Machine ‐learned analysis of quantitative sensory testing responses to noxious cold stimulation in healthy subjects

ConclusionThresholds at, roughly, 25 and 18 °C agree with known working temperatures of TRPM8 and TRPA1 ion channels, respectively, and hint at relative local dominance of either channel in respective subjects. Data patterns suggest involvement of further distinct mechanisms in cold pain perception at lower temperatures. Findings support data science approaches to identify biologically plausible hints at complex molecular mechanisms underlying human pain phenotypes.
SignificanceSensitivity to pain is heterogeneous. Data‐driven computational research approaches allow the identification of subgroups of subjects with a distinct pattern of sensitivity to cold stimuli. The subgroups are reproducible with different types of noxious cold stimuli. Subgroups show pattern that hints at distinct and inter‐individually different types of the underlying molecular background.

Source: European Journal of Pain - January 16, 2018 Category: Anesthesiology Authors: I. Weyer ‐Menkhoff, M.C. Thrun, J. Lötsch Tags: Original Article Source Type: research