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Neurophysiological Effects on tPCS and tDCS on Healthy Subjects and on Patients With Chronic Visceral Pain

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Pancreatitis
Pelvic Pain
Visceral Pain
Interventions
Device: Active tPCS
Device: Active tDCS
Device: Sham tPCS
Device: Sham tDCS
Registration Number
NCT02497196
Lead Sponsor
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
Brief Summary

This study investigates comparing the effects of transcranial Pulsed Current Stimulation and transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) (Soterix ©) and their combination on neurophysiological outcomes on healthy subjects as well as on the clinical population for chronic visceral pain. The study also aims to evaluate the effects of these techniques on pain thresholds in healthy subjects as well as for chronic visceral pain patients.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
54
Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
FACTORIAL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Part 1: Active tPCS, Sham tDCSActive tPCS12 out of the 48 total health subjects will receive active tPCS and sham tDCS. This will be done for 20 minutes simultaneously.
Part 1:Sham tPCS, Active tDCSActive tDCS12 out of the 48 total health subjects will receive sham tPCS and active tDCS. This will be done for 20 minutes simultaneously.
Part 1:Sham tPCS, Active tDCSSham tPCS12 out of the 48 total health subjects will receive sham tPCS and active tDCS. This will be done for 20 minutes simultaneously.
Part 1: Sham tDCS, Sham tDCSSham tPCS12 out of the 48 total health subjects will receive sham tPCS and sham tDCS. This will be done for 20 minutes simultaneously.
Part 2: Active tPCS/Sham tDCSActive tPCSPart 2 will run as a four-period crossover design, where all chronic visceral pain subjects (18 total) will be receiving all (4) possible combinations of tDCS and tPCS interventions (active or sham) at the end of the experiment in a random, consecutive way. This represents the combination of receiving active tPCS and sham tDCS (1/4 combinations all subjects will receive).
Part 2: Sham tPCS/Active tDCSActive tDCSPart 2 will run as a four-period crossover design, where all chronic visceral pain subjects (18 total) will be receiving all (4) possible combinations of tDCS and tPCS interventions (active or sham) at the end of the experiment in a random, consecutive way. This represents the combination of receiving sham tPCS and active tDCS (1/4 combinations all subjects will receive).
Part 1:Active tPCS, Active tDCSActive tPCS12 out of the 48 total health subjects will receive active tPCS and active tDCS. This will be done for 20 minutes simultaneously.
Part 1:Active tPCS, Active tDCSActive tDCS12 out of the 48 total health subjects will receive active tPCS and active tDCS. This will be done for 20 minutes simultaneously.
Part 1: Active tPCS, Sham tDCSSham tDCS12 out of the 48 total health subjects will receive active tPCS and sham tDCS. This will be done for 20 minutes simultaneously.
Part 2: Active tPCS/Active tDCSActive tPCSPart 2 will run as a four-period crossover design, where all chronic visceral pain subjects (18 total) will be receiving all (4) possible combinations of tDCS and tPCS interventions (active or sham) at the end of the experiment in a random, consecutive way. This represents the combination of receiving active tPCS and active tDCS (1/4 combinations all subjects will receive).
Part 1: Sham tDCS, Sham tDCSSham tDCS12 out of the 48 total health subjects will receive sham tPCS and sham tDCS. This will be done for 20 minutes simultaneously.
Part 2: Active tPCS/Active tDCSActive tDCSPart 2 will run as a four-period crossover design, where all chronic visceral pain subjects (18 total) will be receiving all (4) possible combinations of tDCS and tPCS interventions (active or sham) at the end of the experiment in a random, consecutive way. This represents the combination of receiving active tPCS and active tDCS (1/4 combinations all subjects will receive).
Part 2: Active tPCS/Sham tDCSSham tDCSPart 2 will run as a four-period crossover design, where all chronic visceral pain subjects (18 total) will be receiving all (4) possible combinations of tDCS and tPCS interventions (active or sham) at the end of the experiment in a random, consecutive way. This represents the combination of receiving active tPCS and sham tDCS (1/4 combinations all subjects will receive).
Part 2: Sham tPCS/Active tDCSSham tPCSPart 2 will run as a four-period crossover design, where all chronic visceral pain subjects (18 total) will be receiving all (4) possible combinations of tDCS and tPCS interventions (active or sham) at the end of the experiment in a random, consecutive way. This represents the combination of receiving sham tPCS and active tDCS (1/4 combinations all subjects will receive).
2: Sham tPCS/Sham tDCSSham tPCSPart 2 will run as a four-period crossover design, where all chronic visceral pain subjects (18 total) will be receiving all (4) possible combinations of tDCS and tPCS interventions (active or sham) at the end of the experiment in a random, consecutive way. This represents the combination of receiving sham tPCS and sham tDCS (1/4 combinations all subjects will receive).
2: Sham tPCS/Sham tDCSSham tDCSPart 2 will run as a four-period crossover design, where all chronic visceral pain subjects (18 total) will be receiving all (4) possible combinations of tDCS and tPCS interventions (active or sham) at the end of the experiment in a random, consecutive way. This represents the combination of receiving sham tPCS and sham tDCS (1/4 combinations all subjects will receive).
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Signal Coherence and EEG power as measured Quantitative Electroencephalographic Analysis (qEEG):For the healthy subjects during their 1-time study visit; For visceral pain patients, it will be measured over the course of about 3 weeks

The EEG test is performed to measure the electrical activity in the brain and to examine the dynamic changes.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Depression level as measured Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)Done for both healthy and visceral pain subjects during screening (first study visit)

A 21-item, multiple-choice questionnaire will be administered at the beginning of the study to all subjects to assess the presence and degree of depression in adults, as studies in chronic pain have found that depression can modulate pain perception.

Effectiveness of blinding as measured by the tPCS and tDCS Blinding QuestionnaireFor the healthy subjects during their 1-time study visit; For visceral pain subjects, it will be measured over the course of about 3 weeks

After the stimulation session, subjects will complete a questionnaire to determine if the blinding methods were effective. A 30s sham montage is used,which is consistent with other trials, keeping the device on the subject for the duration of the session.

Side-effects from stimulation as measured by the tDCS and tPCS Side Effects QuestionnaireFor the healthy subjects during their 1-time study visit; For visceral pain subjects, it will be measured over the course of about 3 weeks

At the end of each stimulation session, subjects will complete a questionnaire to evaluate potential side effects of stimulation (headache, neck pain, mood alterations, and seizures) on a 5-point scale. Subjects will be asked whether they have experienced any side effects in open-ended questions. They will also be specifically asked about headache, neck pain, scalp pain, scalp burns, tingling, skin redness, sleepiness, trouble concentrating, and acute mood change. If any side effects are reported, the degree of relatedness to the intervention will be assessed.This assessment identifies adverse effects using open-ended questions.

Pain levels and medication intake as measured Pain/Medication DiaryOnly done for visceral pain subjects; it will be measured over the course of about 3 weeks

To monitor pain levels, as well as safety, patients with chronic visceral pain will keep a diary listing their daily medications and pain levels when not at the laboratory.

Sensitivity of Filaments as measured by Von Frey assessmentOnly done for visceral pain subjects; it will be measured over the course of about 3 weeks.

This assessment will be performed before and after every intervention on a patient with pain. Mechanical perception and pain threshold will be tested on the painful region and on other non-painful area Von Frey monofilaments (0.4 g to 50 g) (these are fine filaments that can test a subject's perception threshold when they are applied to the body surface). Monofilament application will be applied to the painful region and a non painful region on the same side of the body (i. e. left or right). The hairs will be applied until subject perceives the stimulus (perception threshold) and describes it as painful (pain threshold). The threshold will be taken as the lowest force that causes pain perception in the affected and contralateral mirror healthy site.

Mood scores as measured Visual Analog Mood Scale (VAMS)Only done for visceral pain subjects; it will be measured over the course of about 3 weeks

This is a self-reporting assessment in which subjects rate their own emotions, including anxiety, depression, stress, and sleepiness along a 100mm line.

Pressure Values as measured by Pain Pressure Test (PPT) for Conditioned Pain Modulation (CPM)For the healthy subjects during their 1-time study visit; For visceral pain subjects, it will be measured over the course of about 3 weeks

These procedures incorporate a conditioning stimulus (a noxious stimulus that evokes Descending Noxious Inhibitory Control (DNIC) activation) and a test stimulus (a noxious stimulus used to evaluate the analgesic response to the conditioning stimulus- this will be the PPT as determined by an algometer (JTECH medical)). This study will evaluate CPM in healthy subjects as well as in patients with chronic visceral pain using pressure as the test stimulus, and cold water as the conditioning stimulus.

Pain score as measured by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for Pain:Only done for visceral pain subjects; it will be measured over the course of about 3 weeks.

The VAS is a self-reporting test asking subjects to self-measure their pain on a visual scale from zero to ten (i.e., none to unbearable). This will help us monitor changes in subjects' pain levels when they come in for sessions.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Spaulding Rehabilitation Network Research Institute

🇺🇸

Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States

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