NCT05161832

Impact of Kinesiophobia on Descending Corticospinal and Bulbospinal Projections

Impact of Kinesiophobia on Descending Corticospinal and Bulbospinal Projections During Experimental Pain : A Randomised Controlled Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 24 (actual)
• Sponsor: Université de Sherbrooke · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Fear of movement (kinesiophobia) is a phenomenon commonly observed in people suffering from chronic pain. The aims of this project are to better understand the neurophysiological basis of this phenomenon, in particular 1) the effect of kinesiophobia (induced by nocebo intervention) on the excitability of corticospinal projections and 2) the association between kinesiophobia and top-down inhibitory mechanisms.

Detailed description

The study will include 44 healthy (pain-free) participants. Corticospinal measurements will be taken before and after the application of capsaicin cream (experimental pain paradigm). The investigators will manipulate kinesiophobia levels (assessed using the Tampa Kinesiophobia Scale) upward by pretending to diagnose a musculoskeletal problem in half of the participants (nocebo ultrasound), and will measure the efficacy of top-down inhibitory mechanisms using a counter-irritation paradigm (thermode and cold pressor test : the subjects will be subjected to 5 thermal stimulations, 7 mechanical stimulations and 1 water bath at 10°C of the hand) and corticospinal parameters using transcranial magnetic stimulation. Together, these results will allow a better understanding of the mechanisms associated with a predictor of pain onset (such as kinesiophobia), by studying its interactions with endogenous pain inhibition systems and the motor system, in order to develop relevant prophylactic treatments.

Conditions

• Kinesiophobia

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Nocebo	Nocebo ultrasound with diagnosis of a fake shoulder cuff injury.
BEHAVIORAL	Placebo	Placebo ultrasound with no diagnosis of injury.

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-01-15
• Primary completion: 2023-07-29
• Completion: 2024-01-29
• First posted: 2021-12-17
• Last updated: 2024-06-05

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Canada