Overview
- Published in Science Immunology, the research integrates mouse experiments with analyses of human trauma patients.
- Blocking testosterone in male mice reduced IL-10–producing monocyte activity and extended pain duration to female-like levels.
- Men in the human cohort showed more IL-10–producing monocytes and resolved pain faster than women, supporting the animal data.
- Women account for an estimated 60–70% of chronic pain cases, and the study frames this disparity as rooted in immune biology.
- Researchers are exploring non-opioid approaches that stimulate monocytes or IL-10, including topical testosterone and resolvin D1, though these ideas remain early-stage and unproven.