# NEUROCHEMISTRY OF GESTATION-PRODUCED ANALGESIA

> **NIH NIH R01** · SUNY DOWNSTATE MEDICAL CENTER · 1993 · $123,847

## Abstract

Previous studies in this laboratory have demonstrated that during               
pregnancy there occurs an activation of a maternal spinal opioid                
system(s) that mediated characterize the specific opioid system(s)              
that is being modulated (type of opioid receptor and endogenous                 
ligand that activates it) during gestation.  The specific                       
objectives are to (1) Determine the type(s) of spinal opiate                    
receptor (mu, delta, kappa) that mediates the spinal opioid                     
analgesia of pregnancy.  (2) Determine the endogenous opioid                    
ligand(s) (enkephalin, dynorphin, B-endorphin) that mediates the                
spinal analgesia of pregnancy.  (3) Determine the concentration                 
profile of enkephalin, dynorphin, B-endorphin and total opioid                  
activity in spinal cord superfusate of pregnant (day 20) and non-               
pregnant rats.  In addition to the above, experiments will be                   
conducted to determine the facet(s) of pregnancy (changes in                    
peripheral hormone concentration, increased pressure against the                
uterine cervics, etc.) that is responsible for the increase in                  
spinal opioid activity during gestation.  The specific objectives               
will be to (4) Determine if the analgesia associated with                       
pseudopregnancy involves a spinal opioid component as does the                  
analgesia that is associated with actual pregnancy, and (5)                     
Determine the effect of increased force applied to the uterine                  
cervix on pain thresholds on non-pregnant female and pseudopregnant             
rats.  This study will indicate if the increase pressure against                
the uterine cervix that develops naturally during pregnancy and                 
labor might be at least one of the internal stimuli that results                
in the activation of maternal opioid system(s) and the concomitant              
elevation in pain threshold.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 2197666
- **Project number:** 5R01HD018448-07
- **Recipient organization:** SUNY DOWNSTATE MEDICAL CENTER
- **SAM.gov UEI:** NJ14V2NZYM68
- **Principal Investigator:** ALAN R GINTZLER
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1993
- **Award amount:** $123,847
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1983-12-01 → 1995-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/2197666

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 2197666, NEUROCHEMISTRY OF GESTATION-PRODUCED ANALGESIA (5R01HD018448-07). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/2197666. Licensed CC0.

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