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El gen investigado se conoce como COMT y codifica una proteína que desempeña un papel en cómo responde el organismo al dolor. Las distintas personas presentan diferencies configuraciones de aminoácidos en este gen. Entre la población general, uno puede ser portador de dos copias del aminoácido valina, de dos copias del aminoácido metionina o una copia de cada uno.
Los portadores de dos copias de valina son los que muestran mayor actividad de la proteína producida por el gen COMT, mientras que los portadores de dos copias de metionina presentan la actividad más baja.
Los autores inyectaron en los músculos de la mandíbula de 29 voluntarios sanos una sustancia que causa dolor o una que no produce sensación. Cada participante valoró el dolor que sentía cada pocos segundos, al tiempo que se utilizaba un método de imagen para observar la actividad cerebral.
Los resultados muestran que las personas con dos copias de metionina son las más sensibles al dolor, y son también las que muestran menos actividad cerebral en regiones que ayudan al organismo a responder a la sensación de dolor.
Webs Relacionadas
University of Michigan
http://www.umich.edu/
Science
http://www.sciencemag.org/