Relationships among mood, inflammation, and pain in Veterans with fibromyalgia
Official title: Relationships of affect and neuroinflammation with clinical pain in Veterans with Fibromyalgia.
Funded at Birmingham VA Medical Center · NIH-11206910 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores how feelings, brain inflammation, and pain relate in Veterans living with fibromyalgia and how exercise might help.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Birmingham VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project start | October 1, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2027 |
| NIH project number | 5IK1RX004807-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11206910 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are Veterans diagnosed with fibromyalgia who are able to participate in an exercise program and are willing to undergo inflammatory and pain assessments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not willing or able to participate in exercise-based interventions or those without fibromyalgia are unlikely to benefit.
What this research studies
The study focuses on Veterans with fibromyalgia and looks at how their mood and positive or negative feelings connect with their pain and inflammatory signals. Researchers plan to enroll 20 Veterans with fibromyalgia and 20 without to compare differences and identify which factors link mood with pain and inflammation. The team aims to design a Veterans-informed exercise program that could improve pain and emotional well-being for those with fibromyalgia. Participants will likely undergo assessments including mood measures, inflammation indicators, and pain tracking, with an emphasis on practical exercise strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to a tailored exercise program that helps Veterans manage fibromyalgia pain and improve mood.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research links exercise with improved mood and reduced pain in FM, but this study aims to personalize engagement factors for Veterans.
Where this research is happening
-
Birmingham VA Medical Center
Birmingham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Taylor, Taylor L — Birmingham VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Taylor, Taylor L
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Noninvasive deep brain stimulation for fibromyalgia relief
A noninvasive ultrasound approach aims to directly modulate deep brain pain circuits to help people with fibromyalgia who don’t respond well to current treatments.
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LARKSPUR-mHealth: a remote positive-emotion program for fibromyalgia
A nationwide, fully online program tests whether brief daily skills to boost positive emotions can ease pain and improve daily life for adults with fibromyalgia.
-
Biomarker-Guided Fibromyalgia Treatment with Non-Invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation
A study to see if non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation can help people with fibromyalgia by balancing gut health and identifying biomarkers to guide treatment.
-
Auricular nerve stimulation for fibromyalgia in veterans
Aurasicular nerve stimulation therapy is being tested in veterans with fibromyalgia to see if it reduces pain and improves function compared to a sham treatment.
-
Ear nerve stimulation for veterans with fibromyalgia
This tests whether a small electrical device placed on the ear can reduce pain and improve daily function for veterans with fibromyalgia.
-
Using Vibrational Spectroscopy to Diagnose Fibromyalgia and Related Pain Conditions
This study is looking at a new way to help diagnose Fibromyalgia and similar conditions by using special technology to analyze samples from patients, aiming to find clear signs that can help doctors make better decisions and reduce the need for pain medications.
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.