Grant: Project Grant

Human health is inextricably linked to the psychological and social factors within an individual's environment. Strong social bonds correspond with better health outcomes, such as reduced stress and lower rates of anxiety and depression, and are protective against the development of chronic pain. Increasingly, pain has been recognized to occur within a social sphere and is commonly communicated to and influenced by others. While our understanding of biological and psychological processes in pain is reasonably well developed, the social dimension of pain has received far less attention. Under normal circumstances, social encounters are naturally rewarding and positive social interactions may reduce the intensity of the pain experience through the release of neuropeptides such as opioids and oxytocin. Thus, if we can deduce the social context's role and the neurobiological mechanisms by which social interactions change pain outcomes, this may yield better drug-based or alternative therapies to minimize pain experiences. Specifically, this proposal will uncover brain circuits that are activated following social interactions and use molecular/cellular/electrophysiological approaches to understand the cell types, neurochemicals, and receptors that modify pain following positive social encounters. The findings from this study will deepen our understanding of the social aspects of pain modulation and may lead to novel treatments for chronic pain.