Effects of opioid blockade on the modulation of pain and mood by sweet taste and blood pressure in young adults

Increased blood pressure and sweet taste are often associated with decreased pain sensitivity. Animal research suggests that endogenous opioids are involved in both these relationships. Fifty-eight healthy young adults (36 male, 22 female) participated in two sessions receiving a placebo tablet or 50 mg of naltrexone on counterbalanced days. On each day, three cold-pressor tests were administered while the participant held a sweet solution, water, or nothing in their mouth when their hand was in the water. 2 Drug × 3 Solution × 2 Gender × Pre-Drug Resting Blood Pressure general linear models (GLM) were conducted separately for systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) pressure. Consistent with previous research, significant main effects of SBP were observed in GLMs of pain tolerance and pain unpleasantness ratings. A main effect of solution on tolerance was seen in the GLM with DBP, which was qualified by an interaction of solution by blood pressure. Sweet taste increased pain tolerance among those with lower DBP across drug conditions. This suggests some overlap between mechanisms of sweet taste and blood pressure analgesia, without implicating opioid activity in sweet taste analgesia. However, the GLM of tolerance also produced a significant drug by DBP interaction suggesting that blood pressure-related analgesia is at least partially opioid-mediated. Also participants with higher DBP showed dampened mood reactivity to the experiment, which was partially reversible by naltrexone. These results are consistent with findings suggesting that endogenous opioid activity may contribute to generally reduced pain sensitivity, and perhaps mood reactivity, in those with higher BP.