RecruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

Relieving Chronic Pain in Older Adults With Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

This research aims to find out if a special type of gentle brain stimulation, called transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), can help older adults aged 65 and over who live with ongoing, moderate to severe muscle and joint pain. Many older people suffer from chronic pain, and sometimes regular treatments don't work well. This study will compare the real tDCS treatment with a 'dummy' treatment (placebo) to see if the real one reduces pain and improves daily life. Participants will receive short daily sessions for five days, and then their pain levels and how it affects their life will be checked after one week and three months. This helps researchers understand if tDCS is a useful new option for pain relief.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

Université de Sherbrooke

Enrolment target

150

Start

19 Oct 2023

Estimated completion

01 Jun 2025

Pain, Chronic

What is this study about?

This study is looking into a new way to help older adults who experience long-term pain in their muscles and joints. Many people over 65 live with chronic pain that can be moderate to severe, meaning it affects their daily life quite a bit. Sometimes, usual pain treatments don't fully help, so researchers are always looking for safer and more effective alternatives. This study focuses on a technique called transcranial direct current stimulation, or tDCS for short.

tDCS is a gentle, painless, and non-invasive way to stimulate the brain using very small electrical currents. The idea is that by targeting specific areas of the brain involved in pain, it might help to reduce how much pain someone feels. Researchers believe tDCS could be a promising option for pain that hasn't responded to other treatments. This study aims to find out if this treatment is truly effective for older adults, as its benefits haven't been fully confirmed in this age group yet.

The main goal is to compare the real tDCS treatment with a 'dummy' treatment (called a placebo) to see if the real one makes a noticeable difference in pain levels. They will also look at how tDCS affects other important things, like a person's physical abilities, mood, and overall quality of life, which are often impacted by chronic pain.

Key takeaways

Targets long-term muscle and joint pain in older adults.
Investigates a gentle brain stimulation method called tDCS.
Compares real treatment to a 'dummy' treatment (placebo).
Involves short daily sessions for 5 days.
Follow-up checks at 1 week and 3 months.
Aims to understand if tDCS can improve pain and quality of life.

Who may be eligible?

To join this study, you need to be aged 65 or older and have had ongoing pain in your muscles or joints for at least six months. This pain should be moderate to severe, meaning it's rated at 4 out of 10 or higher on a pain scale.

There are some reasons why you might not be able to join. For example, if you have certain medical conditions or devices that stop you from safely having tDCS, TMS (another testing method), or MRI scans. Also, if you take certain medications that affect the brain's messaging systems (specifically GABAergic and glutamatergic drugs), you might not be suitable as these could interfere with the study results.

The researchers will also make sure that taking part won't cause you any harm or make an existing medical condition worse. If you are taking other medications or having other treatments, you can still usually participate, but you'll be asked not to change them during the study unless your doctor advises it. People with epilepsy or seizures are still welcome to join, but the research team will monitor them more closely.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 65 years old or older?
Have you had muscle or joint pain for more than 6 months?
Is your pain rated 4 out of 10 or higher?
Do you have any medical conditions or devices that might prevent safe brain stimulation or scans?
Are you taking any medications that affect brain messaging (GABAergic/glutamatergic drugs)?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part, you'll be assigned by chance (like flipping a coin) to either receive the real tDCS treatment or a 'dummy' treatment (placebo). Neither you, the people giving the treatment, nor the researchers observing will know which group you're in. This helps ensure fair results.

For five days in a row, you'll have a 20-minute session. If you're in the real tDCS group, you'll receive a gentle electrical current during this time. If you're in the placebo group, the current will only run for the first 30 seconds, so it feels similar but without the full treatment. These sessions will take place at one of five rehabilitation clinics in Quebec, Canada.

After your treatment sessions, the researchers will check in with you twice: once about one week later and again after three months. During these check-ups, you'll be asked about your pain intensity (using a 0-10 scale) and complete some questionnaires about how pain affects your daily life, mood, and overall well-being. Some participants might also have extra tests, like brain scans (MRI and TMS), to help understand how the treatment works. The total duration of your active participation, including follow-ups, would be about three months.

Potential risks and benefits

Participating in this study might offer some potential benefits, such as a reduction in your chronic pain and an improvement in your quality of life if the real tDCS treatment proves effective for you. However, there's also a chance you could receive the placebo treatment, which won't offer direct pain relief. Potential risks associated with tDCS are generally mild and temporary, such as a tingling sensation or slight skin irritation at the site of stimulation. The research team will carefully screen you to ensure it's safe for you to participate and will monitor your well-being throughout. You have the right to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without it affecting your medical care.

Locations (3)

Institut universitaire sur la réadaptation en déficience physique de Montréal (IURDPM)
Verified postcode
Montreal, Canada· Recruiting
CHU de Québec-Université Laval
Verified postcode
Québec, Canada· Recruiting
Centre de recherche sur le vieillissement (CdRV)
Verified postcode
Sherbrooke, Canada· Recruiting

Common questions

What is tDCS?

tDCS (transcranial direct current stimulation) is a painless technique that uses a mild electrical current on your scalp to gently stimulate specific areas of your brain that are involved in pain.

Will I know if I'm getting the real treatment?

No, neither you nor the people treating you will know whether you are receiving the real tDCS or the dummy (placebo) treatment. This helps make the study fair.

How long will the treatment sessions be?

Each treatment session will last for 20 minutes, and you'll have one session per day for five consecutive days.

Where does this study take place?

The study takes place in five rehabilitation clinics across three regions in Quebec, Canada.

What kind of pain is this study for?

This study is for long-term (chronic) moderate to severe pain in your muscles and joints.

How to find out more

Marie-Philippe Harvey, Ph. D

marie.philippe.harvey@usherbrooke.ca 819 821-8000 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.