Neurobiology of Pain: Nerve Injuries Disrupt the Immune System

Nerve damage can have long-term effects on the immune system, with male and female bodies responding differently. This conclusion was reached by researchers from McGill University. The findings were published in the journal Neurobiology of Pain.

Nerve injuries caused by stretching, pressure, or cuts often lead to chronic pain. To better understand the consequences of such trauma, scientists conducted experiments on mice.

The researchers analyzed blood samples from laboratory mice after nerve injury and found signs of systemic inflammation. In males, levels of inflammatory markers rose sharply and remained elevated, while in females they did not change at all.

When blood from injured mice was transfused into healthy ones, both male and female recipients showed increased pain sensitivity. The scientists suggested that the mechanism triggering the pain response is transmitted through the blood but operates via different biological pathways in males and females.

The researchers noted that changes in the immune system could increase the risk of developing many chronic conditions, including anxiety and depression.

“Understanding sex differences in the response to nerve injury will help move toward more personalized approaches to chronic pain treatment. If the immune response after nerve damage depends on sex, then therapy must take this factor into account,” said study co-author Jeffrey Mogil, professor of pain studies at McGill University.