Neurofeedback for treatment of pain in subacute spinal cord injury
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Neurofeedback Treatment of Central Neuropathic Pain in Subacute Patients with Spinal Cord Injury
IRAS ID
158021
Contact name
Aleksandra Vuckovic
Contact email
Research summary
Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) affects person’s ability to move and feel sensation from the body. SCI is also an indirect
cause of a persistent pain, called Central Neuropathic Pain (CNP). This pain typically develops several months after
the injury. In 3040%
SCI patients severe CNP affects their everyday living including sleep and mood. Many patients
give up work not because of the injury but because of pain. Medication treatment of CNP is moderately effective and
costly, both to the patient and to the health care system.
In our previous study we defined some characteristic ‘signatures’ of brain waves that are probably related to CNP.
Based on this, we developed and clinically tested on five SCI patients a novel treatment for CNP based on
neurofeedback . We used electroencephalograph (EEG) to record patients’ brain waves and showed them to patients
on the computer screen in a simple graphical form (e.g. bars). We trained patients to change their brain activity at will,
and as a consequence their pain was reduced. Patients who suffered for CNP for years received up to 40
neurofeedback treatment sessions, reducing their pain for several days after each session.
The primary aim of this study is to apply neurofeedback therapy on a larger number of recently injured patients, that are
still in a hospital. We believe that a neurofeedback treatment will be more effective on people who had CNP for shorter
period of time.
Secondary aim of the study is to define EEG predictors on CNP. We will record EEG in recently injured patients with no
chronic pain, knowing that a certain number of patients will develop CNP within weeks or months. We will follow up
these patients for a year post study and compare EEG of patients who will develop CNP with those who will not
develop CNP.REC name
West of Scotland REC 4
REC reference
14/WS/1029
Date of REC Opinion
15 Aug 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion