How hormone levels affect short-term pain sensitivity
State of Hormones Impact Nociceptive Expression (SHINE)
Researchers are measuring whether blood hormone levels, like testosterone and estrogen, change how healthy adults aged 18–65 feel short-term pain during standard cold, heat, and pressure tests.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11401676 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, you'll give blood and complete quantitative sensory testing that measures responses to cold, heat, and pressure using standardized protocols. The team will measure circulating hormones (for example, testosterone and estradiol) and analyze immune cell types and activity from your blood. You'll also complete questionnaires about mood, social factors, and pain-related psychology to see how these relate to pain sensitivity. The project links hormone levels, immune markers, and psychological factors to differences in acute pain sensitivity among adults.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are healthy adults aged 18–65 who can travel to the study site and are not currently experiencing major chronic pain conditions.
Not a fit: People under 18 or over 65, those with active chronic pain disorders, or those currently on hormone replacement treatments may not benefit or may be excluded.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could help identify hormone-related risk factors for chronic pain and guide safer use of hormone therapies.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work has shown group differences in pain sensitivity and animal studies link immune cells to chronic pain, but combining human hormone measurements, immune profiling, and quantitative sensory testing is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Birmingham, United States
- University of Alabama at Birmingham — Birmingham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sorge, Robert — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Sorge, Robert
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.