NCT03005691

Central Sensitization in Chronic Whiplash Patients

Central Sensitization in Chronic Whiplash Patients: Metabolite Concentrations in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex and Periacueductal Gray Matter

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 30 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Castilla-La Mancha · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the metabolite concentrations within the anterior cingulate cortex and periaqueductal gray matter predict the intensity and interference of neuropathic pain after the development of chronic whiplash syndrome.

Detailed description

Persistent chronic pain is a common symptom of whiplash leading to reduced quality of life. Little information is available regarding changes in brain processing areas and change in central sensitization to noxious input during the chronic phase of whiplash. Metabolite concentrations in the anterior cingulate cortex and periaqueductal gray matter may be predictors of neuropathic pain and these changes may explain the development of central sensitization in people with chronic whiplash. Until now, there is not any study that show this approach.

Conditions

• Chronic Pain

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
RADIATION	Spectroscopy	Spectroscopy is a noninvasive method to assess brain chemistry. The signal of the hydrogen atom attached to a certain molecule or metabolite has a particular frequency associated with a given metabolite. The utility of Spectroscopy is based on the fact thet the nuclei of atoms have magnetic properties that can be used to obtain chemical information regarding both the type of molecule and it is concentration. The subjects will be scanned on a 3-T Siemens system and an 12-channel phased-array coil will be used to provide an optimum signal-to-noise ratio for spectroscopy data.
OTHER	Questionnaires	Questionnaires are important to assess the chronic pain and their impact in the quality of life. For this reason, we will assess the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), it is used to evaluate the subject's perception of pain severity and its interference. Moreover, we will assess neuropathic pain symptoms with the NPSI to detect paresthesia/dysaesthesia, evoked pain and paroxysmal pain. The catastrophizing score will be measured with the Pain Catastrophizing Helplessness Subscale. Also,we will assess the disability after whiplash using the Neck Disability Index.
PROCEDURE	Conditioned Pain Modulation	Conditioned Pain Modulation over the tenar eminence. The test will be a heat tonic stimulus which evoke a 3-pain intensity. The conditioning stimulus will be a cold water immersion (12ºC)

Timeline

• Start date: 2017-01-01
• Primary completion: 2017-03-01
• Completion: 2017-05-01
• First posted: 2016-12-29
• Last updated: 2016-12-29