Improving oxytocin plus massage for chronic pain
Refining Oxytocin Therapy for Pain: Context is Key
This project looks at whether spinal oxytocin together with hands-on therapies like massage might relieve chronic pain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers, the State Univ of N.j. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Piscataway, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11248320 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are studying how oxytocin given into the spinal canal works with pleasant touch to reduce pain by mapping the specific spinal cord cells and circuits involved. They will use mouse and rat experiments to test how oxytocin-sensitive neurons respond during pain and touch, and they will examine human spinal tissue to compare cell types. The team will combine drug-based and behavioral tests in animals to see if pairing oxytocin with manual therapies boosts pain relief. Results will help guide safer, non-opioid treatments that could be tested in future clinical trials.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with chronic, treatment-resistant pain who are seeking non-opioid alternatives and might join future clinical trials of spinal oxytocin or related approaches.
Not a fit: People with short-term acute pain, pain from simple injuries that resolve quickly, or those unwilling to consider spinal injections or hands-on therapies are less likely to benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to safer non-opioid treatments that combine spinal oxytocin with manual therapies to ease chronic pain.
How similar studies have performed: Animal studies and early clinical trials of intrathecal oxytocin show pain-relieving effects, but combining it with manual therapy and mapping the spinal circuits is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Piscataway, United States
- Rutgers, the State Univ of N.j. — Piscataway, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Abraira, Victoria Eugenia Guadalupe — Rutgers, the State Univ of N.j.
- Study coordinator: Abraira, Victoria Eugenia Guadalupe
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.