citing paper
“there is considerable evidence that a higher degree of solicitousness in response to pain behaviors predicts increased pain-related disability 85, 106–108.”
From Evaluating psychosocial contributions to chronic pain outcomes (2018) · cites this paper as [108]
In the citing paper
“Catastrophizing also overlaps with social processes such as social support 108, 339, 340.”
From Evaluating psychosocial contributions to chronic pain outcomes (2018) · cites this paper as [108]
In the citing paper
“both solicitous and punishing responses to pain are associated with higher pain intensity 108 and increased depressive symptoms 106, 340, suggesting these social factors may be a mechanism by which catastrophizing affects pain outcomes.”
From Evaluating psychosocial contributions to chronic pain outcomes (2018) · cites this paper as [108]
In the citing paper
“Basic research in laboratory environments show that women are more sensitive to pain [14–16]”
From Chronic pain and sex-differences; women accept and move, while men feel blue (2017) · cites this paper as [15]
Citations
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Cited by
Sorted by citations
Sex, gender, and pain: a review of recent clinical and experimental findings
Fillingim, R. B., King, C. D., Ribeiro-Dasilva, M. C., Rahim-Williams, B., & Riley, J. L. (2009) · The Journal of Pain · doi:10.1016/j.jpain.2008.12.001 · Cited by 2,766
Self-citationStudying sex and gender differences in pain and analgesia: a consensus report
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Evaluating psychosocial contributions to chronic pain outcomes
Meints, S. M., & Edwards, R. R. (2018) · Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.01.017 · Cited by 719
Racine, M., Tousignant-Laflamme, Y., Kloda, L. A., Dion, D., Dupuis, G., & Choinière, M. (2012) · Pain · doi:10.1016/j.pain.2011.11.025 · Cited by 691
Metadata
- Authors
- Fillingim, R. B., Maixner, W., Kincaid, S., & Silva, S.
- Affiliations
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
- Corresponding author
- Fillingim, Roger B
- ORCID
- Fillingim, Roger B
- Venue
- Pain
- Published
- 1998-03
- Volume
- 75
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 121-127
- ISSN
- 0304-3959 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2065081821
- Cited by
- 289
- References
- 26
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 20
- FWCI
- 5.94
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Pain (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (DE 12261, DE 07509, R29DE012261)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology (medical) › Pain Mechanisms and Treatments
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Sensory Systems › Ion Channels and Receptors
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine › Pain Management and Treatment
- Keywords
- sex differences, thermal pain, temporal summation, pain threshold, pain tolerance, thermal discrimination, magnitude estimation
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Discrimination, Psychological, Female, Hot Temperature, Humans, Male, Pain, Perception, Sex Characteristics, Time Factors, Pain Threshold
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