Mechanisms of Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) to Alter Pain Sensitivity in Knee Osteoarthritis

The purposes of this 1-year proof of feasibility and acceptability pilot study are twofold. First to determine if participants with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) will comply with taking palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) dietary supplement for 6 weeks and adhere to taking it as directed. Second is to gain preliminary data to elucidate mechanisms (protein signatures, inflammatory markers and neurobiological signaling pathways) by which PEA, a lipid-based endocannabinoid, works to alter pain sensitivity in adults with KOA. In the simplest terms possible, we need to provide evidence that PEA changes the protein signature in order to provide evidence to establish mechanism.