Study reveals how female hormones trigger opioid production for pain suppression

Study reveals how female hormones trigger opioid production for pain suppression

Scientists have discovered a new mechanism that acts via an immune cell and points toward a different way of treating chronic pain.

Estrogen and Progesterone Regulate Natural Opioids in Women

UCSF research reveals that female hormones regulate T-regs in the meninges to produce natural opioids, offering new possibilities for non-opioid pain relief.

The immune system is involved in defending the body against pathogens, but it has other functions. A study in mice suggests that female hormones may cause lymphocytes to produce a type of opioid to control pain. […]

Immune cells have unexpected role in fighting pain

Inflammation-suppressing regulatory T cells reduce pain in female mice by targeting nerve cells