ACTIVE STUDIES
"Pain-related Brain Mechanisms for Pain Catastrophizing Behavior in Response to Home-based Mindfulness-based Meditation Paired with Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation" (NIH/NINR 3R01NR019051-03S1)
The long-term goal of this mechanism of action-focused supplement project is to develop a comprehensive understanding of how patients exert neural control over pain-related behaviors, leading to reductions in clinical pain and improved health outcomes for older adults using home-based nonpharmacological pain management approaches. Based on a behavioral activation and inhibition systems model of pain that explains pain-related behavior, this study will assess underlying brain mechanisms explaining pain catastrophizing behavior change following home-based nonpharmacological pain interventions in older adults with knee osteoarthritis (OA).
“Home-based Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Mindfulness-Meditation for Older Adults with Knee Osteoarthritis” (NIH/NINR 1R01NR019051)
The purpose of this research study is to assess the effect of a two-week self-transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and mindfulness-based meditation (MBM) on pain in older adults with knee osteoarthritis. tDCS involves electrodes providing a very weak electrical current to the scalp to help activate areas of the brain. Potential participants will be screened by phone for eligibility. We expect the volunteers will be in this research study for four months, including three visits to our study center and 10 daily 20-minutes self tDCS and meditation sessions at one’s home over a 2-week period.
“Home-based Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Pain Management in Persons with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias” (NIH/NINR 3R15NR018050-01A1S1)
The purpose of this research study is to assess the effect of a home-based transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on pain in persons with Alzheimer’s disease and Related Dementias. We expect the volunteers will be in this research study for four months, including two visits to our study center and 5 daily 20-minutes self tDCS sessions at one’s home over a 1-week period.
“Self-Administered Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Pain in Older Adults with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Phase II Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial” (NIH/NINR 1R15NR018050-01A1)
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of self-administered, remotely supervised self-administered tDCS at home in 120 older adults with knee OA pain using an experimenter- and participant-blinded, randomized, sham-controlled, phase II parallel group (1:1 for two groups) design.