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Opiate pharmacology and individual differences. I. Psychophysical pain measurements
Monte S Buchsbaum1, Glenn C Davis, Richard Coppola
1Section on Clinical Psychophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health, Clinical Center, Room 2N212, Bethesda, Md. 20205, USA Center for the Health Sciences, University of Tennessee, Memphis, Tenn. 38105, USA Laboratory of Psychology and Psychopathology, National Institute of Mental Health, Clinical Center, Room 2N128, Bethesda, Md. 20205, U.S.A. Psychiatrische Universitaetsklinik, Nussbaumstr. 7, D-8000 Munich, USA.
Abstract:
A new electric stimulation pain assessment technique using the Tursky electrode and a non-parametric analysis of subjects ratings was found sensitive to aspirin, morphine and opiate antagonists in a series of double-blind cross-over trials in normal adults. Stable individual differences in pain sensitivity (off medication) were maintained on two testing sessions 7 months apart. Older individuals were less pain sensitive than younger individuals. Men were more insensitive than women under age 30. Together, these results suggest the empiric usefulness of this pain measurement technique.