Is Nociceptive Processing Evoked by Heat Homeostatically Regulated: A Contact-heat Evoked Potentials Study

NCT ID: NCT06197529

Last Updated: 2024-05-16

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

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

18 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2023-11-21

Study Completion Date

2024-03-04

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

Homeostatic plasticity is a mechanism that stabilizes neuronal activity to prevent excessive nervous system excitability. This mechanism can be investigated in humans by applying two blocks of non-invasive brain stimulation, such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).

In healthy subjects, homeostatic plasticity induction over the primary motor cortex increases the amplitude of motor-evoked potentials after the first block of excitatory tDCS, which then decreases after the second block of excitatory tDCS. However, this mechanism is impaired in chronic and experimental pain, demonstrated by an increase in excitability instead of a reversal.

The role of homeostatic plasticity mechanisms in pain is yet to be unraveled, but homeostatic plasticity may hold an important role in pain development or persistence.

Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate if the cortical nociceptive response reflected by contact heat stimulation (CHEPs) is regulated by homeostatic mechanisms. For this, homeostatic plasticity will be induced in both the primary motor (M1) and sensory cortices (S1). The first research question will explore if the contact heat evoked potentials are homeostatically regulated and if this regulation is occurring locally or globally in the cortex. Additionally, it will be investigated if and how capsaicin-induced nociception interacts and effects the homeostatic response as reflected by CHEPs.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

Randomized, cross-over study of four sessions

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Healthy

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

CROSSOVER

Primary Study Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Participants

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

S1 Homeostatic Plasticity-Pain

Anodal tDCS CP3 1mA FP2 -1mA

4x4 patch on the dorsum of the hand

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Homeostatic Plasticity

Intervention Type OTHER

Anodal tDCS S1/M1

Topical alone (Capsaicin 8% Patch)

Intervention Type DRUG

4x4 patch

S1 Homeostatic Plasticity-NoPain

Anodal tDCS C3 1mA FP2 -1mA

4x4 patch on the dorsum of the hand

Group Type PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Homeostatic Plasticity

Intervention Type OTHER

Anodal tDCS S1/M1

Placebo Patch

Intervention Type OTHER

4x4 patch

S1 Homeostatic Plasticity-Sham

Sham tDCS C3 FP2

4x4 patch on the dorsum of the hand

Group Type SHAM_COMPARATOR

Placebo Patch

Intervention Type OTHER

4x4 patch

Homeostatic Plasticity (Sham)

Intervention Type OTHER

sham Homeostatic Plasticity protocol over S1

M1 Homeostatic Plasticity

Anodal tDCS C3 1mA FP2 -1mA

4x4 patch on the dorsum of the hand

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Homeostatic Plasticity

Intervention Type OTHER

Anodal tDCS S1/M1

Placebo Patch

Intervention Type OTHER

4x4 patch

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Homeostatic Plasticity

Anodal tDCS S1/M1

Intervention Type OTHER

Topical alone (Capsaicin 8% Patch)

4x4 patch

Intervention Type DRUG

Placebo Patch

4x4 patch

Intervention Type OTHER

Homeostatic Plasticity (Sham)

sham Homeostatic Plasticity protocol over S1

Intervention Type OTHER

Other Intervention Names

Discover alternative or legacy names that may be used to describe the listed interventions across different sources.

Qutenza Capsaicin (8%)

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Healthy right-handed men and women aged 18-60 years
* Speak, read, and understand English or Danish

Exclusion Criteria

* Pregnant, breastfeeding, or women in childbearing age not using contraceptive methods
* Regular use of cannabis, opioids or other drugs (except contraceptives)
* Current or previous neurologic, musculoskeletal, mental, or other illnesses (e.g. brain or spinal cord injuries, degenerative neurological disorders, epilepsy, major depression, cardiovascular disease, chronic lung disease, etc.)
* Current or previous chronic or recurrent pain condition (other than low back pain in patients recruited for sub-project 6, and this item does not apply to sub-project 8)
* Current regular use of analgesic medication or other medication which may affect the trial (including paracetamol and NSAIDs) For subproject 8, chronic low back pain patients may take analgesic medication provided the dosage is stable
* Open wounds, eczema, scars, or tattoos in the area of the heat stimulation (sub-project 1)
* Lack of ability to cooperate
* Recent history of acute pain particularly in the lower limbs (unless related to low back pain in patients included in sub-project 6 or 8)
* Abnormally disrupted sleep in 24 hours preceding experiment
* Any medical or other condition (i.e. musculoskeletal, cardiorespiratory, neurological, etc.)
* Contraindications to TMS application (history of epilepsy, metal implants in head or jaw, etc.)
* Unable to answer to the "Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Adult Safety Screen" or tDCS screening questionnaire (see Bilag\_v1\_06092021)
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

60 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

Aalborg University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Daniela Montemayor Zolezzi

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Thomas Graven-Nielsen, PhD, DMSc

Role: STUDY_DIRECTOR

Aalborg University

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Aalborg University / Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain

Gistrup, , Denmark

Site Status

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

Denmark

References

Explore related publications, articles, or registry entries linked to this study.

Wittkopf PG, Larsen DB, Gregoret L, Graven-Nielsen T. Prolonged corticomotor homeostatic plasticity - Effects of different protocols and their reliability. Brain Stimul. 2021 Mar-Apr;14(2):327-329. doi: 10.1016/j.brs.2021.01.017. Epub 2021 Jan 24. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 33503491 (View on PubMed)

Wittkopf PG, Larsen DB, Graven-Nielsen T. Protocols for inducing homeostatic plasticity reflected in the corticospinal excitability in healthy human participants: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Neurosci. 2021 Aug;54(4):5444-5461. doi: 10.1111/ejn.15389. Epub 2021 Jul 30.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 34251703 (View on PubMed)

Wittkopf PG, Boye Larsen D, Gregoret L, Graven-Nielsen T. Disrupted Cortical Homeostatic Plasticity Due to Prolonged Capsaicin-induced Pain. Neuroscience. 2023 Nov 21;533:1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.09.011. Epub 2023 Sep 27.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 37774909 (View on PubMed)

Thapa T, Graven-Nielsen T, Schabrun SM. Aberrant plasticity in musculoskeletal pain: a failure of homeostatic control? Exp Brain Res. 2021 Apr;239(4):1317-1326. doi: 10.1007/s00221-021-06062-3. Epub 2021 Feb 26.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 33635391 (View on PubMed)

Thapa T, Graven-Nielsen T, Chipchase LS, Schabrun SM. Disruption of cortical synaptic homeostasis in individuals with chronic low back pain. Clin Neurophysiol. 2018 May;129(5):1090-1096. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2018.01.060. Epub 2018 Feb 9.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29472134 (View on PubMed)

Lejeune N, Petrossova E, Frahm KS, Mouraux A. High-speed heating of the skin using a contact thermode elicits brain responses comparable to CO2 laser-evoked potentials. Clin Neurophysiol. 2023 Feb;146:1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2022.11.008. Epub 2022 Nov 24.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 36473333 (View on PubMed)

Lenoir C, Algoet M, Mouraux A. Deep continuous theta burst stimulation of the operculo-insular cortex selectively affects Adelta-fibre heat pain. J Physiol. 2018 Oct;596(19):4767-4787. doi: 10.1113/JP276359. Epub 2018 Sep 4.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30085357 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

CHEPS-DMZ-CNAP

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.

Vestibular Pain Interactions
NCT02358954 COMPLETED NA