Actively Recruiting
The Warmth, Anticipation, Sensation, Aversion, and Body-part Imaging Study
Led by Trustees of Dartmouth College · Updated on 2026-01-14
150
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
301 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
This functional magnetic-resonance imaging study of the brain will feature a within-subject crossover design to investigate the effects of a placebo cream on painful thermal stimulation rendered upon eight body sites. The investigators aim to 1.) improve the understanding of how the brain represents thermal pain responses somatotopically (i.e., across different body-sites) 2.) to test these brain representations with and without the presence of a pain-targeted placebo intervention, and 3.) to examine how these brain representations change prior to vs. during the delivery of thermal pain. They predict that placebo cream will downregulate the intensity of aversive brain activity representations, and to a lesser degree, sensation and somatotopic representations, both prior to and during painful thermal stimulation.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
The Warmth, Anticipation, Sensation, Aversion, and Body-part Imaging Study
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Volunteers aged 18 years or older able and willing to give written informed consent
- Non-lactating, non-pregnant females using reliable contraception
- Ability to read and speak English
- Ability to understand and follow study instructions and questionnaires
- No current or recent pathological pain
- Abstained from alcohol and substance use for 48 hours before participation
- Passed all fMRI screening tests
You will not qualify if you...
- Pregnancy in females
- Inability to tolerate MRI scanning procedures (e.g., claustrophobia)
- Presence of metal in the body or history of working with metal fragments
- Inability to tolerate heat pain on the forearm
- Temporary abnormal pain levels
- Allergic reactions to the exfoliating cream
- Current pain condition
- Current or past psychoactive substance abuse or dependence
- Dementia or movement disorders except familial tremor
- CNS infections, vasculitis, demyelinating diseases, or congenital abnormalities
- Seizure disorders or history of significant head trauma
- Cerebrovascular disease history
- Abnormal MRI findings unrelated to technical factors
- Neuroendocrine disorders or uncorrected thyroid problems
- Current or past cancer
- Recent severe cardiovascular events or active cardiovascular disease
- Uncontrolled blood pressure
- Chronic pain or fatigue syndromes
- Neurologic diseases or neuropathic pain
- Recent use of antidepressants, mood stabilizers, glucocorticoids, or opiates
- Prior use of antipsychotics, isoniazid, or centrally acting antihypertensives
- Contraindications for MRI (e.g., pacemakers, surgical clips)
- Current psychiatric treatment for mood, anxiety, substance abuse, ADHD, or psychosis
- Neurological or cardiovascular diseases requiring specific medications
- Frequent smoking (>5 cigarettes/day) or alcohol use (>14 drinks/week)
- Frequent migraines (>5 per month)
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
Dartmouth College
Hanover, New Hampshire, United States, 03755
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
T
Tor D Wager, PhD
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
SINGLE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
CROSSOVER
Primary Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Number of Arms
2
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