The effects of prescription opioids on brain structure and thinking in older adults with chronic pain
Official title: Prescription opioids, brain structure, and cognition in older adults with chronic pain
Funded at Mayo Clinic Rochester · NIH-11023761 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how prescription painkillers, like opioids, might change the brain and affect thinking skills in older adults with chronic pain, so we can better understand how these medications impact their minds compared to the pain itself.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2025 |
| Project end | December 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $636,957 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AG090601-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11023761 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are older adults aged 65 and above who are experiencing chronic pain and are currently prescribed opioids.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are younger than 65 or those not using prescription opioids for chronic pain may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how prescription opioids affect brain structure and cognitive function in older adults suffering from chronic pain. It aims to differentiate the cognitive impacts of opioids from those caused by the pain itself, addressing critical gaps in understanding this relationship. The study will utilize advanced imaging techniques to assess brain changes and cognitive assessments to evaluate thinking skills over time. By exploring these connections, the research seeks to uncover the biological mechanisms behind opioid use and cognitive decline.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved treatment strategies for managing chronic pain in older adults, potentially reducing cognitive decline associated with opioid use.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have indicated a link between opioid use and cognitive decline, but this research aims to provide novel insights into the underlying mechanisms and causative factors.
Where this research is happening
-
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Rochester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Warner, Nafisseh S — Mayo Clinic Rochester
- Study coordinator: Warner, Nafisseh S
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how personal factors affect chronic pain and its impact on daily life
Aims to map how a person’s unique mix of pain severity, stress, thinking, body awareness, mood, and sense of control relate to how pain interferes with daily activities in adults with chronic back pain or spinal cord injury–related neuropathic pain.
-
How prescription opioids affect thinking and brain health in older adults
This project follows adults 65 and older with chronic pain to compare brain scans and thinking skills between people who take prescription opioids and those who do not.
-
Motor cortex tricks to ease chronic pain
A study in rodents and people tests whether non-invasive brain stimulation of the motor cortex can reduce chronic pain and how best to target it.
-
Human pain center study to map normal and migraine-trigeminal neurons
A large NIH-funded project will map and study the human trigeminal neurons involved in migraines to understand what changes in these cells during headache conditions.
-
Understanding human pain neurons to improve migraine care
Researchers are studying human pain-sensing neurons to uncover what makes migraine start and persist, with the goal of better treatments for people who experience migraines.
-
Whole Person Pain Algorithm to personalize chronic pain care
A new, evidence-based model helps explain why chronic low back pain affects people differently and could guide personalized diagnosis and treatment.
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.