This exploratory study proposal is the first pilot brain imaging study to determine if Tai Chi can modulate brain resting state functional connectivity (rsFC) and brain morphometry among fibromyalgia (FM) patients and healthy controls.
Twenty-four FM patients and 24 age matched healthy control will be recruited. All FM patients will undergo Tai Chi intervention twice weekly for 12 weeks of practice. fMRI resting state and brain structure data will be collected before and after treatment. For the healthy control group, the fMRI and structure data will only be collected once, contemporaneous with the 12 week scan for the fibromyalgia patients. The primary outcome will be rsFC of rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC), a key region in descending pain modulatory system (DPMS). The secondary outcome include change of the cortical thickness changes, fibromyalgia symptom severity, widespread pain index, depression, stress/anxiety, sleep quality, and quality of life. Covariates include age, gender, body mass index, disease duration, depression, and comorbidities. Clinical outcome measurements will be collected at baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention for the fibromyalgia cohort and at a single visit for the healthy controls. The Tai Chi classes will be taught at Tufts Medical Center and the fMRI scans will be performed at Massachusetts General Hospital Martinos Center. The project will advance science in the field of mind-body medicine for chronic pain management, both mechanistically and clinically.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
55
Each Tai Chi session will last 60 minutes and will continue twice a week for 12 weeks. Our instructors, who have extensive experience conducting Tai Chi training programs, will follow the standardized Tai Chi protocol. We will also provide the participants with printed materials on FM and the Tai Chi Mind-Body program, including Tai Chi principles, practicing techniques, and safety precautions for participants with FM
Tufts Medical Center
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Brain Resting State Functional Connectivity as measured by fMRI
rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC), a key region in descending pain modulatory system (DPMS)
Time frame: Modulation of impaired rsFC and brain structure at 12 weeks
Cortical Thickness as measured by fMRI
Time frame: Baseline and 12-week
Fibromyalgia Symptom Severity as measured by FIQR Questionnaire
FIQR
Time frame: Baseline, weekly, and 12-week
Widespread Pain Index as measured by Clinical Diagnostic Criteria for Fibromyalgia Questionnaire
Clinical Diagnostic Criteria for Fibromyalgia
Time frame: Baseline and 12-week
Depression as measured by BECK-II Questionnaire
BECK-II
Time frame: Baseline and 12-week
Stress/Anxiety as measured by Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale
Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale
Time frame: Baseline and 12-week
Sleep Quality as measured by PSQI Questionnaire
PSQI
Time frame: baseline and 12-week
Quality of Life as measured by visual analog scale and SF-36 Questionnaire
VAS, SF-36
Time frame: baseline and 12-week
Mindfulness as measured by Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire
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FFMQ
Time frame: baseline and 12-week
Self-Efficacy as by Chronic Pain and Self Efficacy Questionnaire
Chronic Pain Self Efficacy
Time frame: baseline and 12-week
Quantitative Sensory Testing as measured by an Algometer
Pain threshold
Time frame: baseline and 12-week