Irvine, Calif.; – Researchers from the University of California, Irvine and the University of Minnesota have found that a rich diet and companion can reduce pain in mice with sickle cell disease by increasing serotonin. They also found that duloxetine, an antidepressant that stimulates serotonin levels, may be an alternative to opioids in treating chronic pain.
“Finding safe and effective alternatives to opioids is a research priority, especially for patients with sickle cell disease,” said Dr. Keith Hoots, director of the Department of Blood Diseases and Resources at the National Heart, Lung and Heart Institute. of Blood. “It is encouraging to see the relationship of dose response to nutrition and companions in mice, which will guide future research into the potential role of food and friends in helping. people with chronic pain management. “
Scientists have long suspected that the feeling of pain is related to a person ‘s feeling or state of mind, but the link has never been conclusively proven. This study, published February 1 in Scientific Reports, supporting that connection.
“Part of pain is perception,” said Kalpna Gupta, a visiting professor of medicine at UCI and lead author of the study. “For example, if I start watching comedy, I suddenly forget that I was hurt; a feeling and sense of well-being prevents pain from being seen.”
Sick cell disease is a traumatic lifelong condition that affects about 100,000 Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most of whom are African Americans. Opioids are the most common way to treat their pain. But because they are addictive, and too many doses are the leading cause of death in the United States, Gupta ‘s team has been exploring other options.
“By proposing a safe alternative to opioids for pain control, the findings of this study have the potential to alter pain management use and save lives,” said the study’s co-author, Dr. Rajendra Badgaiyan, a professor psychiatry at the University of Minnesota at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.
Love combats pain
The researchers found that mouse models of stem cell disease in a “happy environment” experienced less pain from the disorder. Over four weeks, pain was reduced for male mice that were combined with female companions and received a diet rich in protein, fatty acids and amino acids.
The pain was diminishing as the diet and companionship caused the brain to deplete serotonin. Researchers measured the pain of the mice by how often they lifted their paws in response to stimuli and by their ability to exert force.
To confirm that the reduction in pain was caused by serotonin, the mice were given duloxetine, an antidepressant that works by increasing the amount of serotonin in the brain. The drug reduced pain levels for both male and female mice.
The researchers believe that changing these conditions would give people the same results. Gupta recommends that duloxetine be used in clinical trials for sickle cell patients as an alternative to opioids for pain relief.
Fighting pain and prejudice
In the United States, the stigma associated with opioids can make it difficult for sickle cell patients to reduce their pain.
“Patients with sickle cell disease often need to look at the complex social bias of the health care system as well as dealing with extreme pain,” said Varun Sagi, a medical student at the University of Minnesota and author contributed to the study. “Finding alternatives to opioids could reduce this burden.”
Duloxetine could have found an easier alternative. Similarly, as in the mice, building strong relationships and improving nutrition may stimulate serotonin production in humans and thus reduce their pain.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, social isolation can pose a challenge in building relationships, and with unemployment hovering around 7 percent, many Americans do not. there is no food security. As the study suggests, this can affect pain for sickle cell patients and others, so Gupta stressed the importance of developing strategies to promote social interaction and nutrition for them. affected.
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This project was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health UO1 HL117664 and RO1 HL147562.
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