THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THERMAL PAIN SENSATION, FREE TESTOSTERONE, TRPV1, MOR LEVELS AND VARIOUS DEGREES OF...

Large number of studies consider gonadal hormones as factors influencing pain perception by changing the activity of nociceptive and antinociceptive systems. Recent studies indicate that testosterone, along with some other gonadal hormones, plays a key role in the regulation of TRPV1 and MOR expression. In addition, some works focus on the relationship between pain sensation and hostility indices, as well as their interaction with gonadal hormones. The purpose of this study is to elucidate the relationship of thermal sensation and pain threshold with free testosterone, transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1(TRPV1) and µ-opioid receptor (MOR) protein levels as well as various degrees of hostility in young healthy males. Significant positive correlation is found between heat pain threshold, free testosterone and MOR levels. Each of these parameters significantly correlates positively with various degrees of assault and insignificantly with that of verbal and indirect hostility. They also significantly correlate negatively with various degrees of irritability, resentment, suspicion and guilt. Significant negative correlation is detected between heat pain threshold and TRPV1 level as well as free testosterone and TRPV1 level. The relationship among cold pain threshold, free testosterone, TRPV1, MOR levels and hostility indices is insignificant. Consequently, we consider it to the purpose to further studies in this direction including interaction among other forms of pain sensation and psychological indices.