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First, we investigated whether the exposure to different visual feedback conditions may modulate pain perception by means of visual induced analgesia in patients with chronic migraine. Second, to comprehend the way emotional face expressions could induce visual analgesia, we evaluated the degree of identification with the four experimental conditions.
Learn More >Headache is a frequent symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Its long-term evolution remains unknown. We aim to evaluate the long-term duration of headache in patients that presented headache during the acute phase of COVID-19.
Learn More >We aim to compare the clinical characteristics, disease course and visual outcomes between Canadian patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) who were incidentally discovered and those who sought care due to symptoms of IIH.
Learn More >To identify genetic factors predisposing to migraine-epilepsy phenotype utilizing a multi-generational family with known linkage to chr12q24.2-q24.3.
Learn More >Aflapin, also known as AprèsFlex was developed as an enhanced bioavailable extract of gum resin, standardized to 20% 3-O-acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial confirms the efficacy of Aflapin in ameliorating the symptoms of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee.
Learn More >OnabotulinumtoxinA (BoNTA) demonstrated a positive benefit-risk in chronic migraine (CM) patients in PREEMPT I and II phase III trials and many subsequent real-world studies. We herein aimed at evaluating the adherence to repeated BoNTA over a period of five years, while secondary objectives included the assessment of its long-term safety/efficacy and patients' satisfaction to treatment.
Learn More >Attribute framing presents an ethically sound approach for reducing adverse nocebo effects. In past studies, however, attribute framing has not always decreased nocebo effects. The present study used a sham tDCS procedure to induce nocebo headaches to explore factors that may contribute to the efficacy of attribute framing. Participants (N = 174) were randomized to one of three between-subject conditions: a no-headache instruction (control) condition and two conditions in which headaches were described as either 70% likely (negative framing) to occur or 30% unlikely (positive framing) to occur. Results revealed nocebo headaches in both framing conditions, as compared to the control condition. Attribute framing did not influence headache measures recorded during the sham tDCS task, but framing did have a modest influence on one of two headache items completed after the task. Results suggest that attribute framing could have a stronger influence on delayed nocebo effect measures or retrospective symptom reports; a finding that may explain inconsistencies in the existing framing-nocebo effect literature. Exploratory analyses also revealed that low negative affect was associated with stronger nocebo and attribute framing effects, although these effects were found on only a few headache measures. It is concluded that researchers should further investigate the influence of attribute framing on nocebo headaches as a function of both timing and emotional factors.
Learn More >Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) with head-mounted displays (HMD) can be a promising tool for increasing adherence to exercise in older adults. However, there is little known about the effectiveness of an interactive multimodal therapy in VR for older chronic back pain (CBP) patients. The aim of the exploratory randomized controlled trial was to examine the preliminary effectiveness of a VR multimodal therapy for older adults with CBP in a laboratory setting over a period of four weeks. The intervention group (IG; = 11) received a multimodal pain therapy in VR (movement therapy and psychoeducation) and the control group (CG; = 11) received a conventional multimodal pain therapy (chair-based group exercises and psychoeducation in a group setting). Although the VR therapy (IG) did not reach the pain intensity reduction of the CG (IG: MD = 0.64, = .535; CG: MD = 1.64, = .07), both groups showed a reduction in pain intensity on the Numeric Rating Scale. The functional capacity in the IG improved from Visit 1, = 73.11% to Visit 2, = 81.82% (MD = 8.71%; = .026). In the changes of fear avoidance beliefs and general physical and mental health, no significance was achieved in either group. Although the IG did not reach a significant pain intensity reduction compared to the CG, the results of the present study showed that a pain intensity reduction can be achieved with the current VR application.
Learn More >Activation of microglia in the spinal cord following peripheral nerve injury is critical for the development of long-lasting pain hypersensitivity. However, it remains unclear whether distinct microglia subpopulations or states contribute to different stages of pain development and maintenance. Using single-cell RNA-sequencing, we show that peripheral nerve injury induces the generation of a male-specific inflammatory microglia subtype, and demonstrate increased proliferation of microglia in male as compared to female mice. We also show time- and sex-specific transcriptional changes in different microglial subpopulations following peripheral nerve injury. Apolipoprotein E (Apoe) is the top upregulated gene in spinal cord microglia at chronic time points after peripheral nerve injury in mice. Furthermore, polymorphisms in the APOE gene in humans are associated with chronic pain. Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis of human spinal cord microglia reveals a subpopulation with a disease-related transcriptional signature. Our data provide a detailed analysis of transcriptional states of mouse and human spinal cord microglia, and identify a link between ApoE and chronic pain in humans.
Learn More >Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) at 10 kHz (10-kHz SCS) is a safe and effective therapy for treatment of chronic low-back pain. However, it is unclear from existing evidence whether these findings can be generalized to patients with chronic back pain that is refractory to conventional medical management (CMM) and who have no history of spine surgery and are not acceptable candidates for spine surgery. The authors have termed this condition "nonsurgical refractory back pain" (NSRBP) and conducted a multicenter, randomized controlled trial to compare CMM with and without 10-kHz SCS in this population.
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