Cognitive Training to Enhance Brain Concordance During Acupuncture

NCT ID: NCT06157866

Last Updated: 2025-10-24

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

100 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-02-16

Study Completion Date

2027-06-30

Brief Summary

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This study will evaluate the impact of a novel non-pharmacological multimodal therapy, a type of approach known to improve pain outcomes and recommended by the Institute of Medicine report for chronic pain management. This study design will also allow the investigators to evaluate a neural model supporting therapeutic alliance for pain outcomes for fibromyalgia.

Detailed Description

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The patient-clinician interaction is central to most therapies and is supported by key interpersonal mechanisms of action such as clinician empathy, therapeutic alliance, and trust. However, the neural underpinnings of this effect are mostly unknown. The investigators' recently published study applied functional MRI (fMRI) hyperscanning (i.e. simultaneously neuroimaging chronic pain patients and clinicians in synchronized MRI scanners) demonstrated that brain-to-brain concordance in the temporoparietal junction (TPJ) is up-regulated following a clinical interaction and associated with patient analgesia. Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain disorder in great need of novel therapies. This study will evaluate the impact of a novel multimodal therapy, a type of approach known to improve pain outcomes and recommended by the Institute of Medicine report for chronic pain management. The study design will also allow the investigators to evaluate a neural model supporting therapeutic alliance for pain outcomes for fibromyalgia wherein training and acupuncture will synergistically target a critical therapeutic pathway - i.e., patient-provider alliance, instantiated by TPJ concordance.

Conditions

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Fibromyalgia

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Blinding Strategy

QUADRUPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Cognitive Training

Participants will meet with a pain specialist who will conduct a specific form of cognitive training targeting fibromyalgia.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Electroacupuncture

Intervention Type OTHER

During the treatment sessions the acupuncturist will insert needles in several locations aimed to reduce the patient's fibromyalgia pain. A low-amplitude, sub-sensory electrical current will be activated by the acupuncturist.

Cognitive Training

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Cognitive training with a pain specialist.

Education Training

Participants will meet with a pain specialist to receive education training related to fibromyalgia.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Electroacupuncture

Intervention Type OTHER

During the treatment sessions the acupuncturist will insert needles in several locations aimed to reduce the patient's fibromyalgia pain. A low-amplitude, sub-sensory electrical current will be activated by the acupuncturist.

Education Training

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Education training with a pain specialist.

Interventions

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Electroacupuncture

During the treatment sessions the acupuncturist will insert needles in several locations aimed to reduce the patient's fibromyalgia pain. A low-amplitude, sub-sensory electrical current will be activated by the acupuncturist.

Intervention Type OTHER

Cognitive Training

Cognitive training with a pain specialist.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Education Training

Education training with a pain specialist.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Meet traditional American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for FM as well as the more recent Wolfe et al 2011 criteria
* Are on stable doses of medication for 30 days prior to entering the study and agree not to change medications or dosages during the trial
* Ability to fully understand and consent to study procedures
* Baseline pain intensity of at least 4/10
* Pain duration of at least 6 months

Exclusion Criteria

* Any longer period of work experience involving pain treatment, pain rehabilitation etc.
* Presence of any illness that is judged to interfere with the trial. For example: psychiatric disorder according to the DSM-IV manual
* Presence of any contraindications to fMRI scanning. For example: cardiac pacemaker, metal implants, fear of closed spaces, pregnancy.
* History of significant head injury
* Inability to respond accurately to the pain-relieving intervention in the behavioral part of the experiment, indicating a lack of response to the expectancy manipulation. If the healthy volunteer or clinician is not a responder to the behavioral expectancy induction he or she will be excluded.
* Unwillingness to receive brief experimental pain.
* Leg pain or health issues that may interfere with the study procedures.
* Comorbid acute pain condition
* Comorbid chronic pain condition that is rated by the subject as more painful than fibromyalgia
* Current use of opioid analgesics
* Concurrent inflammatory or autoimmune disease
* Documented peripheral neuropathy
* Pregnant
* Any psychiatric disorder involving a history of psychosis (e. g schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe personality disorders)
* History of anxiety disorders or significant anxiety symptoms interfering with fMRI procedures (e.g., panic)
* Psychiatric hospitalization in the past 6 months
* Unwillingness to withhold from consuming marijuana 12 hours prior to scans
* Unwillingness to withhold from consuming nicotine 4 hours prior to scans
* Any impairment, activity or situation that in the judgment of the Study Coordinator or Principal Investigator would prevent satisfactory completion of the study protocol.
* Is an actual clinical patient of the clinician subject
* Recent history of formal meditation-based training
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

65 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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National Institutes of Health (NIH)

NIH

Sponsor Role collaborator

Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Vitaly Napadow, LICAC, PhD

Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Vitaly Napadow, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

Locations

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Massachusetts General Hospital

Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

Charlestown, Massachusetts, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Brigham and Women's Hospital

Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Seneca Ellis

Role: CONTACT

617-952-6484

Arvina Grahl, PhD

Role: CONTACT

Facility Contacts

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Seneca Ellis

Role: primary

617-952-6484

Lara Gardiner

Role: backup

617-952-6483

Seneca Ellis

Role: primary

617-952-6484

Lara Gardiner

Role: backup

617-952-6483

Seneca Ellis

Role: primary

617-952-6484

Lara Gardiner

Role: backup

617-952-6483

Other Identifiers

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2023P003155

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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