Proprioceptive Effects of Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Proprioceptive Effects of Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation
IRAS ID
210545
Contact name
James FitzGerald
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Oxford / Clinical Trials and Research Governance
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Summary of Research
Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG) Stimulation is an established treatment for chronic pain. Electrical stimulation is applied to DRGs, which are parts of nerves located at the point where they enter the spine, and this can block the transmission of pain signals from the specific area of the body that the nerve is running to. An implanted stimulator system consists of a lead which has electrical contacts on its tip that are placed next to the DRG, and an implanted pulse generator, which contains a battery and circuitry to generate small current pulses that are delivered to the DRG via the lead.
Each nerve root contains thousands of nerve fibres. Some carry pain signals, but others convey the sense of touch, and still others carry “proprioceptive” information, which is information about the positions our joints are in and how stretched our muscles are. This proprioceptive information is what allows us to know what position parts of our body are in without looking at them. It also provides subconscious feedback that is crucial for normal movement; when proprioception is defective, movements may become poorly coordinated and muscle activity may be very abnormal.
In this study we aim to test the hypothesis that in addition to treating pain, DRG stimulation might be affecting proprioceptive function. If it does, then DRG stimulation might be of benefit in a group of neurological conditions called movement disorders. These conditions are characterised by the presence of abnormal muscle activity. An example is dystonia, a condition where there is sustained involuntary muscle contraction that can be both painful and disfiguring.
In this study we will test proprioceptive function by measuring participants' reflexes and response to vibratory stimuli, and we will try to detect proprioceptive signals in electrical recordings from the DRGs.
Summary of Results
We were unable to recruit to this study from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the study team member assigned to the project was no longer in post once research studies were permitted to restart.
With regret, there was no realistic prospect of being able to restart this study in a reasonable period.
REC name
London - Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/LO/1417
Date of REC Opinion
16 Oct 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion