Neuroimaging of Opioid Phase (OPAL)

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to compare activity in the brains of female adults with chronic pain and/or opioid use, and healthy female adults that may help to develop new and targeted treatments for adults with chronic pain and alternatives to opioid therapy.

Conditions

  • Chronic Pain
  • Opioid Use

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Over 18 Years
Eligible Sex
Female
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Inclusion Criteria

for Healthy Controls: 1. female and ages 18+ 2. ability to read/understand English and give consent to participate 3. no current or history of chronic pain 4. not regularly taking any pain-relieving or mood-altering medications (per PI discretion) 5. absence of use of opioid medications Inclusion Criteria for Individuals with Chronic Pain: 1. female and ages 18 + 2. ability to read/understand English and give consent to participate 3. self-reported or physician diagnosis of fibromyalgia and/or chronic pain 4. current use of opioid medication(s) for inclusion in the opioid patient group -OR- absence of use of opioid medications for inclusion in the non-opioid patient group

Exclusion Criteria

(for both groups): 1. limited ability to participate fully in behavioral tasks, longitudinal follow-up 2. MRI contraindication 3. any factors that at the discretion of the investigators would adversely affect the participant or the integrity of the study 4. male

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Non-Randomized
Intervention Model
Crossover Assignment
Primary Purpose
Basic Science
Masking
None (Open Label)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
Female adults with chronic pain who take prescribed opioid medications
Opioid taking participants will undergo two study visits, one for each opioid phase ("peak" or "trough")
  • Other: Opioid Phase
    Opioid-taking patients are assigned to take their prescribed opioid medication before ("peak" opioid phase) during 1 scan and after ("trough" opioid phase) during the other MRI scan
No Intervention
Female adults with chronic pain who do not take opioid medications
Participants with chronic pain who are not taking opioids will undergo one study visit
No Intervention
Healthy controls
Healthy female participants who are not taking opioids will undergo one study visit

Recruiting Locations

Duke University Medical Center
Durham, North Carolina 27710
Contact:
HAPN Lab Manager
919-684-2758
ChronicPainResearch@duke.edu

More Details

NCT ID
NCT05905419
Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
Duke University

Study Contact

HAPN Lab Manager
919-684-2758
chronicpainresearch@duke.edu

Detailed Description

The objective of the study is to determine differences in neurophysiology and behavior during different phases of opioid use in patients. Study activities will include neuroimaging (MRI and fMRI), behavioral tasks, sensory testing, blood draws, and questionnaires. The neuroimaging data will be analyzed using specialized software; data from questionnaires, sensory testing, and behavioral task performance will be analyzed using standard statistical software. Risks and safety concerns include standard, minimal risks associated with MRI scans, sensory testing, blood draws, and confidentiality.