Can Therapy Alter CNS Processing of Chronic Pain: A Longitudinal Study

University of Vermont

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Chronic Pain

Treatments: Behavioral: Therapeutic Interactive Voice Response; Behavioral: Pain Education; Behavioral: NO TIVR; Behavioral: Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT01794988

R01AR059674-03 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether a psycho-therapeutic approach, group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) plus a relapse prevention program, Therapeutic Interactive Voice Response (TIVR), modifies the dysfunctional sensory, emotional, and cognitive neural circuitry associated with chronic pain.

Enrollment: 120 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 75 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• At least 12 months of muscular-skeletal, non-neuropathic pain

Exclusion criteria

• Malignancy causing or influencing chronic pain
• Radiation or chemotherapy, or metastatic cancer of any type
• Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) and/or neuropathic pain
• Neurological disorders such as epilepsy or stroke, or other medical conditions
• Psychiatric disorders
• Opioid medication use for pain management
• Past year history of illicit drug use that can result in altered cognition
• Pregnancy
• Exceeding weight limit of the MRI scanner
• Incompatible implants due to MRI safety
• Awaiting pain related surgical procedure
• Involved in pain-related litigation

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Factorial Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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120 participants in 4 patient groups

Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will undergo 11 weeks of group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and a pre- and post-intervention MRI brain scan.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Pain Education

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants will receive 11 weeks of pain education and a pre- and post-intervention MRI brain scan.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Pain Education

Therapeutic Interactive Voice Response

Experimental group

Description:

Four months of therapeutic interactive voice response (TIVR).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Therapeutic Interactive Voice Response

No TIVR

Active Comparator group

Description:

Control - no intervention

Treatment:

Behavioral: NO TIVR