Study of Transcranial Electrical Stimulation to Treat Chronic Pain in Inflammatory Demyelinating Diseases of the Central Nervous System

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the effects of transcranial electrical stimulation on chronic pain symptoms in patients with idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating disorders IIDDs of the central nervous system, such as neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder and multiple sclerosis. This study aims to understand how this non-invasive neurostimulation may improve symptoms like painful spasms, considering individual differences in neural responsiveness and exploring imaging and electrophysiological features related to clinical symptoms. The study involves a randomized, triple-blind design comparing two groups one receiving actual transcranial electrical stimulation targeting the primary motor cortex, and the other receiving sham stimulation with no intervention. The stimulation is applied once daily for 30 minutes over 5 consecutive days at a current intensity of 1 to 2 mA. This approach will allow researchers to assess the treatments effects on patients with stable immunosuppressive therapy and specific symptom severity. Participants will be involved in assessments from enrollment through one month after treatment, including pain scales such as the Visual Analog Scale and Numeric Rating Scale, mental health evaluations, fatigue and sleep quality questionnaires, cognitive tests, and advanced EEG and MRI imaging analyses. Researchers will monitor changes in these measures to evaluate treatment impact and safety, with follow-up lasting one month post-treatment to collect clinical, electrophysiological, and imaging data.

Transcranial Electrical Stimulation for Treating Chronic Pain in Inflammatory Demyelinating Diseases