Gonadectomy Affects Hormonal and Behavioral Responses to Repetitive Nociceptive Stimulation in Male Rats
Abstract
A bstract: Sex differences have been observed repeatedly in chronic pain syndromes in both humans and animals, with females showing a higher incidence; it is likely that the gonadal hormones are responsible for these differences. To examine the role of male gonadal hormones on repetitive nociceptive stimulation, we studied male rats, half of them gonadectomized (GDX) and half left intact (INT). Starting from the third week after gonadectomy, they were subjected to the formalin test once a week for 3 weeks (50 μl formalin 5% injected s.c. in the dorsum of the hind paw: right, left, and right). Formalin‐induced licking, flexing, and jerking of the injected paw were recorded and analyzed for each of the three trials. Analysis of variance showed significant differences between GDX and INT animals depending on the trial considered: Trial 1: the GDX and INT groups showed a similar amount of licking, flexing, and paw‐jerk; Trials 2 and 3: these responses showed a sort of adaptation in INT animals, not present in the GDX ones, resulting in lower levels of pain responses in INT than GDX. Corticosterone was higher in GDX animals than in INT animals. Testosterone plasma levels were drastically decreased by gonadectomy, whereas estradiol was increased. These data indicate that male gonadal hormones play a key role in inhibiting the behavioral responses to repeated nociceptive stimulation. This suggests that the lower incidence of chronic pain syndromes in males could be caused by the presence of these hormones.
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The higher presence of pain in females might be explained by several factors: influence of sexual hormones, differences in emotional experiences and coping strategies, and differences in social and occupational roles [71, 72].
“The higher presence of pain in females might be explained by several factors [71, 72]: (1) influence of sexual hormones (e.g., gonadal hormones); (2) differences in emotional experiences and coping strategies; and (3) differences in social and occupational roles.”
From Psychological variables associated with quality of life in patients with head and neck cancer: the role of body image distress (2022) · cites this paper as [71]
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- Authors
- ALOISI, A. M., CECCARELLI, I., & FIORENZANI, P.
- Affiliations
- University of Siena (IT)
- Corresponding author
- ALOISI, ANNA MARIA
- Venue
- Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2003-12
- Volume
- 1007
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 232-237
- ISSN
- 0077-8923 (ISSN-L)
- 1749-6632
- OpenAlex
- W2093703392
- Cited by
- 66
- References
- 13
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 0.77
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Use Siena air (University of Siena) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Pain Mechanisms and Treatments
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones
- Keywords
- gonadectomy, gonadal hormones, testosterone, estradiol, corticosterone, formalin test, chronic pain, sex differences in pain, pain behavior, pain adaptation, male rats
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Corticosterone, Estradiol, Male, Orchiectomy, Pain Measurement, Testosterone, Rats, Wistar, Rats
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