# Supraspinal Processing of Sensory Aspects of Pain

> **NIH NIH R01** · CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR · 2022 · $656,705

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Chronic pain affects approximately 20% of both adults and children in the US and is a source of substantial
disability and health care costs. Chronic pain can be challenging to diagnose due to the presence of poorly
understood symptoms. When diagnosed, current pharmacologic treatments for pain are remarkably
ineffective, while effective non-pharmacologic treatments remain under-utilized. These shortcomings in the
diagnosis and treatment of pain arise from tremendous gaps in our knowledge about the basic central nervous
system systems that process nociceptive information and instantiate an experience of pain. These gaps are
further amplified in the case of pediatric chronic pain due to a lack of basic/translational research. Our team of
basic scientists and clinician scientists is uniquely positioned to perform human pediatric studies integrating
functional neuroimaging with quantitative sensory testing and psychological assessments to delineate brain
systems engaged during chronic pain. We will examine four distinct chronic pain syndromes: migraine,
complex regional pain syndrome, functional abdominal pain, and musculoskeletal pain. We seek to 1) Identify
shared and distinct brain systems engaged by different forms of pediatric chronic pain, 2) Determine if
predictors of recovery differ across different chronic pain conditions, 3) Delineate brain systems associated
with the spread of pain. We will follow patients longitudinally for 1 year after initiation of treatment to assess the
degree of recovery and spread of pain. This study will provide a critical foundation of basic knowledge for
future clinical trials of diagnostic markers for different forms of chronic pain and for the development of new
treatments for chronic pain.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10539389
- **Project number:** 2R01NS039426-14
- **Recipient organization:** CINCINNATI CHILDRENS HOSP MED CTR
- **Principal Investigator:** Robert C Coghill
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $656,705
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2000-12-22 → 2027-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10539389

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10539389, Supraspinal Processing of Sensory Aspects of Pain (2R01NS039426-14). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10539389. Licensed CC0.

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