Explosive Synchronization of Brain Network Activity in Chronic Pain
University of Michigan
Summary
This project is being conducted to evaluate the impact of explosive synchronization (ES) and its treatment with non-invasive brain stimulation in fibromyalgia (FM). The study design has three components, however, only 2 aims are enrolling participants. The first part (Aim1) is a cross sectional assessment of brain network explosive synchronization activity, connectivity, and response to pain in healthy controls and age and sex-matched fibromyalgia patients; the third part (Aim 3) is a longitudinal assessment of fibromyalgia patients undergoing one week of sham followed by high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) of the motor cortex (M1) or one week of ES HD-tDCS of a brain region identified from computer modelling (Aim 2).
Description
In the first part healthy controls (25 female/10 males) and fibromyalgia (25 female/10 males) participants that are enrolled in this phase will have 3 visits as well as a run-in observational period (up to a total of 33 days). During this time, participants will complete surveys, as well as have electroencephalograms (EEG) with quantitative sensory testing and functional Magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Hypothesis: FM patients will display greater ES in the brain, compared to pain-free controls when assessed with EEG at rest. Furthermore, patients experiencing increased clinical pain, will…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 19–74 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria For Fibromyalgia Participants: * Satisfy the American College of Rheumatology (2011) survey criteria for the classification of Fibromyalgia (FM). * Continued presence of pain for more than 50% of days for the past month. * Mean recalled pain over the last seven days (7-day recall) greater than or equal to 3 on a 10 centimeter (cm) Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain; 7-day recall * Willing to limit the introduction of any new medications or treatment modalities for control of FM symptoms during the study. * Right-handed. * Able to travel to the study site to receive (HD-tDCS…
Interventions
- Diagnostic TestEEG
EEG with QST (evoked Pain and Visual Stimulation Assessment)
- Diagnostic TestNeuroimaging EEG/fMRI (Aim 1)
This will be done to monitor areas of the brain that are involved in thinking and processing pain. The scanner stimulates the brain to send out signals that will be recorded and analyzed. Additionally, during the MRI the participants brain's electrical activity with will be measured with an EEG machine for part of the MRI. About halfway through the scan, participants will have the EEG equipment removed and then will return to the fMRI scanner for a few additional scans.
- DeviceHD-tDCS treatments
HD-tDCS treatments (5 active and 5 sham)
- DeviceSham HD-tDCS treatments
HD-tDCS treatments (5 active and 5 sham)
- Diagnostic TestNeuroimaging EEG/fMRI (Aim 3)
This will be done to monitor areas of the brain that are involved in thinking and processing pain. The scanner stimulates the brain to send out signals that will be recorded and analyzed. Additionally, during the MRI the participants brain's electrical activity with will be measured with an EEG machine for part of the MRI. About halfway through the scan, participants will have the EEG equipment removed and then (for participants prior to January 2025) will return to the fMRI scanner for a few additional scans.
Location
- University of MichiganAnn Arbor, Michigan