Neural and Psychological Mechanisms of Pain Perception

Part of paid clinical trials in Bethesda, Maryland.

Sponsor
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
Study ID
NCT02446262
Status
Recruiting
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Conditions

  • Healthy Volunteers
  • Normal Physiology
  • Pain

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
18 Years - 50 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Accepted

Interventions

  • Instructions — BEHAVIORAL
    In sub-study 1, half the participants are instructed about outcomes, half learn through experience.
  • Attention — BEHAVIORAL
    In sub-study 4, participants learn about outcomes and we manipulate attention toward or away from the pain.
  • Thermal Pain — BEHAVIORAL
    In sub-studies 2 and 3, participants are exposed to thermal stimuli and/or tastants (sugar water, salt water, neutral rinse) and we are measuring how learning varies based on the type of outcome.
  • Placebo instructions — BEHAVIORAL
    In sub-study 5, we test whether placebo effects and expectancy cues modulate pain through similar mechanisms.

Study Details

Background: \- Painful stimuli cause changes in a network of brain regions called the "Pain Matrix." But most of these regions respond to many other stimuli, not just pain. Researchers want to understand how different factors influence pain. They want to test what happens when people expect different levels of pain and receive treatments that can modify pain. They want to see if these factors influence decisions about pain and how the body responds to it. They also want to compare pain with responses like taste and vision. Objectives: \- To better understand how pain and emotions are processed and influenced by psychological factors. Eligibility: \- Healthy volunteers ages 18-50. Design: * This study requires 1 to 2 clinic visits that last 1 to 3 hours. * Participants will be screened with medical history and physical exam. * Some participants will have one or more magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of their brain. For MRI, participants will lie on a table that slides in and out of a cylinder. The scanner makes loud knocking noises. They will get earplugs. * Participants' heart activity will be recorded with electrocardiogram. Their pulse, sweating, and breathing will be monitored. * Some participants will take a taste test. Others may perform simple tasks. Others may receive pain in their arm, leg, or hand. The pain will come from heat or electric shocks. Others may judge pain using a topical pain-relieving cream. Some of these tests may be given during MRI. * Participants will fill out questionnaires. * The study will last 3 years.

Key Dates

Start date
Jun 11, 2015
Status verified
May 2026
Primary completion
Feb 20, 2027
Completion
Feb 20, 2027

Study Design

Enrollment
550 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
OTHER

Arms

  • Other: Substudy 1: Instructed subjects
    Participants are instructed about outcomes
  • Other: Substudy 1: Uninstructed subjects
    Participants learn through experience
  • Other: Substudy 2: heat group
    Participants learn about heat outcomes through conditioning
  • Other: Substudy 2: salt group
    Participants learn about salt outcomes through conditioning
  • Other: Substudy 2: sugar group
    Participants learn about sugar outcomes through conditioning
  • No Intervention: Substudy 3: healthy volunteers
    All participants experience all outcomes, within subjects designs
  • Other: Substudy 4: healthy volunteers
    Participants are instructed to attend toward or away from the stimulus
  • Other: Substudy 5: healthy volunteers
    Participants experience both placebo and cue-based expectations within subjects

Primary Outcome Measure

Physiological responses (heart rate, skin conductance, respiration, pupil dilation, eye gaze position) [ Time Frame: During the study visit in response to painful and non-painful stimuli. ]

Central Contacts

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
National Institutes of Health Clinical CenterBethesdaMaryland20892
For more information at the NIH Clinical Center contact Office of Patient Recruitment (OPR)
[email protected]
800-411-1222

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