Understanding Pain from Trigeminal Nerve Damage
Official title: Mechanisms of Pain Associated with Trigeminal Nerve Injury
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11129884 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research explores why pain from trigeminal nerve damage is so difficult to treat and how certain medicines might work better for it than for other types of nerve pain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2021 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $562,608 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS122784-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11129884 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This foundational research is relevant to patients experiencing chronic pain due to trigeminal nerve injury, such as those with trigeminal neuralgia or other facial neuropathic pain conditions.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose pain is not related to trigeminal nerve injury or who do not experience neuropathic pain may not directly benefit from this specific line of research.
What this research studies
Pain from damage to the trigeminal nerve, which affects the face, is often severe and hard to manage with current treatments. We've noticed that a medicine called carbamazepine, which helps with seizures, can sometimes relieve trigeminal nerve pain, even though it doesn't work well for pain in other parts of the body. Our goal is to understand why this difference exists by comparing how trigeminal nerves and other nerves respond to injury. By studying these unique responses, we hope to find new and more effective ways to treat this specific type of facial pain.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to the development of more effective and targeted treatments for patients suffering from trigeminal nerve injury pain.
How similar studies have gone: Clinical observations have shown carbamazepine's temporary effectiveness for trigeminal nerve pain, and initial animal studies in this project have confirmed differences in nerve response to injury.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gold, Michael S — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Gold, Michael S
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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.