Understanding how spinal cord stimulation reduces pain
From Nerve to Brain: Toward a Mechanistic Understanding of Spinal Cord Stimulation in Human Subjects
This study is looking at how spinal cord stimulators can help reduce chronic pain by understanding how they affect nerve activity, and it's for people who are dealing with ongoing pain and want to find better ways to manage it.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-10518516 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research investigates how spinal cord stimulators (SCS) can alleviate chronic pain by examining their effects on nerve excitability. By using advanced techniques like nerve conduction studies and imaging, the study aims to uncover the mechanisms behind pain reduction and develop biomarkers that can help optimize treatment. Patients will be monitored for changes in nerve activity and brain inflammation to better understand how SCS works. The goal is to improve device design and patient selection for more effective pain management.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are individuals suffering from chronic pain conditions who have not responded to conventional treatments.
Not a fit: Patients with acute pain or those who have not been diagnosed with chronic pain conditions may not benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective spinal cord stimulation treatments for chronic pain, enhancing patient quality of life.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown promise in understanding spinal cord stimulation, but this study aims to provide deeper mechanistic insights that are currently less explored.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wainger, Brian Jason — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Wainger, Brian Jason
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.