Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Analgesia and Pain Management01:25

Analgesia and Pain Management

Pain is critical to various clinical pathologies, provoking an urgent need for effective management. Pain, whether acute or chronic, is a complex neurochemical process. Its alleviation depends on the type, with nonopioid analgesics effective for mild to moderate pain, such as musculoskeletal or inflammatory pain, while neuropathic pain responds best to anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, or serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. For severe acute or chronic pain, opioids may be...
Hormonal Regulation of the Menstrual Cycle01:22

Hormonal Regulation of the Menstrual Cycle

The ovarian cycle regulates endometrial changes throughout a single menstrual cycle via the coordinated action of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and gonadotrophins.
At puberty, GnRH begins a pulsatile release pattern, which triggers the anterior pituitary gland to secrete follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). The frequency and amplitude of GnRH pulses vary across the menstrual cycle, with faster pulses favoring LH release and slower pulses favoring FSH release.
Pain01:20

Pain

Pain serves as a critical warning signal that alerts the body to potential or actual harm. When mechanical pressure on the skin is intense, such as from a sharp pinch, the sensation transitions from touch to pain. Similarly, extreme temperatures, like a hot pot handle, convert the sensation of heat into pain. Pain can also result from overstimulation of other senses, such as blinding light, loud noise, or the intense heat from habañero peppers. This ability to sense pain is essential for...
Nociception01:44

Nociception

Nociception—the ability to feel pain—is essential for an organism’s survival and overall well-being. Noxious stimuli such as piercing pain from a sharp object, heat from an open flame, or contact with corrosive chemicals are first detected by sensory receptors, called nociceptors, located on nerve endings. Nociceptors express ion channels that convert noxious stimuli into electrical signals. When these signals reach the brain via sensory neurons, they are perceived as pain. Thus, pain helps the...
Opioid Analgesics: Morphine and Other Natural Cogeners01:20

Opioid Analgesics: Morphine and Other Natural Cogeners

Opioids are a class of drugs that mimic endogenous opioid peptides and act on opioid receptors, and help in pain relief. These compounds are classified as natural, synthetic, or semi-synthetic. Natural opioids, like morphine, codeine, and thebaine, are derived from the opium poppy plant (Papaver somniferum or Papaver album) and are termed opiates. Synthetic opioids are artificial, while semi-synthetic opioids combine natural and synthetic compounds. Morphine, a prototypical opioid, possesses a...
Menses Phase01:18

Menses Phase

The uterine cycle begins with the menstrual phase, which is considered day one of the cycle and typically lasts about five days. This phase is characterized by the degeneration and shedding of the stratum functionalis, the functional layer of the endometrium.
When fertilization does not occur, the corpus luteum deteriorates, causing a significant drop in the levels of estrogen and progesterone in the body. This hormonal decrease triggers the release of prostaglandins, which cause the uterine...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

No impact of sex or testosterone treatment on wheel running in a rat model of inflammatory bowel disease.

Biology of sex differences·2026
Same author

Continuous testosterone exposure alters body weight, lean mass, estrous cycling and lipid profile, but not wheel running in adolescent or adult female rats.

Physiology & behavior·2025
Same author

Pain-suppressed consumption of highly palatable liquid in rats.

Behavioural pharmacology·2024
Same author

Pain mechanisms in the transgender individual: a review.

Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland)·2024
Same author

Impact of continuous testosterone exposure on reproductive physiology, activity, and pain-related behavior in young adult female rats.

Hormones and behavior·2023
Same author

Vaporized cannabis extract-induced antinociception in male vs female rats with persistent inflammatory pain.

Pain·2023

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Assessment of Morphine-induced Hyperalgesia and Analgesic Tolerance in Mice Using Thermal and Mechanical Nociceptive Modalities
07:23

Assessment of Morphine-induced Hyperalgesia and Analgesic Tolerance in Mice Using Thermal and Mechanical Nociceptive Modalities

Published on: July 29, 2014

Modulation of pain by estrogens.

Rebecca M Craft1

  • 1Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4820, USA.

Pain
|October 24, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Women experience more pain than men due to sex hormones. This review focuses on how estrogens, a group of ovarian hormones, affect pain perception in humans and animals, influencing conditions like migraine and arthritis.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Endocrinology
  • Pain Research

Background:

  • Women report higher lifetime pain prevalence than men.
  • Sex differences in pain are influenced by biological and psychosocial factors.
  • Gonadal steroid hormones play a significant role in pain differentiation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the activational effects of estrogens on pain in humans and animals.
  • To examine estrogenic involvement in clinical pain syndromes like migraine, TMD, and arthritis.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on estrogen's effects on acute and clinical pain.
  • Analysis of research examining estrogen's role in pain modulation across different biological systems.

Main Results:

More Related Videos

An In Vivo Estrogen Deficiency Mouse Model for Screening Exogenous Estrogen Treatments of Cardiovascular Dysfunction After Menopause
06:18

An In Vivo Estrogen Deficiency Mouse Model for Screening Exogenous Estrogen Treatments of Cardiovascular Dysfunction After Menopause

Published on: August 13, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Assessment of Morphine-induced Hyperalgesia and Analgesic Tolerance in Mice Using Thermal and Mechanical Nociceptive Modalities
07:23

Assessment of Morphine-induced Hyperalgesia and Analgesic Tolerance in Mice Using Thermal and Mechanical Nociceptive Modalities

Published on: July 29, 2014

An In Vivo Estrogen Deficiency Mouse Model for Screening Exogenous Estrogen Treatments of Cardiovascular Dysfunction After Menopause
06:18

An In Vivo Estrogen Deficiency Mouse Model for Screening Exogenous Estrogen Treatments of Cardiovascular Dysfunction After Menopause

Published on: August 13, 2019

  • Estrogens (e.g., estradiol) exert complex, multifaceted effects on pain perception.
  • Estrogens can produce both pain-facilitating (pro-nociceptive) and pain-reducing (anti-nociceptive) effects.
  • The net effect of estrogens on pain depends on the interplay with nervous, immune, skeletal, and cardiovascular systems.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding estrogen's dual role in pain is crucial for sex-specific pain management.
  • Further research into estrogenic modulation of pain can lead to improved prevention and treatment strategies for both sexes.
  • Estrogen's impact on pain is intricate, varying with the specific pain condition and involved physiological systems.