Sex Differences in the Effects of Early Life Stressors in a Rat Model of Myofascial Low Back Pain
Chronic primary low back pain (cpLBP) is prevalent worldwide, particularly in women. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) increase the risk of cpLBP. Using a rat model of cpLBP and two early life stressors, we report that male rats were more susceptible to manifest sensitisation by stress, whereas female rats exhibited a memory trace, causing behavioural signs of hyperalgesia upon the second hit in adulthood (noxious muscle stimulation). The differential stress sensitivity may contribute to the higher prevalence of cpLBP in women.
Authors
- Wolfgang Greffrath (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9756-749X)
- Rolf‐Detlef Treede (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8065-1708)
- Lin Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9201-8213)
- Deepika Singhal (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-5962-3613)
Institutions
- Nanchang University (CN)
- Heidelberg University (DE)
- University Hospital Heidelberg (DE)
- Central Institute of Mental Health (DE)
- Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Heidelberg-Mannheim (DE)
- University Medical Centre Mannheim (DE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- European Journal of Pain
- Published
- 2025-08-28
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/ejp.70114
- Citations
- 3
- Primary Topic
- Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 4.18
Funders
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft