Application of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) in Patients With Chronic Pain After Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal Cord Injury
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Spinal Cord Injury focused on measuring Transcranial direct current stimulation, Spinal cord injury, Chronic pain, Brain excitability
Eligibility Criteria
STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA (similar to the criteria of the Interstitial Cystitis Network)
- Providing informed consent to participate in the study
- 18 to 64 years old
- with traumatic spinal cord injury (complete or incomplete) - for instance, due to fall, car accident or gun shot; (for spinal cord injury only)
- stable chronic pain for at least the three preceding months(for spinal cord injury only)
- score higher or equal to 4cm (0 cm= 'no pain' and 10cm='worst possible pain') on the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain perception at the baseline/start of the treatment(for spinal cord injury only)
- refractoriness to drugs for pain relieve - such as tricyclic antidepressants, antiepileptic drugs and/or narcotics (pain resistant to at least 2 of these drugs supplied in adequate dosages for six months) (for spinal cord injury only)
- pain is not attributable to other causes, such as peripheral inflammation.
- No clinically significant or unstable medical or psychiatric disorder
- No history of substance abuse
- No neuropsychiatric comorbidity
- No implanted devices for pain control, such as vagal or deep brain stimulators
No contraindications to tDCS:
- metal in the head
- implanted brain medical devices
- No pregnancy
- Eligible to MRI according to MRI screening checklist.
- No use of ventilators
Sites / Locations
- Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Experimental
tDCS/Spinal cord injury
tDCS/Healthy subjects
Subjects will be randomized to receive 10 sessions of either active or sham tDCS. Stimulation will be given on consecutive days (Monday- Friday) at 2 mA over the primary motor cortex area.
Subjects will receive 2 sessions of stimulation: one active and one sham tDCS on two separate visits. The order in which they receive the stimulation will be randomized. Stimulation parameters will be at 2 mA for a total of 20 minutes.