# Impact of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness on Demand for Alcohol and Marijuana among Co-Users

> **NIH NIH F31** · UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA · 2021 · $40,382

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
The overall goal of this proposal is to advance knowledge about pain as a determinant of substance use,
particularly alcohol and marijuana use. A substantial body of research indicates that self-medication of pain
with alcohol and marijuana (i.e. use to cope with and/or manage pain) is common among pain patients, and
epidemiological and observational studies suggest that pain can act as a potent motivator of substance use.
Initial experimental evidence suggests that pain can increase urge and intention to consume alcohol, yet this
relationship has not been replicated using clinically-relevant pain induction methods with greater ecological
validity than typical experimental pain approaches. Further, despite similar pain-inhibitory effects and co-
occurring use patterns of alcohol and marijuana, current research has not simultaneously examined the
proximal effects of pain on alcohol and marijuana use. Thus, the proposed work will attempt to determine
whether experimentally-induced musculoskeletal pain (i.e., delayed onset muscle soreness; DOMS) may
increase alcohol and marijuana demand among co-users. An experimental study will be conducted, during
which regular co-users of marijuana and alcohol will be assigned to either a DOMS (high-intensity eccentric
exercise) or sham DOMS control condition (low-intensity concentric exercise). Overall, the proposed project
has two specific aims: 1) to confirm that DOMS results in increased demand for alcohol and marijuana; and
to investigate race and sex as moderating factors of this association, and 2) to identify psychosocial risk factors
associated with change in demand for alcohol and marijuana after DOMS induction. Results may be used to
assist in identification of pain patients at risk for hazardous alcohol and marijuana use. They may also inform
development of novel interventions for reducing risk of substance use disorders, particularly among those with
pain. The proposed training plan will provide the applicant with additional training beyond that included in her
PhD program. Specifically, training goals include 1) hands-on training for experimental research approaches,
including musculoskeletal pain induction, 2) coursework in the application of behavioral economic principles to
health behaviors in addition to didactic training in administration and analysis of behavioral economic
measures, 3) training in advanced statistical approaches, 4) development of professional development skills,
and [5) [formal training in neuropharmacology of alcohol and marijuana use, as well as
biopsychosocial mechanisms of pain]. The applicant is supported by a strong research environment with
the necessary resources for completion of the project and professional development, as well as a productive
mentoring team with specific expertise in the proposed areas of study.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10231541
- **Project number:** 1F31AA028696-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
- **Principal Investigator:** Erin Ferguson
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $40,382
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-05-16 → 2023-05-15

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10231541

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10231541, Impact of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness on Demand for Alcohol and Marijuana among Co-Users (1F31AA028696-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10231541. Licensed CC0.

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