Neural Mechanisms of Light Driven Analgesia

Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorUniversity of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

About this trial

The goal of this study will be to understand the biological mechanisms that are responsible to light-driven analgesia. Light presented to the retina has been shown to have pain relieving properties in pre-clinical and clinical studies. In this study the investigators will evaluate the functional connectivity between subcortical visual areas and non-image forming brain areas that are involved in pain sensation. The investigators will also evaluate how three colored light stimuli presented to the retina results in changes in whole brain evoked activation patterns in participants with chronic musculoskeletal pain and in healthy controls. The investigators will also assess while brain evoked activation patterns in response to a pressure pain stimulus in the presence of three light stimuli in individuals with chronic musculoskeletal pain and healthy controls.

Eligibility criteria

Qualifiers

Adults ≥18 years of age.

Individuals who do not have any plans for medication or treatment changes for the next 3 months.

Participants must be willing and able to undergo an MRI.

Participants must not be claustrophobic

Disqualifiers

Presence of retinal vision disorders or conditions resulting in vision impairment.

Patient-reported photosensitivity, photophobia, or aversion (as may occur in autoimmune diseases such as systematic lupus erythematosus).

Disorders including uveitis, cataracts, color-blindness, history of seizure disorder.

Plans for analgesic treatment plan changes in next 3 months (surgery, analgesic medication changes, injections, pain procedures, etc).

Trial design

Treatments tested in this trial

  • S-cone modulating visual stimulus
  • Equal Energy White Visual Stimulus
  • Green light visual stimulus (S-OFF)
  • Evoked Pressure Pain Stimulus

Treatment groups

60 Participants
are divided into 1 treatment group

Sponsors and collaborators

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Lead sponsor

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Collaborator