The $247,826 grant is being offered by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, an agency within in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It will support a project titled “Neurochemistry of Pain: Measuring Glutamatergic Brain Activity in Pain.” The grant project period will extend to August 2008.
 
“Researchers associated with the MRN are working to better understand the workings of the brain. In this instance, the work will offer a better understanding of how the brain reacts to pain,” Domenici said. “Progress on this project may have many applications including improving treatments for those who suffer chronic pain because of illness, accidents or event combat service.”
 
The project proposes to extend previous findings on pain by using functional Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (fMRS) to measure brain activity associated with pain as a means of developing better treatments.
 
In August, the MRN was also awarded a similar $256,974 grant for a “Multimodal Imaging of the Sensory Gating Deficit in Chronic Cocaine Abusers” project intended to better understand addictions and their affect on the brain, as well as the best treatment options for those affected by the condition.
 
Earlier this year, Domenici was briefed on research activities at the MRN during a visit to its Albuquerque facility. To date, the institute has received 11 funding awards worth $7.01 million to expand its research concerning neuroimaging and addictions. The Institute is also working on mental illness, neuroscience, aging and other brain-related research.

 
Domenici is a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, which plays a large role in determining funding for federal projects, including those administered by HHS.