# Affective and Inflammatory Reactivity to Pain in Opioid Use Disorder

> **NIH NIH R01** · MCLEAN HOSPITAL · 2021 · $9,512

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
We propose to investigate the contribution of pain reactivity to outcomes in adults with opioid use disorder and
chronic pain. Pain has been a critical factor in the dramatic escalation of nonmedical prescription opioid
analgesic misuse and the epidemic of opioid use disorder. Among those with opioid use disorder, pain is
associated with increased opioid craving and risk for relapse. Studies in chronic pain patients have found that
pain reactivity, rather than pain itself, is a key contributor to negative outcomes. Pain reactivity--particularly
affective responding to painful stimuli--is associated with opioid craving and medication misuse in chronic pain
patients. Opioid analgesics provide powerful relief of the affective component of pain, and thus are highly
negatively reinforcing in the context of elevated negative affect. Accordingly, among those with opioid use
disorder, heightened affective reactivity to pain may increase motivation to use opioids for relief, despite
negative consequences (e.g., unemployment, loss of family supports, overdose). Furthermore, peripheral pro-
inflammatory cytokines increase following pain, and are associated with greater affective reactivity to pain as
well as enhanced reinforcing properties of opioids. However, the impact of heightened affective and
inflammatory reactivity to pain on opioid use disorder outcomes remains unknown. Notably, both affective
reactivity and peripheral inflammatory cytokine levels can be modified with intervention. Thus, understanding of
the contribution of these factors to negative outcomes can be used to inform treatment development for those
with opioid use disorder. Therefore, our objective is to investigate pain reactivity and both short- (opioid
craving) and long-term (opioid relapse) outcomes in adults with opioid use disorder. This NIDA Summer
Research Internship placement will support training in the conduct of research in opioid use disorder, including
the role of pain in opioid misuse, ethical and procedural considerations in human subjects research, and the
study of risk mechanisms.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10396221
- **Project number:** 3R01DA045632-02S1
- **Recipient organization:** MCLEAN HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Rebecca Kathryn McHugh
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $9,512
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2019-09-30 → 2023-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10396221

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10396221, Affective and Inflammatory Reactivity to Pain in Opioid Use Disorder (3R01DA045632-02S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10396221. Licensed CC0.

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