THE RESEARCH
THE RESEARCH
Evaluation of pain in youth exposed to traumatic experiences
Status:
Recruitment in Progress
Funding:
Canadian Pain Society/Pfizer Early Career Investigator Research Grant
About:
Pediatric chronic pain affects 1 in 4 Canadian youth. If left unmanaged, it can lead to chronic pain problems and mental health disorders (e.g. posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)) into adulthood. Adolescents with chronic pain report having more significant PTSD symptoms as compared to pain-free peers. It is thought that the experience of trauma might increase the risk of developing or worsening of pain symptoms due to changes in brain regions that activate in response to both traumatic and painful experiences. We are exploring whether greater PTSD symptoms are associated with alterations in brain structure/function and whether these brain changes are related to the development of pain sensitivity or pain symptomology in youth. The earlier we can identify at-risk individuals and intervene, the more likely it is that we will be able to prevent the transition from acute to chronic pain.
Can brain stimulation enhance outcomes associated with intensive rehabilitation for youth with chronic pain?
Status:
Commenced October 2020
Funding:
Vi Riddell Children’s Pain & Rehabilitation Program
Brain stimulation to treat chronic migraine in youth
Status:
In Development
Funding:
Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation Child Health Grant Program
About:
Approximately 1-2% of youth have chronic migraine, whereby they experience >/=15 headache (8 or more meeting migraine criteria) days per month. At present, there are inadequate evidence-based treatments available for chronic migraine. In adults, a promising new therapy for chronic migraine is non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS), which involves applying a current on the surface of the head to target specific brain areas. To-date, methods of NIBS have not been used to treat chronic migraine in youth. Therefore, we will conduct a pilot clinical trial to demonstrate the safety, appropriateness, acceptability and feasibility of NIBS for the management of chronic migraine in youth. Given the prevalence and persistence this disease, it is imperative to identify effective interventions to alleviate the burden of suffering among youth with chronic migraine.
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