Spatiotemporal Thalamocortical Alterations Underlie Experimental and Chronic Pain

Part of paid clinical trials in Houston, Texas.

Sponsor
The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston
Study ID
NCT06968689
Status
Recruiting
Apply to this trial

Conditions

  • Pain

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
18 Years - 60 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Accepted

Interventions

  • transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) — DEVICE
    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.
  • Sham — DEVICE
    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
  • transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) — DEVICE
    Participants will still get stimulation, but at random frequencies between 1 and 200 Hz (instead of targeted alpha waves).

Study Details

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)

Key Dates

Start date
Jun 1, 2025
Status verified
Feb 2026
Primary completion
Dec 31, 2027
Completion
Feb 29, 2028

Study Design

Enrollment
60 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE

Arms

  • Experimental: tACS then tRNS then sham
  • Experimental: tACS then sham then tRNS
  • Experimental: tRNS then tACS then sham
  • Experimental: tRNS then sham then tACS
  • Experimental: Sham then tRNS then tACS
  • Experimental: Sham then tACS then tRNS

Primary Outcome Measure

Change in thalamocortical (TC) connectivity during tonic pressure pain using fMRI [ Time Frame: pre-stimulation, post-stimulation (about 30 minutes) ]

Central Contacts

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
The University of Texas Health Science Center at HoustonHoustonTexas77030
Wen Li, PhD
[email protected]
(713) 486-2700
Jada Malveaux
[email protected]
(713) 486-2700

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