Genetic differences may explain higher chronic pain risk in women, study finds By (0) Genetic differences may play a role in higher risk for chronic pain among women, a new study has found. Photo by whitesession/Pixabay April 8 (UPI) -- Women appear to be at higher risk for chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia and certain types of arthritis, and that may be due to genetic differences between the sexes, a study published Thursday by PLOS Genetics found. In women, 31 genes are associated with chronic pain, and all but one are active in the dorsal root ganglion, a cluster of nerves in the spinal cord that transmit pain signals from the body to the brain, researchers said.