The purpose of this study is to assess thalamocortical (TC) connectivity during tonic pressure pain, to evaluate alpha activity during tonic pressure pain and to determine pressure pain ratings by using Electroencephalography (EEG), Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS), sham and Transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS)
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
60
Participants will get a personalized brain stimulation: a 2 milliampere (mA) oscillating current that matches their natural alpha brain wave frequency (8-12 Hz), determined by a quick 3-minute EEG before the session.
Active sham stimulation with 60- second -tACS will be applied , then ramp down, and be reintroduced in the last 30 seconds to minimize awareness of the experimental condition
Participants will still get stimulation, but at random frequencies between 1 and 200 Hz (instead of targeted alpha waves).
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Houston, Texas, United States
RECRUITINGChange in thalamocortical (TC) connectivity during tonic pressure pain using fMRI
Time frame: pre-stimulation, post-stimulation (about 30 minutes)
Change in alpha activity during tonic pressure pain using EEG
Time frame: pre-stimulation, post-stimulation (about 30 minutes)
Change in pain as assessed by the Visual Analog Scale (VAS)
The VAS is scored from 0 = no pain; 10 = the most intense pain tolerable, higher number indicating more pain
Time frame: pre-stimulation, post-stimulation (about 30 minutes)
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