The Role of Brain Dopamine in Chronic Pain (NCT05285683)
The Role of Dopamine in the Central Neural Signature of Chronic Pain
🩺 Plain-English Summary (8th-Grade Level)
Chronic pain is associated with plasticity in the brain limbic system composed mainly of the amygdala, hippocampus, ventral striatum, and cingulate cortex (ACC) /medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). These brain areas, especially the ventral striatum, receive dopaminergic input from the ventral-tegmental area (VTA). Although there is a significant literature now showing that limbic brain tracks chronic pain intensity and predicts the risk of transition from sub-acute to chronic pain, the role of dopaminergic input to the limbic brain and the change thereof which occurs in chronic pain, is still not clear. Given the role of dopamine in motivational control and the loss of motivation associated with chronic pain understanding how dopaminergic transmission is altered in the limbic brain of chronic pain patients is critical to the understanding of the pathophysiology of chronic pain. Therefore, the overall aim of this project is to use brain imaging to study how dopaminergic transmission through the oral administration of pro-dopaminergic medications carbidopa/levodopa (CD/LD) and methylphenidate will modulate the brain signature of chronic pain. Chronic pain subjects will be scanned at baseline (no drug administration) and three times after treatment with the two drugs or placebo. The protocol will follow a randomized double-blind approach.
Who can join: Review the eligibility criteria below.
Location: University of Rochester Medical Center — Rochester, New York
Age range: 18 Years
🧪 Interventions in This Study
📋 "Do I Qualify?" — 1-Minute Self Screener
Instant ChecklistFull eligibility criteria are available on the official NIH protocol. View the criteria ↗
📍 All Participating Trial Locations (1 Sites)
- University of Rochester Medical Center — Rochester, New York
📞 Contact the Study Coordinator
Phone: (585) 275-4424
Email: painlab@urmc.rochester.edu
Coordinator details come directly from the registered NIH protocol. Confirm the study is still recruiting before traveling.
💰 Cost, Insurance & Patient Rights
- 100% Free Items: The investigational treatment and protocol-required procedures are supplied at zero cost by the sponsor.
- Routine Patient Care: Under federal law (ACA § 2709) and many state statutes, routine care costs are covered during participation.
- Voluntary Participation: You may withdraw at any time without affecting your standard medical care.
More studies in Chronic Pain
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- The Effect of Light Therapy on Chronic Pain — Tucson, Arizona
- Jazz Music and Mindfulness for Chronic Pain — Irvine, California
- Improving Pain Management Via Spinal Cord Stimulation and Blood Pressure Reduction — Kansas City, Kansas
- Retrospective PNS Study — Denver, Colorado
Explore by condition: All Chronic Pain clinical trials
💡 How to Participate
- Check the checklist above to see if you may qualify.
- Contact the study coordinator using the phone/email above.
- Ask about the visit schedule, what is covered at no cost, and any travel support.
- Confirm with your own doctor before making a decision.