Brazilian Journal of Anesthesiology
https://bjan-sba.org/article/doi/10.1590/S0034-70942011000600014
Brazilian Journal of Anesthesiology
Review Article

Sexo e percepção da dor e analgesia

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Sexo é um fator importante na modulação da experiência dolorosa. Um grande volume de evidências revela que a experiência dolorosa é diferente em machos e fêmeas, assim como a resposta a algumas classes de analgésicos. Inúmeros experimentos laboratoriais sugerem que as mulheres têm limiar doloroso menor que os homens em dor provocada por estímulos nociceptivos como calor, frio, pressão e estímulo elétrico. A dor é um fenômeno dinâmico que sofre influência de diversos mecanismos de controle excitatórios e inibitórios. Diferenças na percepção dolorosa relacionadas ao sexo podem estar associadas à hiperalgesia em mulheres, mas também à hipoatividade do sistema inibitório de dor no sexo feminino. O objetivo da presente revisão, que mostra algumas relações entre hormônios gonadais, sistema nervoso central e dor é prover pontos de referência para a discussão de um dos aspectos mais intrigantes da fisiopatologia da dor: a presença de diferenças no estímulo doloroso relacionadas ao sexo.
DOR, HORMÔNIOS
Sex is an important factor in painful experience modulation. Large volume of evidence shows that experience is different for males and females, as well as the answer to some classes of analgesics. Laboratory experiments suggest that women have a lower pain threshold than men related to pain from noxious stimuli such as heat, cold, pressure and electrical stimulation. Pain is a dynamic phenomenon under the influence of various mechanisms of excitatory and inhibitory control. The differences in pain perception related to sex may be associated with hyperalgesia in women, but also to the hypoactivity of the inhibitory system of pain in females. The purpose of this review besides showing some relationship for gonadal hormones, central nervous system and pain is to provide reference points for the discussion of one of the most intriguing aspects of the pathophysiology of pain: the differences in the presence of painful stimuli related to gender.
Sex Factors, Pain, Gonadal Steroid Hormones

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