Neuro-Feedback for Chronic Pain Project (NFB Project) version 1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Neuro-Feedback for Chronic Pain Project (NFB Project)
IRAS ID
244779
Contact name
Anthony Jones
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Manchester
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
This study investigates the relationship between chronic pain (i.e. pain with symptoms lasting 3 months or longer) and brain activity. Specifically, we wish to know determine how to increase resilience to chronic pain by altering one’s brain activity. Patients will be taught to control their brain activity using neurofeedback, where they are shown informative aspects of their brain activity in real-time in order to learn strategies for controlling that activity.
The goals of this project can be summarised in two steps: 1. identifying the brain signals that accompany pain resilience in chronic pain patients and, 2. testing the effectiveness of neurofeedback in chronic pain treatment in older adults.
We will identify the brain response that accompanies pain resilience, by simulating the chronic pain response in participants using a cold water limb immersion test known as the cold pressor test (CPT), and recording their brain activity using electroencephalography (EEG). Next we will use this information as part of a neurofeedback system, teaching participants to control their own pain resilience-related brain activity while they are receiving a pain stimulus, in order to assess whether this can reduce the levels of pain experienced.REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 2
REC reference
18/NS/0102
Date of REC Opinion
17 Oct 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion