Neural Mechanisms of Immersive Virtual Reality in Chronic Pain

Running, not enrolling · Phase 1/Phase 2 · Has a placebo group

Conditions studied: Pain, Virtual Reality, Placebo, Temporomandibular Disorder

In brief

This project examines, in chronic pain, the mechanisms of immersive virtual reality compared to the mechanisms of placebo hypoalgesia. The potential of developing new non-pharmacological premises for low-risk interventions for pain management is high.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT04851301

Run by

University of Maryland, Baltimore

People needed

259

Starts

2021-11-01

Expected to finish

2026-11-30

Last updated by the study team

2026-02-27

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 88. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Age (18-88 years)
• English speaker (written and spoken)
• Temporal Mandibular Disorder (TMD) for at least 3 months

You may not qualify if…

• Present or past degenerative neuromuscular disease
• Cardiovascular, neurological diseases, pulmonary abnormalities, kidney disease, liver disease, history of cancer within past 3 years
• Cervical pain other than TMD related (e.g. stenosis, radiculopathy)
• Any personal (or family first degree) history of mania, schizophrenia, or other psychoses
• Severe psychiatric condition (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, autism) leading to hospitalization within the last 3 years.
• Use of antidepressants, ADHD medication, non-over-the-counter painkillers, methadone, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and/or narcotics during the past 3 months
• Lifetime alcohol/drug dependence or alcohol/drug abuse in the past 3 months
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding
• Color-blindness
• Pain in jaw or temple in last 3 months due to toothache or infection
• Any facial trauma that has occurred in the last 6 weeks
• History of severe facial trauma in the last 3 months
• Impaired or uncorrected hearing
• Conditions that would interfere with the VR mask placement (e.g. trauma, burn, infection)
• Known history of severe motion sickness
• High blood pressure or symptomatic low blood pressure
• History of fainting
• History of angioedema
• Failed drug test (testing for opiates, cocaine, methamphetamines, amphetamines, and THC)

Where it is running

• Luana Colloca — Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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