Patterns of Cerebral Activation to Innocuous and Noxious Heat Stimulations in Neuropathic Pain

NCT00713024 | Unknown DMC

• 1 other identifier: 200712022R
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 150
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Patients with neuropathic pain exhibit hyperalgesia and allodynia. Although both peripheral and central determinants are recognized for the pathophysiological basis of neuropathic pain following peripheral injury, the modulating effect on pain processing in brain by peripheral mechanisms remains elusive. Here, we will systematically compare the sensory symptoms and brain activation to innocuous and noxious thermal stimulation applied to the distal leg, foot dorsum or forearm between patients with peripheral neuropathy and healthy controls. Functional magnetic resonance imaging will be used to define brain activation to somatic stimulation with noxious and innocuous stimuli. The blood-oxygenation-level-dependent signals will be correlated with visual analogue scale scores and sensory and affective components obtained from the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire. Brain activation during thermal stimulation in patients with neuropathic pain will be clarified, and we will also analyze the potential relationships between the topography, quality and intensity of the different painful symptoms (i.e. spontaneous ongoing pain, paroxysmal pain, allodynia, hyperalgesia) and the magnitude and pattern of brain activation during thermal stimulation. This will add in our understanding in the pathophysiology of brain modulation in pain and provide clinically useful message toward the potential therapeutics in the management of neuropathic pain.

Conditions

Neuropathic Pain

Keywords

Pain; Functional neuroimaging; Neuropathy; Thermal sensation

Study Arms (2)

1

Healthy control subjects

2

Patients having neuropathic pain

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 20 Years - 70 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

We will recruit healthy control subjects and patients having neuropathic pain in the current study.

You may qualify if:

• patients having neuropathic pain
• healthy control subjects

You may not qualify if:

• subjects with pacemaker implantation
• patients with neuropsychiatric disorder except neuropathic pain
• subjects with agoraphobia

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Taiwan University Hospital: lead

Study Sites (1)

Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital

Taipei, 100, Taiwan

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Neuralgia; Pain

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Peripheral Nervous System Diseases; Neuromuscular Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

• Sung-Tsang Hsieh, MD, PhD

  Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Central Study Contacts

Sung-Tsang Hsieh, M.D., PhD

CONTACT

886-2-23123456; shsieh@ntu.edu.tw

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 9, 2008
• First Posted: July 11, 2008
• Study Start: January 1, 2008
• Primary Completion: December 1, 2010
• Study Completion: December 1, 2010
• Last Updated: June 29, 2010

Record last verified: 2010-06

Locations

TW (1)