Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and the Development of Ongoing Muscle Pain

Aalborg University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Pain Relief

Treatments: Device: Sham group; Device: Repetitive trancranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) group

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03263884

N-20170041

Details and patient eligibility

About

The main purpose of the study is to assess the mechanisms of repeated sessions of repetitive trancranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) applied on left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on the development of pain in a prolonged muscle pain model.

Full description

This study aims to investigate whether i) rTMS of left DLPFC will reduce the severity and duration of experimentally induced muscle pain when a 5-day course of treatment is given immediately following an initial nerve growth factor (NGF) injection; ii) the analgesic effects of left DLPFC rTMS will be related to an improved cognitive network function as assessed by electroencephalography (EEG).

Enrollment: 30 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 21 to 50 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Healthy men and women
• Speak and understand English.

Exclusion criteria

• Pregnancy
• Drug addiction defined as the use of cannabis, opioids or other drugs
• Previous neurologic, musculoskeletal or mental illnesses
• Lack of ability to cooperate
• History of chronic pain or current acute pain
• Previous experience with rTMS
• Contraindications to rTMS application (history of epilepsy, metal in the head or jaw etc.).
• Failure to pass the "TASS questionnaire" (TASS = Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Adult Safety Screen)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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30 participants in 2 patient groups

Real treatment group

Experimental group

Description:

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is used to stimulate small regions of the brain. During a TMS procedure, a magnetic field generator, or "coil", is placed near the head of the person receiving the treatment. The coil produces small electric currents in the region of the brain just under the coil via electromagnetic induction. The protocol used in this research includes 20 minutes of 10Hz stimulation, 5 seconds on, 10 seconds off, at 110% RMT, for a total of 4000 pulses.

Treatment:

Device: Repetitive trancranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) group

Sham treatment group

Sham Comparator group

Description:

Sham coil is used to mimic the clicking sound of the TMS coil and skin stimulation

Treatment:

Device: Sham group