Phantom Pain: A Therapeutic Trial Using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Data Collection
Nervous System Diseases+8
+ Neurologic Manifestations
+ Pain
Treatment Study
Summary
Study start date: December 1, 1998
Actual date on which the first participant was enrolled.Phantom pain is a chronic painful condition that affects patients with amputations. Treatment for phantom pain is often disappointing. In amputees, hyperexcitability of the posterior parietal cortex area (PPC) contralateral to the side of the amputation has been linked with the presence of phantom sensations. PPC is an area overactive in different forms of chronic pain too. It is therefore conceivable that downregulation of activity in PPC could improve phantom limb pain, a condition poorly responsive to available treatments. We have previously demonstrated that low frequency TMS (1 Hz) results in decreased excitability of the stimulated cortical regions. We plan to apply low-frequency TMS to PPC cortical areas contralateral to the side of the amputated limb. We expect that this intervention will result in amelioration of the phantom pain. Stimulation of the PPC area (target intervention) will be compared with a control intervention in which TMS is directed slightly away from the head.
Protocol
This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.20 patients to be enrolled
Total number of participants that the clinical trial aims to recruit.Treatment Study
Eligibility
Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria: person's general health condition or prior treatments.Any sex
Biological sex of participants that are eligible to enroll.Healthy volunteers not allowed
If individuals who are healthy and do not have the condition being studied can participate.Conditions
Pathology
Criteria
Patients must be between 18 and 65 years of age. Patients must have amputations and phantom pain for at least 12 months. Patient's pain should be at least moderate and be present at least 8 hours per day or severe lasting for at least 2 hours per day. Patients must not have had a previous stroke or brain lesions. Patients must not have severe depression, poor motivational capacity. Patients must not have serious cognitive deficits (defined as equivalent to a mini-mental state exam score of 20 or less). Patients must not have severe uncontrolled medical problems (e.g. cardiovascular disease, any kind of end-stage pulmonary or cardiovascular disease, or epilepsy). Patients must not have a personal history of seizures or other neurological disorders. Women must not be pregnant. Patients must not have severe coronary disease. Patients must not have metal in the cranium except mouth. Patients must not have intracardiac lines. Patients must not have increased intracranial pressure as evaluated by clinical means. Patients must not have cardiac pacemakers. Patients must not be taking neuroleptics.
Study Centers
These are the hospitals, clinics, or research facilities where the trial is being conducted. You can find the location closest to you and its status.This study has 1 location
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Bethesda, United StatesOpen National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) in Google Maps