Investigating how pain processing differs between sexes in fear responses
Official title: Sex-dependent pain processing circuitry in classical Pavlovian fear conditioning
Funded at Northeastern University · NIH-10754567 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how male and female brains handle pain and fear in different ways, using rats to find out which brain pathways are involved, and it could help us understand mental health issues like PTSD that affect women more often.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northeastern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | December 15, 2022 |
| Project end | November 30, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $196,250 |
| NIH project number | 5R21MH131893-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10754567 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for benefiting from this research would be individuals, particularly women, who experience mental health disorders related to fear and anxiety.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not experience mental health disorders or those who are male may not receive direct benefits from this research.
What this research studies
This research explores how male and female brains process pain and fear differently, particularly in the context of learned fear responses. By studying rats, the researchers aim to identify specific brain circuits that may contribute to these differences, focusing on a newly discovered active fear response seen mainly in females. The study will involve mapping neural connections and examining how these circuits function in relation to fear and pain. This could lead to a better understanding of mental health disorders that affect women more frequently, such as PTSD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved treatments for mental health disorders that are more prevalent in women.
How similar studies have gone: While there has been some research on sex differences in pain processing, this specific approach focusing on the neural circuitry in the context of fear responses is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Northeastern University
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shansky, Rebecca M — Northeastern University
- Study coordinator: Shansky, Rebecca M
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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.