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Structural White and Gray Matter Correlates of Impaired Muscle Control and Deficient Pain Processing

NCT06143319 · Status: COMPLETED · Type: OBSERVATIONAL · Enrollment: 80

Last updated 2023-11-22

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Although the cause of persistent non-specific low back pain (LBP) remains unknown, structural and functional alterations of the brain, alterations in the lumbar muscles and dysfunction of the central nervous system have been proposed as underlying mechanisms. In this case-control study, 1) brain structure/function, 2) lumbar muscle function and 3) central pain processing are compared across four groups: 1) healthy participants, 2) recurrent LBP (both during pain flare and during pain remission), 3) chronic LBP and 4) fibromyalgia. According to previous research, healthy participants and fibromyalgia patients are two extremes of a "musculoskeletal pain continuum". Healthy participants representing one extreme of the continuum with no pain and fibromyalgia representing the other extreme of the continuum with chronic widespread pain. It is thought that different LBP populations (i.e. (sub)acute, recurrent, chronic LBP) float between the aforementioned extremes. Past studies already highlighted the need for studies comparing the pathophysiological mechanisms for different pain syndromes to identify common underlying mechanisms across pain syndromes. For this reason, the goal of the current study is to compare alterations in brain structure/function, alterations in lumbar muscle function and alterations in central pain processing across the aforementioned "musculoskeletal pain continuum". It is hypothesized that longer duration of pain (recurrent vs chronic) and the extensiveness of the pain (one location vs widespread pain) are associated with more pronounced alterations in 1) brain structure/function, 2) lumbar muscle function and 3) central pain processing.

Conditions

  • Low Back Pain
  • Low Back Pain, Recurrent
  • Low Back Pain, Chronic
  • Healthy Volunteers
  • Fibromyalgia

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Fund for Scientific Research, Flanders, Belgium

    collaborator OTHER

  • University Ghent

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Jessica Oosterwijck, Prof · Ghent University, Pain in Motion

  • Lieven Danneels, Prof · University Ghent

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
45 Years
Sex
FEMALE
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2015-10-01
Primary Completion
2021-10-30
Completion
2021-10-30

Countries

  • Belgium

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT06143319 on ClinicalTrials.gov