This study evaluates the effects of a novel neurofeedback treatment on pain specific brainwaves in adults. Chronic pain patients enrolled in this study will be randomized into a treatment group and a sham group.
Recent research has underlined that central nervous system structures play a key role in the development of pain with significant maladaptive plasticity occurring in several brain areas. Non-pharmacological treatments, such as neurofeedback, are designed to restore normal brain function alongside with relieving pain symptoms. With a neurofeedback approach, the patient is provided with a feedback on specific brain waves recorded using non-invasive recording techniques (electroencephalography - EEG) and visualized on a screen.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
32
The patients will receive neurofeedback on pain related brain-activity, and through training, learn to control said brain-activity.
The patients will receive sham neurofeedback on non-pain related brain-activity, and through training, learn to control said brain-activity.
Center For Sensory-Motor Interaction
Aalborg, Denmark
RECRUITINGVisual Analogue Scale (VAS)
Numerical pain scale ranging from 0 being no pain to 10 being worst imaginable pain (significant change in VAS score will be set to 1 at P = 0.05)
Time frame: Up to three months
Electroencephalographic (EEG) measurement. International 10-20 electrode placement with 10 channels placed on the contralateral hemisphere to the dominant limb being tested.
Quantitative brain activity analysis to provide the subject with real-time feedback of their brain activity. The neurofeedback group will receive feedback on alpha brainwave power and learn to control this, while the sham group will receive feedback on non-pain related brain activity.
Time frame: Up to three months
Electromyographic (EMG) measurement.
EMG electrodes will be applied to the Extensor Carpi Radials Brevis (ECRB) muscle, to provide movement temporal features for EEG extraction.
Time frame: Up to three months
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