Self-regulation of Real-time fMRI Brain Activity in Chronic Pain

Study Purpose

This study aims to explore the usefulness of self-regulation of brain activity in patients with fibromyalgia. Patients will use real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) neurofeedback to observe and regulate their own brain activity while applying mental strategies to reduce fibromyalgia pain. The study consists of 2 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) visits that involve brain neuroimaging for fMRI neurofeedback tasks, as well as 8 weekly intervention sessions with a pain psychologist. Patients will be randomized to either Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Fibromyalgia Education groups.

Recruitment Criteria

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Healthy volunteers are participants who do not have a disease or condition, or related conditions or symptoms

No
Study Type

An interventional clinical study is where participants are assigned to receive one or more interventions (or no intervention) so that researchers can evaluate the effects of the interventions on biomedical or health-related outcomes.


An observational clinical study is where participants identified as belonging to study groups are assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.


Searching Both is inclusive of interventional and observational studies.

Interventional
Eligible Ages 18 Years - 65 Years
Gender All
More Inclusion & Exclusion Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Aged 18-65. 2. Meet the Wolfe et al 2011 research criteria for fibromyalgia for at least one year. 3. On stable doses of medication prior to entering the study and agree not to change medications or dosages (or CAM treatments) during the trial. 4. Baseline pain intensity of at least 4/10 on average and pain report for at least 50% of days. 5. Able to provide written consent and fluent in English.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Comorbid acute pain condition. 2. Comorbid chronic pain condition that is rated by the subject as more painful than fibromyalgia. 3. Stimulant medications for the fatigue associated with sleep apnea or shift work (e.g., modafinil), 4. Pregnant or nursing. 5. Any psychiatric disorder involving a history of psychosis (e. g schizophrenia, severe personality disorders) 6. History of anxiety disorders or significant anxiety symptoms interfering with fMRI procedures (e.g., panic) 7. Contraindication to MRI (e.g., implanted ferrous metal) 8. History of significant head injury (e.g., with substantial loss of consciousness) 9. Psychiatric hospitalization in the past 6 months. 10. Other contraindications to MRI. 11. Participating in other therapeutic trials. 12. Active suicidal ideation. 13. Documented peripheral neuropathy of known cause (e.g diabetic neuropathy, chemotherapy-induced neuropathy, guillain-barre) 14. Routine or daily use of narcotics or substances of abuse. 15. Autoimmune or inflammatory disease (RA, SLE, IBD) that causes pain. 16. Lower Limb Vascular Surgery or Current Lower Limb Vascular Dysfunction. 17. Any impairment, activity or situation that in the judgment of the Study Coordinator or Principal Investigator that would prevent satisfactory completion of the study protocol. This includes unreliable, or inconsistent pain scores as deemed by the principal investigator.

Trial Details

Trial ID:

This trial id was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, providing information on publicly and privately supported clinical studies of human participants with locations in all 50 States and in 196 countries.

NCT07023523
Phase

Phase 1: Studies that emphasize safety and how the drug is metabolized and excreted in humans.

Phase 2: Studies that gather preliminary data on effectiveness (whether the drug works in people who have a certain disease or condition) and additional safety data.

Phase 3: Studies that gather more information about safety and effectiveness by studying different populations and different dosages and by using the drug in combination with other drugs.

Phase 4: Studies occurring after FDA has approved a drug for marketing, efficacy, or optimal use.

N/A
Lead Sponsor

The sponsor is the organization or person who oversees the clinical study and is responsible for analyzing the study data.

Brigham and Women's Hospital
Principal Investigator

The person who is responsible for the scientific and technical direction of the entire clinical study.

Jeungchan Lee, PhD
Principal Investigator Affiliation Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
Agency Class

Category of organization(s) involved as sponsor (and collaborator) supporting the trial.

Other, NIH
Overall Status Not yet recruiting
Countries United States
Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied.

Fibromyalgia
Additional Details

Pain catastrophizing-a negative cognitive and emotional process that involves helplessness, rumination, and magnification of pain complaints-is the most consistent psychosocial factor predicting deleterious outcomes in chronic musculoskeletal pain, including fibromyalgia. We will use real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) neurofeedback as a research probe to elucidate the neurological mechanisms underlying self-regulation of pain catastrophizing in individuals with fibromyalgia. Investigators will recruit patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia. In the baseline magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) visit, participants will complete a fMRI neurofeedback session inside an MRI scanner. Prior to entering the scanner, participants will complete several questionnaires and discuss with the research team the self-regulation strategies they plan to use during the neurofeedback task to modulate fibromyalgia pain. For the neurofeedback, participants will be presented with a visual representation of their brain activity performance so that they can maintain or update their strategy throughout the run. As part of the baseline visit, investigators will also apply moderate pressure pain to the patient's leg in the scanner to see how their brain responds to the experimental pain stimulation. After the baseline visit, participants will be randomly assigned into the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Fibromyalgia Education groups, and they will then attend 8 weekly intervention sessions with a pain psychologist. During the post-intervention MRI visit, participants will complete the same questionnaires and tasks performed at the baseline visit to assess changes in neural mechanisms underlying the self-regulation of fibromyalgia pain and the experience of experimental pain. All outcome measures will be assessed at both baseline and post-intervention visits.

Arms & Interventions

Arms

Experimental: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

8 individual weekly visits with a psychologist for pain-related CBT.

Active Comparator: Disease Education

8 individual weekly visits with a psychologist for fibromyalgia education (this is an active comparator arm, matched for provider contact).

Interventions

Behavioral: - Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Practicing certain cognitive and behavioral pain self-management strategies such as relaxation and changing negative thoughts about pain.

Behavioral: - Disease Education

Providing information about fibromyalgia, including its potential causes and management approaches.

Contact a Trial Team

If you are interested in learning more about this trial, find the trial site nearest to your location and contact the site coordinator via email or phone. We also strongly recommend that you consult with your healthcare provider about the trials that may interest you and refer to our terms of service below.

Boston, Massachusetts

Status

Address

Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging

Boston, Massachusetts, 02129

Site Contact

Soobin Choi

[email protected]

617-952-6742