The study finds striking differences between males and females. Male mice developed clear inflammatory signatures after nerve injury, while female mice did not—but both sexes carried blood-borne factors that promoted pain. This challenges assumptions about how pain and immunity interact and suggests some mechanisms have been invisible because they differ by sex. Recognizing those differences matters for designing treatments that actually work for everyone.
These discoveries open pathways for targeting the immune system to prevent or reverse long-lasting pain. Understanding which blood signals drive pain, and how they operate differently in males and females, could guide more precise therapies and better clinical trials. Follow the full article to see what the researchers measured and how this work might reshape approaches to recovery, resilience, and inclusive pain care.
Researchers discovered that nerve injuries can alter the immune system throughout the body, and males and females react very differently. Male mice showed strong inflammatory responses, while females showed none, yet both transmitted pain-inducing signals through their blood. These findings reveal previously unknown pathways driving pain, especially in females. The work points toward new opportunities for personalized chronic pain therapies.
