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
N/A
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
This research investigates chronic temporomandibular disorders (TMD), which cause orofacial pain and are the second most common source of such pain after tooth pain. The study aims to identify specific brain connectivity patterns related to pain and disability in chronic TMD patients, exploring how these patterns might also apply to other chronic pain conditions like back pain, migraine, and fibromyalgia. Understanding these brain circuit patterns could improve how chronic TMD pain is classified and treated. Participants will be grouped based on the impact of their chronic TMD pain—low-impact, high-impact, or pain-free controls—and will undergo clinical examinations, psychosocial questionnaires, pain modulation testing, and multimodal MRI scans. A separate pilot group will participate in MRI optimization sessions. The study uses brain imaging to assess functional and anatomical connectivity within key brain circuits involved in pain processing, including thalamocortical, antinociceptive, and corticolimbic pathways. During the study, participants will complete sensory and pain modulation tests along with psychosocial assessments. Researchers will measure brain connectivity using MRI, looking at functional and anatomical connections in brain circuits related to pain. Pain facilitation and inhibition responses will also be assessed. The study includes safety monitoring, adherence checks such as daily text messaging, and detailed evaluations lasting several hours per visit. Total study duration varies with participant groups and procedures.
CONDITIONS
Brief 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.
- Ability to understand commands in English to follow study procedures.
- Pain-free controls must have a TMD-Pain screener score less than 3 and no significant orofacial or other body pain in the past 3 months.
- Chronic TMD cases must have a TMD-pain screener score of 3 or higher and meet clinical criteria for myalgia.
- Myofascial pain onset greater than 3 months, occurring more than 15 days per month, with minimum 10 jaw pain episodes lasting at least 30 minutes each.
- Low-impact pain cases with GCPS grade IIa or lower; high-impact pain cases with GCPS grade IIb or greater.
- MRI Optimization group participants aged 18-65, consenting and able to comply with procedures.
You will not qualify if you...
- Traumatic facial injury or surgery on face, jaw, arms, or hands.
- Pain related to dental or periodontal problems.
- Currently undergoing active orthodontic treatment.
- Pregnant or nursing.
- Medical conditions including uncontrolled heart disease, renal failure, uncontrolled diabetes, hyperthyroidism, uncontrolled seizures, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
- Recent injection therapy, acupuncture, biofeedback, or TENS for facial pain within 2 weeks prior to screening.
- Recent botulinum toxin injections in head or neck within 3 months.
- History of major depression or psychiatric hospitalization within 6 months.
- History of drug or alcohol abuse treatment within 12 months.
- Current pain medication use that cannot be stopped 24 hours before study visits.
- Neurological or developmental disorders affecting pain perception.
- MRI contraindications including claustrophobia.
- Left-handedness.
- Thermal pain threshold outside 40-49 degrees Celsius.
- Lack of access to electronic device with internet.
- Inability or unwillingness to receive daily text messages or complete daily ratings.
- Anything that places participant at increased risk or prevents study completion.
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
Your Study Journey
Duration - 2 to 4 weeks
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.
1 visit (in-person)
Duration - Single day visit
Participants undergo a standardized clinical examination using the Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (DC/TMD) protocol, complete psychosocial questionnaires, and have sensory and endogenous pain modulation testing.
1 visit (in-person)
Duration - Single day visit lasting approximately 2.5 to 3.5 hours
Participants undergo multi-modal Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data acquisition to assess brain connectivity patterns related to chronic TMD pain.
1 visit (in-person)
Duration - Up to several weeks depending on study participation
Participants complete daily ratings and receive daily text messages to monitor pain and other symptoms over the course of the study participation.
Daily remote assessments
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
L
Lauren N Huffman
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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