Dental pain sensitivity, fear, and avoidance: Linkages with the MC1R gene

项目摘要 牙齿疼痛敏感性、恐惧和回避：与MC 1 R基因的联系 牙科护理相关的恐惧是一个重要的和普遍的问题，限制了必要的治疗的利用 并最终影响口腔、全身和心理健康。因此，解决心理社会问题的工作 牙科保健的障碍是重要的。行为牙科领域，这是成熟的机会， 缺乏专门针对行为遗传学的研究，需要注意才能完全回答 与这些心理障碍有关的问题。两个主要的长期目标将指导拟议的工作： (1)通过阐明以下内容，提高我们对利用牙科护理的心理障碍的理解 机制部分负责发展和维护牙科护理相关的恐惧，使他们 可作为干预措施的目标，减少治疗逃避，从而改善口腔公共卫生; (2)为奖学金获得者提供行为领域的培训和合作机会 遗传学和牙痛研究，大学教学，科学成果的展示， 将为他的研究生教育增加重要价值，并将促进跨学科科学的职业生涯。 工作利用以前的工作表明，可能有重要的遗传预测牙齿， 寻求治疗的行为，以及行为牙科学的当前理论，该项目将跨越学科 牙科学、遗传学、心理学和公共卫生。拟议的研究旨在确定 MC 1 R基因和其他鉴定的基因之间的关系，以及可能在MC 1 R基因中重要的因素。 发展和维持牙科护理相关的恐惧和焦虑，如牙齿疼痛敏感性， 疼痛、焦虑敏感性和牙科治疗寻求模式。这将通过收集 疼痛敏感性和牙科护理相关的恐惧数据（通过行为测试和自我报告方法）， 对参与者进行基因分型，并与人类遗传学合作者一起分析收集的数据。的 该项目将利用理论驱动的假设检验，以改善目前的牙科概念化 与护理有关的恐惧，这最终将导致改善干预战略， 治疗利用率该研究员的培训将包括数据收集和分析， 来自他的主要研究领域以外的学科的研究人员。此外，该研究员将受益于 培训机会，否则不会经历作为他的定期研究生培训的一部分， 包括统计遗传学的教学课程，遗传数据分析的一对一指导， 参加遗传学研究暑期班，获得大学教学证书，以及 牙科护理相关恐惧的概念和临床问题的高级培训。总之，该项目旨在 提供的数据将增加目前对牙科护理相关恐惧的病因学的理解， 随后推动针对这种恐惧的干预措施的发展。它还旨在提供更多的毕业生 培训机会，这将促进国家研究服务奖研究员坚实的研究生涯。

PROJECT SUMMARY Dental Pain Sensitivity, Fear, and Avoidance: Linkages with the MC1R Gene Dental care-related fear is a significant and prevalent problem that limits the utilization of necessary treatment and ultimately impacts oral, systemic, and psychological health. Thus, work that addresses psychosocial barriers to dental care is important. The field of behavioral dentistry, which is ripe with opportunity and lacking studies focusing specifically on behavioral genetics, requires attention in order to completely answer questions related to such psychosocial barriers. Two main, long-term objectives will guide the proposed work: (1) to improve our understanding of psychosocial barriers to the utilization of dental care by elucidating mechanisms partially responsible for the development and maintenance of dental care-related fear so that they may be targeted in interventions that decrease treatment avoidance and, thus, improve oral public health; and, (2) to provide training and collaboration opportunities to the fellowship awardee in the areas of behavioral genetics and dental pain research, university teaching, and presentation of scientific results, opportunities that will add significant value to his graduate education and will promote a career of transdisciplinary scientific work. Drawing on previous work suggesting that there may be important genetic predictors of dental treatment-seeking behavior, and current theories in behavioral dentistry, this project will span the disciplines of dentistry, genetics, psychology, and public health. The proposed study aims to determine the nature of the relation(s) among the MC1R gene, and other identified genes, and factors that may be important in the development and maintenance of dental care-related fear and anxiety, such as dental pain sensitivity, fear of pain, anxiety sensitivity, and dental treatment-seeking patterns. This will be accomplished through collecting pain sensitivity and dental care-related fear data (via behavioral test and self-report means) from already- genotyped participants, and analyzing collected data with collaborators working in human genetics. The project will utilize theory-driven hypothesis testing in order to improve current conceptualizations of dental care-related fear, which ultimately will lead to the improvement of intervention strategies intended to bolster treatment utilization. The fellow's training will include collection and analysis of data, with collaboration with researchers from disciplines other than his primary area of study. Additionally, the fellow will benefit from training opportunities that would not otherwise be experienced as part of his regular graduate training, including didactic coursework in statistical genetics, one-on-one instruction in genetic data analysis, attendance of a summer institute in genetics research, pursuance of a university teaching certificate, and advanced training in conceptual and clinical issues of dental care-related fear. In all, the project seeks to provide data that will add to the current understanding of the etiology of dental care-related fear and may subsequently drive the development of interventions for such fear. It also seeks to provide additional graduate training opportunities that will promote a solid research career for the National Research Service Award fellow.