Individuals with dark eyes and hair exhibit higher pain sensitivity

Abstract

Emerging evidence suggests that some phenotypic features, such as eye or hair colour, might predict pain. We investigated if light and dark eye and hair colour would influence pain in 60 healthy subjects divided in groups of 15 according to their eye–hair colour and gender. Pressure pain thresholds (PPTs), cold pressor test (CPT), and quality of the perceived pain were assessed. Findings indicated that dark pigmentation phenotype is more sensitive in response to CPT.

Keywords:

• Pain
• phenotype
• pigmentation

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the study participants for their time and dedication. Henrik Holmgaard, Eva Ørsnæs Hansen, Nhung Phuong Thi Dong, Laila Brøns Dixen, and Gebbie Ann Rodriguez Nielsen contributed equally to the paper.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Aalborg University, Denmark.