Neural circuits that control pain aversion in the brain
Official title: Neural mechanisms enabling caudal ventral preoptic area control of pain aversion
Funded at University of Washington · NIH-11629742 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are exploring how a specific brain area helps people feel and avoid pain, with potential to lead to better pain treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2020 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $544,250 |
| NIH project number | 2R56NS115747-06A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11629742 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal patients would be individuals with chronic pain conditions who could benefit from future therapies targeting brain aversion circuits.
✕Less likely to help
People without chronic pain or those not seeking new pain therapies may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
Pain is a major reason people seek care, and many current drugs have limited benefit and side effects. This project uses zebrafish to study how the brain encodes aversive responses to painful stimuli, aiming to find targets for new therapies. By examining the caudal ventral preoptic area and related circuits, scientists hope to identify mechanisms that could be targeted to reduce suffering from chronic pain. The work involves observing how these animals respond to pain signals and to analgesics to understand how aversion is processed in the brain.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could guide the development of novel pain therapies with better efficacy and fewer side effects.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal studies show that brain circuits influence pain aversion, but translating this to human therapies remains a developing area.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Washington
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dhaka, Ajay K — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Dhaka, Ajay K
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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.