Pain and Aging Research Translational Initiative

描述（由申请人提供）：正如医学研究所（IOM）最近的一份报告所详述的那样，慢性疼痛是一个主要的公共卫生问题，影响着1亿美国成年人，每年花费超过5000亿美元。衰老会增加慢性疼痛的风险，一半的老年人报告持续或反复疼痛，衰老与更大的疼痛相关的身体和心理功能丧失有关。目前关于疼痛和衰老的知识非常有限，提高对与年龄相关的疼痛变化的神经生物学和社会心理机制的理解对于告知旨在减少老年人疼痛的干预措施至关重要。事实上，NIA最近发布了一系列项目公告，鼓励从衰老的角度研究疼痛（pain in aging PA-13-058, 059, & 060），并将其确定为一个高优先级的研究课题。我们的研究小组已经记录了疼痛敏感性和疼痛调节的实验室测量中与年龄相关的变化，例如老年人表现出增强的疼痛促进（例如疼痛的时间累积）和减少的疼痛抑制反应（例如条理性疼痛调节）。内源性疼痛调节的年龄相关变化可能部分解释了临床疼痛风险的年龄相关增加。提高我们对疼痛和衰老的理解需要一个协调的

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): As detailed in a recent Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, chronic pain represents a major public health concern, affecting 100 million U.S. adults and costing more than $500 billion annually. Aging confers increased risk for chronic pain, with half of older adults reporting persistent or recurring pain, and aging is associated with greater pain-related loss of physical and psychosocial function. Current knowledge regarding pain and aging is surprisingly limited, and an improved understanding of the neurobiological and psychosocial mechanisms underlying age-related changes in pain is critical in order to inform interventions aimed at reducing pain in the elderly. Indeed, NIA recently has issued a series of Program Announcements encouraging studies of pain from an aging perspective (Pain in Aging PA-13-058, 059, & 060), identifying this as a high priority research topic. Our research group has documented age-related changes in laboratory measures of pain sensitivity and pain modulation, such that older adults exhibit enhanced pain facilitation (e.g. temporal summation of pain) and diminished pain inhibitory responses (e.g. conditioned pain modulation). The age-related changes in endogenous pain modulation may in part explain age-associated increases in risk for clinical pain. Advancing our understanding of pain and aging will require a coordinated translational research effort buttressed by sufficient infrastructure tailored for this purpose. Ths K07 Academic Career Award proposes to develop a University-wide program designed to facilitate and expand multidisciplinary research in pain and aging and to provide physical and logistical infrastructure to support pain and aging research efforts. In support of this goal, the I will pursue a career development plan designed to increase his expertise in aging research, enhance his leadership skills, and broaden his mentoring capacity. In addition, the PI will be supported in these endeavors by outstanding External and Internal Advisory Committees comprised of national and international leaders in their fields. The long-term outcome of this initiative will be to enhance the portfolio of pain and aging research at the University of Florida elevating it to national prominence. This research goal with be achieved by addressing the following specific aims: Specific Aim 1 - To develop an active and focused multidisciplinary translational research program on pain and aging at the University of Florida; Specific Aim 2: To enhance physical and logistical infrastructure in support of clinical and translational studies on pain and aging; Specific Aim 3: To foster the emergence of the next generation of geriatric pain scientists by providing resources and mentoring in pain and aging for junior scholars at all levels of career development. Ultimately, development of the UF Pain and Aging Research Translational Initiative will greatly enhance the local research environment and will move the field forward through cutting edge research investigating the mechanisms underlying age-related changes in the experience of pain.