Actively Recruiting
Brain Connectivity Patterns in Chronic Temporomandibular Joint Disorders
Led by University of Minnesota · Updated on 2025-09-08
95
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
234 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
This study addresses the timely problem of painful temporomandibular disorders (TMD), the most common cause of orofacial pain second only to tooth pain. Findings from previous studies suggest that dysregulation of connectivity within specific brain circuits is part of chronic pain pathophysiology. This study will identify connectivity patterns within those brain circuits as potential signatures for pain- related disability in chronic TMD pain participants. New knowledge regarding these brain connectivity patterns is expected to be significant because it will support improved phenotyping of this heterogeneous participant population. It is also expected that this finding can potentially be extrapolated to other chronic pain conditions, such as back pain, migraine headache, and fibromyalgia that are frequently comorbid conditions in chronic TMD participants.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Brain Connectivity Patterns in Chronic Temporomandibular Joint Disorders
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Provide signed and dated informed consent form
- Willing to comply with all study procedures and be available for the duration of study participation
- Female participants aged 18 to 65 years (inclusive), able to understand English commands
- Cases and controls matched for age within �b13 years
- Pain-free controls: TMD-Pain screener score less than 3, no diagnosis of common pain-related TMD, no significant orofacial or other body pain in past 3 months, no TMD diagnosis upon clinical exam
- Chronic painful TMD cases: TMD-pain screener score 3 or higher, diagnosis of myalgia based on clinical exam, concurrent arthralgia and/or headache allowed
- Myofascial pain lasting more than 3 months, occurring more than 15 days per month, with minimum 10 jaw pain episodes meeting duration criteria
- Low-impact TMD pain cases: Graded Chronic Pain Scale grade IIa or lower
- High-impact TMD pain cases: Graded Chronic Pain Scale grade IIb or greater
- Patients in MRI Optimization group: age 18 to 65, signed informed consent, willing to comply, able to understand English
You will not qualify if you...
- History of traumatic facial injury or surgery on face/jaw, arms, or hands
- Pain related to dental or periodontal disease
- Currently undergoing active orthodontic treatment
- Pregnant or nursing
- Medical conditions including renal failure or dialysis, uncontrolled heart disease, non-allergic bronchospasm, uncontrolled diabetes, hyperthyroidism, uncontrolled seizures
- Recent injection therapy, acupuncture, biofeedback, or TENS for facial pain within 2 weeks; botulinum toxin injections within 3 months
- Major depression or psychiatric hospitalization within last 6 months
- Treatment for drug or alcohol abuse within last 12 months
- Current pain medication use that cannot be stopped 24 hours before visits
- Neurological or developmental disorders affecting pain perception
- MRI contraindications including claustrophobia
- Mismatched Graded Chronic Pain Scale grades preventing group assignment
- Strictly left-handed
- Thermal pain threshold outside 40-49 degrees Celsius
- Lack of access to internet-connected electronic device
- Inability or unwillingness to receive daily text messages or complete daily ratings
- Any condition increasing risk or preventing full compliance with study procedures
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
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Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55455
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
E
Estephan J Moana-Filho, DDS, MS, PhD
CONTACT
L
Lauren N Huffman
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Masking
N/A
Allocation
N/A
Model
N/A
Primary Purpose
N/A
Number of Arms
4
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