An official website of the United States governmentIntramural Research Spotlights
NCCIH funds a wide variety of research studies, primarily focusing on three areas: mind and body practices, natural products, and pain. We also conduct research at the National Institutes of Health laboratories in Bethesda, Maryland.
This page provides plain language summaries of a few of the studies that NCCIH has supported or conducted. The summaries are ordered by date, with the most recent studies first. For more information, see this full list of published NCCIH-funded research studies in PubMed.
Analysis Finds Differences in Chronic Pain Treatment by Type of Health Insurance
September 2024
An analysis of medical claims data suggests that adults experiencing new episodes of chronic pain may have differential access to all treatment options based on the type of health insurance they have. Recently published in The Journal of Pain, the study was conducted by researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
September 2024
An analysis of national survey data on new prescription opioid use suggests that opioids are sometimes being used as a first-line or early resort treatment for pain, contrary to best practices. The study was conducted by researchers from the Mayo Clinic and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health and was recently published in The Journal of Pain.
Socioeconomic Factors Associated With Not Receiving Treatment for Chronic Severe Back Pain
July 2024
A new study of adults in the United States with chronic severe back pain showed that nearly 21 percent did not receive treatment for at least 3 months and that socioeconomic factors played a role. The cross-sectional study, which was recently published in The Journal of Pain, was conducted by researchers from the Université de Montréal and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
Use of Complementary Health Approaches for Pain by U.S. Adults Increased From 2002 to 2022
January 2024
Over a 20-year period—from 2002 to 2022—U.S. adults not only increased their overall use of complementary health approaches but were also more likely to use complementary health approaches specifically for managing pain.
The Mechanoreceptive Ion Channel PIEZO2 Plays a Critical Role in Sexual Function
August 2023
Uncovering the biomechanical processes underlying human touch and sensation is critical to understanding this essential human function and key to discovering potential new approaches to treating pain, a key National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) priority. NCCIH’s research is contributing to a growing understanding of the mechanoreceptive ion channel PIEZO2 and its essential role in discriminative touch in both mice and humans, in different parts of the body.
PIEZO2 Ion Channel Plays a Key Role in Gastrointestinal Motility and Bowel Sensation
August 2023
New research has identified mechanisms involved in sensing the presence of food in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and controlling the transit of GI contents. The findings demonstrate a key role for the protein PIEZO2 in controlling GI motility, a process critical for proper digestion, nutrient absorption, and waste removal. This research, conducted jointly by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the Scripps Research Institute, and other collaborating institutions, was published in a recent issue of the journal Cell.
U.S. National Survey Data Show High Rates of New Cases and Persistence of Chronic Pain
May 2023
New cases of chronic pain occur more often among U.S. adults than new cases of several other common conditions, including diabetes, depression, and high blood pressure. Among people who have chronic pain, almost two-thirds will still have it the following year. These findings come from a new analysis of National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data by investigators from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, and University of Washington, published in JAMA Network Open.
March 2023
Pain prevalence is significantly higher among sexual minority adults than straight adults, with the highest levels among those who identify as bisexual or “something else,” followed by those who identify as gay or lesbian, according to a new analysis of 2013–2018 data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). This analysis, published in the journal Pain, was conducted by researchers from the University of Western Ontario; University at Buffalo, State University of New York; Michigan State University; Ohio State University; and National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
New Study Fails To Replicate Research That Suggested a Novel Activity of Piezo1
November 2022
Contrary to the findings of a study published 2 years ago, the ion channel Piezo1 does not react to microbial single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) in the gut, according to a new study by investigators from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) and The Scripps Research Institute. The new study, which was funded by the Helping to End Addiction Long-term® Initiative, or NIH HEAL Initiative®, was published in the journal eLife.
New Study Explores How Instructions and Learning Affect Pain Perception and the Brain
November 2022
Both learning and verbal instructions influence expectations and people’s perception of pain, but responses differ in different regions of the brain, according to a new study by researchers from the National Institutes of Health, published in eLife. The findings of this study, which was conducted by the intramural research programs of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health and the National Institute of Mental Health, may help researchers develop better treatments for pain.