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Deciphering the genetic architecture of pain intensity

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Chronic pain is common, with more than one in five adult Americans reporting having pain daily or on most days. A multi-ancestry genomic analysis in 598,339 military veterans in the USA identifies 125 genetic variants associated with pain intensity, highlights shared genetic risk with substance use and psychiatric disorders, and reveals enrichment in GABAergic neurons as a key molecular contributor to experiencing pain.

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Fig. 1: The cross-ancestry genome-wide associated genetic loci for pain intensity.

Change history

  • 30 April 2024

    This article has been updated to reflect corrections to the original article.

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This is a summary of: Toikumo, S. et al. A multi-ancestry genetic study of pain intensity in 598,339 veterans. Nat. Med. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-02839-5 (2024).

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Deciphering the genetic architecture of pain intensity. Nat Med 30, 948–949 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-02881-3

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