Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Pittsburgh received a $620,504 Project Grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders (CFDA 93.853) program, effective February 11, 2026, with completion by November 30, 2030. This research project investigates how the brain resolves competing survival needs by examining neural circuits in the lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPBN), a brainstem region that integrates pain signals with other survival-critical information such as hunger, thirst, and fear. The research focuses on determining whether neuropeptide Y (NPY) signaling from multiple brain regions can suppress chronic pain-related neural activity and whether blocking NPY1 receptors in the LPBN prevents the pain-reducing effects of competing physiological and psychological states.

The project delivers fundamental neuroscience research outcomes through experimental investigation and manipulation of neural circuits across multiple chronic pain models, including inflammatory pain, latent sensitization models, and neuropathic pain. Research activities encompass identifying neural inputs that trigger NPY release during internal need states and external threats, characterizing how this signaling reverses hyperresponsiveness of LPBN neurons to sensory stimulation, and applying Y1 receptor pharmacology to understand circuit mechanisms. These research products advance understanding of how the brain prioritizes survival behaviors and may inform development of novel chronic pain management strategies by targeting the identified neural hub mechanisms.