# Affective Sensory Pathways of Light Stroking and Deep Pressure Touch

> **NIH NIH R00** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 2022 · $219,375

## Abstract

Administrative Supplement Proposal: Abstract
R00 AT009466: Affective Sensory Pathways of Light Stroking and Deep Pressure Touch
Dr. Case is as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of California
San Diego (UC San Diego). After overcoming covid-related delays, her R00 study on mechanisms of
affective touch is running smoothly and on track with her current SARP. The proposed administrative
supplement is requested to add two highly innovative aims to increase the impact of the originally
proposed study in establishing novel mechanisms of action for sensory-based complementary
approaches such as massage therapy. The existing R00 study seeks to identify factors underlying blunted
affective touch perception in individuals with chronic pain, and to compare the pain-relieving mechanisms
and effects of light gentle stroking and deep pressure between patients with Fibromyalgia (FM) and healthy
controls. The current administrative proposal adds two aims: 5) Determine the local effect of
subcutaneous OT on experimental pain and 6) Determine the local effect of subcutaneous OT on
touch pleasantness. Recent research in rodents demonstrates that oxytocin strongly modulates C-fibers
in the spinal cord and at the terminal axon. In humans, systemic oxytocin modulates affective touch
perception, and skin injection reduces postsurgical pain. However, peripheral effects of oxytocin on
affective touch perception have never been tested in humans. Study results are expected to significantly
impact fundamental understanding of the mechanisms of peripheral pathways for touch pleasantness and
pain reduction. We expect this project to lead to a competitive R01 submission to test whether local effects
of oxytocin differ in patients with chronic pain, who exhibit C-nociceptor sensitization and reduced touch
pleasantness. This contribution will inform subsequent research on mechanisms of manual touch therapies
and provide a new direction to test differences in individuals with chronic pain.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10615493
- **Project number:** 3R00AT009466-04S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Laura K Case
- **Activity code:** R00 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $219,375
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2022-06-01 → 2024-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10615493

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10615493, Affective Sensory Pathways of Light Stroking and Deep Pressure Touch (3R00AT009466-04S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10615493. Licensed CC0.

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