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Understanding Pain Expression and Assessment

This study aims to understand how social and biological factors affect how people express and assess pain. Researchers want to learn why there are differences in how pain is experienced and treated, especially among different groups of people. You could participate if you are a healthy adult between 18 and 60 years old and speak English fluently. The study involves experiencing different types of pain stimulation, such as heat, electric shock, and cold water, and having your body's responses (like facial muscle movement and heart rate) and pain ratings measured. Some participants will also get feedback on how they judge other people's pain. The study hopes to enroll 700 healthy volunteers to help improve how pain is understood and treated.

Study design
This interventional study plans to enroll 700 healthy volunteers. It includes different substudies, with one involving feedback on pain assessment performance.
What's involved
You would experience heat, electric shock, and cold pain stimulation. Your physiological responses and pain ratings would be measured at every visit.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Physiological responses and pain perception are measured at every visit, but no long-term follow-up is specified.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT03258580

Sociocultural & Biobehavioral Influences on Pain Expression and Assessment

Recruiting
NAAges 18–60InterventionalBasic science
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
~700 participants
Updated 2026-09-01 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Medoc thermal stimulatorElectric shock stimulatorCold water bathPain assessment performance feedback

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Physiological responses (facial muscle movement, skin conductance, respiration, pupil dilation, eye gaze position)
Measured over Every visit
+1 more outcome measured

Conditions

Normal Physiology
Healthy Volunteers
Pain

Explore related trials

Healthy Volunteer

Where it's being run

1 sites across 1 states
Maryland1

Study leadership

  • Lauren Y Atlas, Ph.D. · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Who to contact

Adebisi O Ayodele, C.R.N.P.
[email protected]
(240) 593-4226
Email the study team

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Do you actually qualify for this trial?

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Healthy
Between 18 and 60 years old
Fluent in English
Able to provide written informed consent

Exclusion

Unable to comply with study procedures
Has a major-medical condition or medical history that in a clinician's assessment could affect ability to comply with study procedures, including neurological conditions (including stroke, blindness or deafness, or a history of brain damage)
Has a current mood disorder, anxiety disorder, or substance use disorder, or has a history of psychosis, hospitalization for a mental health condition, or recurrent psychiatric episodes.
NIH staff member who is a subordinate/relative/co-worker of any investigator on the protocol
Prior completion of a different sub-study within this protocol.
Is born outside of the states or territories of the United States of America
Does not currently reside in a state or territory of the United States of America
Has a major-medical condition or medical history that in a clinician's assessment could affect heat sensitivity or pain thresholds. This may include cardiovascular, autonomic, or neurological conditions or a chronic systemic disease (e.g., diabetes)
Has a medical condition that in a clinician's assessment might affect somatosensation (e.g., Raynaud's disease, peripheral neuropathy, or circulatory disorder)
Has a current chronic pain condition or has had chronic pain in the past (painful condition lasting more than six months)
Has a dermatological condition affecting the testing region, such as scars, burns, or recent tattoos that might influence cutaneous sensibility
Regular use of prescription medication that has a significant effect on pain or heat perception. Excluded medications include central-acting agents such as opiates (morphine, tramadol), antidepressants (amitriptyline, duloxetine, milnacipran), anticonvulsants (gabapentin, pregabalin), anxiolytics (barbituates, benzodiazepines), hypnotics (zolpidem, sodium oxybate), antipsychotics (valproate, lithium, olanzapine), antimigraine agents (sumatriptan, ergotamine), and muscle relaxants (cyclobenzaprine, carisoprodol). Use of analgesic medications, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, salicylates, and acetaminophen, taken on an "as needed" basis is acceptable as long as the last dose was not taken was within 5 half-lives of testing.
Is left handed
Has a current chronic pain condition or has had chronic pain in the past (painful condition lasting more than six months)
Is left-handed
Any FMRI contraindications, including:
Ferromagnetic metal in the cranial cavity or eye, e.g. aneurysm clip, implanted neural stimulator, cochlear implant, ocular foreign body.
Implanted cardiac pacemaker or auto-defibrillator.
Insulin pump.
Irremovable body piercing.
Pregnant women (based on urine test completed within 24 hours prior to scan).
Those with an abnormality on a structural MRI that has functional consequences based on clinician assessment.

What this trial measures

  • Physiological responses (facial muscle movement, skin conductance, respiration, pupil dilation, eye gaze position)Every visit

    We measure facial responses to painful stimuli in substudy 1 and eye position in substudy 2 and 3.

  • Pain perception (pain ratings)Every visit

    Individuals report their perceived pain or the pain they associate with other people they are viewing.