The Annoyingly Happy Woman

Just imagine if I told you that it is possible to live without feeling any pain and also without ever feeling anxious. Perhaps you would say that this is impossible.

Well, this person exists in real life and her name is Jo Cameron, a Scottish woman who, according to her own husband, is annoyingly happy.

Jo is the only known woman on the planet with two rare genetic mutations, which make her practically insensitive to pain and anxiety, as well as giving her accelerated cellular recovery.

In 2013, during surgery, the anesthetist was surprised when the patient claimed she felt no pain. The doctor Devjit Srivastava referred the case to geneticists studying pain at University College London (UCL) and the University of Oxford, both in the United Kingdom. It took about ten years of research for scientists to understand her genetic mutation.

Researchers identified a mutation in the FAAH-OUT gene. This alteration 'reduces' the expression of the FAAH gene, which is linked to pain, mood, and memory, and also decreases the production of the FAAH enzyme.

This enzyme is normally responsible for breaking down anandamide — known as the happiness substance in humans. However, in Jo, it does not act properly, causing the Scottish woman to have higher levels of anandamide in her body than normal.

In addition to explaining the absence of pain, scientists observed that the mutation also influences wound healing and mood balance, revealing new molecular pathways involved in these processes.

But what is anandamide?

Anandamide is an endocannabinoid neurotransmitter, known as the 'happiness molecule'. It acts in the body promoting feelings of well-being and regulating functions such as mood, sleep, and pain.

Its importance lies in the role it plays in emotional modulation, anxiety reduction, pain control, and promotion of healthy sleep.

Anandamide acts in the brain and peripheral nervous system, binding to specific receptors, the cannabinoid receptors, which are involved in various essential physiological functions.

References

Dalcero, Brenda Luísa. International journalism on Fantástico: interpreting other realities through in-depth reporting.

BBC News Brazil - 'The annoyingly happy woman who feels no pain or anxiety'

Rozeira, C. H. B. et al. (2024). When nerves scream: A neurobiological approach to pain. Brazilian Journal of Implantology and Health Sciences, 6(3), 844–864. https://doi.org/10.36557/2674-8169.2024v6n3p844-864

Guerra, Mirian Elisa Rodrigues. Investigation of the receptor-independent mode of action of the endocannabinoid anandamide by molecular dynamics. 2019.