# A laboratory-based hypnosis intervention on psychophysiological markers of pain responsivity in adolescents with and without sickle cell disease

> **NIH NIH F32** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · 2020 · $69,667

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND. Vaso-occlusive pain crises (VOC) are the most common complication in youth with sickle
cell disease (SCD) and comprise the leading cause of healthcare utilization. Adolescents with (SCD) are at-risk
for experiencing VOCs that may result in vascular and nervous system damage, sensitize neuromodulatory pain
circuits, and ultimately affect future pain symptomatology. Stress and pain itself have been cited as potential
triggers for VOC and are also associated with physiological stress responses that alter autonomic nervous
system (ANS) function. Such ANS changes can lead to vasoconstriction, resulting in reduced peripheral blood
flow, further occlusion of SCD red blood cells, and VOC. Social stress has also been linked to maladaptive
physiological stress responses and recent data indicate that perceived SCD-related stigma is associated with
negative psychosocial and medical outcomes in adolescents. Neuromodulatory interventions (e.g., hypnosis)
may represent a promising approach to pain management for youth with SCD. Hypnosis has been shown to
reduce activity in supraspinal areas identified as components of the ‘pain matrix’ as well as increase
temperature in the extremities, which may affect autonomic responses and vasodilation. Despite preliminary
support for the positive effects of hypnosis on pain outcomes in SCD, no laboratory-based studies exist with
pediatric SCD samples and no existing studies have examined how perceived SCD-related stigma may
moderate acute pain responses in youth with SCD. Such work may elucidate potential mechanisms
underpinning VOC and identify new targets for intervention. SPECIFIC AIMS. This proposal will utilize
psychophysiological biomarkers of pain and peripheral vascular reactivity to test the effects of a laboratory-
based hypnosis session on peripheral blood flow and acute pain and autonomic responses in adolescents with
SCD and healthy controls, and examine how perceived SCD-related stigma may moderate acute pain
responses. METHODS. A quasi-experimental, correlational design will be conducted. Three laboratory
thermal heat pain tasks will be completed before and during a 30-minute hypnosis session. Peripheral blood
flow, pain tolerance, threshold and intensity, heart rate variability, skin conductance response, and SCD-
related stigma will be assessed. GOALS. To gain advanced training in laboratory-based methodology and
physiological analyses to foster a deeper understanding of the potential mechanisms underlying the experience
of pain in SCD, and ultimately conduct cutting-edge clinical research that examines the interface between
physiological and psychological models of pain and emotion in vulnerable populations such as youth living with
SCD .

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9837487
- **Project number:** 5F32HL139114-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- **Principal Investigator:** Sarah R Martin
- **Activity code:** F32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $69,667
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-12-01 → 2020-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9837487

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9837487, A laboratory-based hypnosis intervention on psychophysiological markers of pain responsivity in adolescents with and without sickle cell disease (5F32HL139114-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9837487. Licensed CC0.

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