NeuroGame Trial
What is the research study about?
One of the most common and most difficult chronic pain conditions to treat is chronic nerve pain. Patients describe nerve pain as severe burning that is unbearable and terrifying. Nerve pain is often accompanied with major depression and anxiety. There are currently no effective treatments for this condition, indicating the urgent need to develop and test novel interventions.
Previous theories about the causes of chronic neuropathic pain focus on the periphery (e.g., damage in a body part). However, consistent and compelling evidence indicates that treatments based on these theories are not effective at reducing nerve pain. Instead, brain processes are recognised to be key in the development of chronic nerve pain.
Researchers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) will shortly be recruiting for a trial investigating a novel brain-machine interface treatment to decrease chronic nerve pain.
From left to right: Researchers, A/Prof Sylvia Gustin, Rodrigo Rizzo and Dr Negin Hesam-Shariati.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our research team: neurorecoveryresearch@unsw.edu.au.
What does the research involve?
Drawing on our discoveries that identified the key role of electrical brain activity in the development of nerve pain, we have developed a novel brain-machine interface program that targets the abnormal brain activity associated with nerve pain. This new program targets disruption in brain activity via electrically recorded brain activity on the scalp (called neurofeedback). Specifically, the electrical brain activity is recorded, processed, and provided back to participants in real-time via visual feedback in a gaming environment. Participant will receive 30-minute daily sessions of the electrical brain intervention for 20 days over a 4-week period. This trial has received funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).
If you are interested in finding out more about this upcoming trial, please contact us