Pain and aging: how nerve cells become more sensitive with age
Official title: Pain in the Elderly: Role of Hyperalgesic Priming
Funded at University of Iowa · NIH-11552897 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at why older adults often have chronic pain by studying how nerve cells in aging animals become more sensitive and how inflammation might drive this change.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Iowa NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Iowa City, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $49,200 |
| NIH project number | 7R21AG086905-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11552897 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are older adults or animals modeling aging and chronic pain; human translation would need future studies.
✕Less likely to help
The current study uses animal models and may not directly benefit patients in the short term.
What this research studies
Researchers will study aged rats to see if pain-related nerve cells become more reactive over time and whether systemic inflammation is linked to this heightened sensitivity. They will measure inflammatory markers in the blood and examine which nerve cell types are involved in this age-related priming of pain signals. The goal is to uncover mechanisms that could be targeted to ease chronic pain in the elderly. This is a small, early-stage study designed to map how aging and inflammation interact with pain processing. If successful, it could point to new strategies for managing pain in older adults.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: A better understanding of age-related pain could lead to new treatments that reduce chronic pain in older people.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research suggests age-related changes in pain pathways; this study builds on that groundwork in aging models.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Iowa
Iowa City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Araldi, Dioneia — University of Iowa
- Study coordinator: Araldi, Dioneia
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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.