How sleep, social life, and inflammation affect chronic pain
Sleep, Pain, Active Social Life, and Inflammation (SPAI)
This project looks at whether different sleep patterns, social activity, and inflammation are linked with chronic pain in adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Pennsylvania State University, the NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (University Park, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11309123 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project combines information from three large groups of adults to link sleep habits with chronic pain. Researchers will create "sleep health profiles" using questionnaires, wearable sleep monitors (actigraphy), and overnight sleep tests (polysomnography) to capture timing, regularity, satisfaction, alertness, efficiency, and duration. They will also measure inflammation from blood samples and record social engagement to see whether social life or biology helps explain how sleep affects pain. Comparing results across the MIDUS, MrOS, and MOST cohorts will show which sleep problems or combinations are most tied to worse back pain and other chronic pain conditions.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults (21+) living with chronic pain—especially back pain or osteoarthritis—who can complete questionnaires, wear sleep monitors, or provide blood samples are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without chronic pain, those younger than 21, or patients whose pain is strictly from an acute injury or non-inflammatory cause may be less likely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to specific sleep-related and social targets to help reduce chronic pain or guide personalized sleep-focused care.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has linked poor sleep to more pain, but combining detailed sleep profiles with measures of social engagement and inflammation across multiple cohorts is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
University Park, United States
- Pennsylvania State University, the — University Park, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Martire, Lynn M. — Pennsylvania State University, the
- Study coordinator: Martire, Lynn M.
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.