The four painful, chronic conditions share a genetic component, suggesting they are at least somewhat heritable, according to Pain.
Chronic pain that lasts or recurs for months is a common health problem that affects many millions of people. It can have many causes, which makes its diagnosis and treatment difficult.
Researchers at King’s College London examined the DNA of more than 8000 pairs of twins – both identical and non-identical. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), musculoskeletal pain, pelvic pain and dry eye syndrome were found to occur frequently in identical pairs of twins sharing the same DNA.
Although environmental factors are likely to play a significant role in all four diseases, according to the authors of the studies, genetic predisposition may be responsible for the occurrence of pain in two-thirds of cases. Chronic pain is likely to be related to a disturbance in the nervous system, which transmits signals to the brain, even though no tissue damage has occurred.
The study’s authors said the discovery could help treat chronic pain in the future. First, however, it is necessary to determine exactly which genes are responsible for its occurrence. (PAP)