Androgen levels and experimental pain sensitivity in healthy young adolescent girls

Abstract

Androgens, such as testosterone, have an antinociceptive effect based on animal and adult studies. However, because androgens may exert different physiological effects during puberty, it is not clear whether the antinociceptive effect would also be found in adolescents. Thus, this study examined the relationships between testosterone levels and experimental pain sensitivity in healthy young adolescent girls. In addition, the relationships between experimental pain sensitivity and other androgens, including dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S), dihydrotestosterone, and androstenedione, were explored, and the role of puberty in moderating these relationships was tested. Forty-five healthy girls (11.91 ± 1.35 years) completed comprehensive psychophysical assessments of heat, cold, and pressure pain thresholds, heat and cold pain intensity ratings, temporal summation, heat- and pressure-conditioned pain modulation, offset analgesia, and cold pain tolerance. Blood samples were collected to analyze sex hormone levels. Participants also completed the Pubertal Developmental Scale. Correlations and regression models examined the associations between androgens and experimental pain sensitivity, and whether pubertal stage moderated these relationships. Overall, no significant associations were found between levels of testosterone, DHEA, DHEA-S, dihydrotestosterone, or androstenedione and experimental pain sensitivity, nor were these associations moderated by pubertal stage. Only DHEA-S levels were related to cold pain threshold and tolerance, and pubertal stage moderated the relationship between DHEA-S and cold pain tolerance, which was significant only in the late (r = 0.453, P = 0.027) but not early-mid puberty group. The results of this study suggest that androgens may have a minimal effect on experimental pain sensitivity in healthy young adolescent girls.

Keywords: Androgens; Pain modulation; Quantitative sensory testing; Sex hormones; Testosterone.