Relieving Chronic Pain in Older Adults With Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

What this study is about

The primary objective of this study is to determine, in a healthcare setting, the effectiveness of actual tDCS in reducing pain compared with placebo tDCS. This is a multicenter randomized controlled trial with parallel groups (real tDCS vs. placebo) blinded to participants, assessors and tDCS providers. The real tDCS group will receive a daily 20-minute session of tDCS (current intensity = 2 mA), for 5 consecutive days, while the placebo tDCS group will receive an equivalent treatment, but the current will be stopped after the first 30 seconds. The study will take place in 5 rehabilitation clinics in 3 Quebec regions. One hundred and fifty (150) seniors aged 65 years or older with chronic (\> 6 months), moderate to severe musculoskeletal pain will be recruited (50 participants/region). Follow-ups will take place at 1 week and 3 months post-treatment. The primary dependent variable is pain intensity (numerical scale from 0 to 10). Secondary variables will be measured using standardized and validated questionnaires: 1) pain-related interferences (physical function, mood, quality of life) and 2) perception of post-TDCS changes. Neurophysiological measures (pain control pathways).

Who can join (things the study team will check)

✅ You may be able to join if…

• Be aged ≥ 65 years
• Have chronic (≥ 6 months) musculoskeletal pain of moderate to severe intensity (≥4 out of 10 on a numerical scale of 0 to 10)

🚫 You may not be able to join if…

• Those with contraindications to tDCS
• Those with contraindications to TMS
• Those with contraindications to IRM
• Individuals for whom the procedure could cause impairment of well-being, or has another medical condition that could put them at risk in the judgment of a health care professional.
• Patients taking medications that act on the GABAergic and glutamatergic systems (modulating tDCS effects) will be excluded
• Individuals taking other types of medications or receiving rehabilitation are not excluded but will be asked, in the absence of clinical contraindication, to avoid any modification (e.g., new treatment, discontinuation, or change in dose) during the study.
• People with epilepsy and seizures will not be excluded from the study. The research team will simply be asked to pay closer attention to these participants during the administration of MST.

Where this trial is running

• Institut universitaire sur la réadaptation en déficience physique de Montréal (IURDPM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
• CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada
• Centre de recherche sur le vieillissement (CdRV), Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada

Who to contact

Marie-Philippe Harvey, Ph. D · 819 821-8000 · marie.philippe.harvey@usherbrooke.ca

It's completely normal to call and ask questions before deciding anything. Mention the study ID: NCT05617027.