Spatiotemporal Thalamocortical Alterations Underlie Experimental and Chronic Pain
Spatiotemporal Thalamocortical Alterations Underlie Experimental and Chronic Pain - Phase II
The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston
60 participants
Jun 1, 2025
INTERVENTIONAL
Conditions
Summary
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)
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria2
- Meet the MRI / EEG screening criteria
- Fluent in English
Exclusion Criteria7
- 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)
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Interventions
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.
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
Participants will still get stimulation, but at random frequencies between 1 and 200 Hz (instead of targeted alpha waves).
Locations(1)
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NCT06968689