Understanding how central pain affects treatment for jaw pain disorders.
Mechanistic Characterization of Pain in Temporomandibular Disorders: Does Pain Centralization Influence Responsiveness to Peripherally Targeted Treatments?
This study is looking at how certain types of jaw and face pain, especially in women, might come from the brain instead of just from injury, and it aims to find better ways to help those who might not get relief from regular treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-10442745 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research investigates temporomandibular disorders (TMD), which cause persistent pain in the jaw and face, particularly in women. It aims to understand how pain centralization—where pain is generated by the central nervous system rather than peripheral damage—affects treatment outcomes. The study will use advanced imaging techniques and sensory testing to identify patients with centralized pain and assess their brain function and structure. By doing so, it hopes to improve the identification of patients who may not respond well to traditional peripheral treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are individuals experiencing chronic jaw pain, particularly women, who may have TMD with unclear peripheral damage.
Not a fit: Patients with TMD who have clear signs of peripheral damage or those who do not experience chronic pain may not benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective treatment strategies for patients suffering from TMD by identifying those who would benefit from different therapeutic approaches.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown success in identifying centralized pain mechanisms in other chronic pain conditions, suggesting that this approach may also be effective for TMD.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Harper, Daniel Elliott — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Harper, Daniel Elliott
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.