Spatiotemporal Thalamocortical Alterations Underlie Experimental and Chronic Pain

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to assess thalamocortical (TC) connectivity during tonic pressure pain, to evaluate alpha activity during tonic pressure pain and to determine pressure pain ratings by using Electroencephalography (EEG), Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS), sham and Transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS)

Condition

  • Pain

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Between 18 Years and 60 Years
Eligible Sex
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Inclusion Criteria

  • Meet the MRI / EEG screening criteria - Fluent in English

Exclusion Criteria

  • Current or history of major medical, neurological, or psychiatric illness based on self-report - History of cardiac, respiratory, or nervous system disease that, in the investigator's judgment, precludes participation in the study because of a heightened potential for adverse outcome (for example: asthma or claustrophobia) - History of head trauma - Pregnant or lactating - Presence of any contraindications to MRI scanning (for example: cardiac pacemaker, metal implants, claustrophobia, pregnancy, cannot lie still in fMRI scanner) - Conditions making study participation difficult (e.g., paralysis, psychoses, or other severe psychological problems as per the judgment of a study investigator during Session 1) - Active substance abuse disorders (based on subject self-report)

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention Model
Crossover Assignment
Primary Purpose
Basic Science
Masking
Triple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
tACS then tRNS then sham
  • Device: transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)
    Participants will get a personalized brain stimulation: a 2 milliampere (mA) oscillating current that matches their natural alpha brain wave frequency (8-12 Hz), determined by a quick 3-minute EEG before the session.
  • Device: Sham
    Active sham stimulation with 60- second -tACS will be applied , then ramp down, and be reintroduced in the last 30 seconds to minimize awareness of the experimental condition
  • Device: transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS)
    Participants will still get stimulation, but at random frequencies between 1 and 200 Hz (instead of targeted alpha waves).
Experimental
tACS then sham then tRNS
  • Device: transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)
    Participants will get a personalized brain stimulation: a 2 milliampere (mA) oscillating current that matches their natural alpha brain wave frequency (8-12 Hz), determined by a quick 3-minute EEG before the session.
  • Device: Sham
    Active sham stimulation with 60- second -tACS will be applied , then ramp down, and be reintroduced in the last 30 seconds to minimize awareness of the experimental condition
  • Device: transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS)
    Participants will still get stimulation, but at random frequencies between 1 and 200 Hz (instead of targeted alpha waves).
Experimental
tRNS then tACS then sham
  • Device: transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)
    Participants will get a personalized brain stimulation: a 2 milliampere (mA) oscillating current that matches their natural alpha brain wave frequency (8-12 Hz), determined by a quick 3-minute EEG before the session.
  • Device: Sham
    Active sham stimulation with 60- second -tACS will be applied , then ramp down, and be reintroduced in the last 30 seconds to minimize awareness of the experimental condition
  • Device: transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS)
    Participants will still get stimulation, but at random frequencies between 1 and 200 Hz (instead of targeted alpha waves).
Experimental
tRNS then sham then tACS
  • Device: transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)
    Participants will get a personalized brain stimulation: a 2 milliampere (mA) oscillating current that matches their natural alpha brain wave frequency (8-12 Hz), determined by a quick 3-minute EEG before the session.
  • Device: Sham
    Active sham stimulation with 60- second -tACS will be applied , then ramp down, and be reintroduced in the last 30 seconds to minimize awareness of the experimental condition
  • Device: transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS)
    Participants will still get stimulation, but at random frequencies between 1 and 200 Hz (instead of targeted alpha waves).
Experimental
Sham then tRNS then tACS
  • Device: transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)
    Participants will get a personalized brain stimulation: a 2 milliampere (mA) oscillating current that matches their natural alpha brain wave frequency (8-12 Hz), determined by a quick 3-minute EEG before the session.
  • Device: Sham
    Active sham stimulation with 60- second -tACS will be applied , then ramp down, and be reintroduced in the last 30 seconds to minimize awareness of the experimental condition
  • Device: transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS)
    Participants will still get stimulation, but at random frequencies between 1 and 200 Hz (instead of targeted alpha waves).
Experimental
Sham then tACS then tRNS
  • Device: transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS)
    Participants will get a personalized brain stimulation: a 2 milliampere (mA) oscillating current that matches their natural alpha brain wave frequency (8-12 Hz), determined by a quick 3-minute EEG before the session.
  • Device: Sham
    Active sham stimulation with 60- second -tACS will be applied , then ramp down, and be reintroduced in the last 30 seconds to minimize awareness of the experimental condition
  • Device: transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS)
    Participants will still get stimulation, but at random frequencies between 1 and 200 Hz (instead of targeted alpha waves).

Recruiting Locations

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Houston 4699066, Texas 4736286 77030
Contact:
Wen Li, PhD
(713) 486-2700
Wen.Li.1@uth.tmc.edu

More Details

Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

Study Contact

Wen Li, PhD
(713) 486-2700
Wen.Li.1@uth.tmc.edu