Effects of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and Stimulus Controllability on Pain Perception

• Pain ratings [ Time Frame: two hours ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a minimally invasive brain stimulation technology that can focally stimulate the brain of an awake individual.1,2 A localized pulsed magnetic field transmitted through a figure-8 coil (lasting only microseconds) is able to focally stimulate the cortex by depolarizing superficial neurons3,4 which induces electrical currents in the brain.5 If TMS pulses are delivered repetitively and rhythmically, the process is called repetitive TMS (rTMS).

rTMS over the prefrontal cortex has been shown to produce temporary analgesic effects in healthy adults using laboratory pain methods and in patients with chronic pain of various etiologies. However, little is known about mechanisms of action.

Evidence from functional MRI studies suggests that participants' perceived controllability over pain stimuli is associated with decreased pain experience and decreased activation of cortical and subcortical areas involved with pain perception.6 Perceived controllability may involved prefrontal cortical circuits and may be involved in inhibition of limbic system responses to painful stimuli.

To date, no studies have investigated the interaction between prefrontal TMS and perceived controllability on pain perception in healthy adults. Building on extensive pilot work and experience in the area of laboratory pain assessment and TMS in the Brain Stimulation Laboratory at MUSC, the investigators propose to investigate the effects of perceived controllability and prefrontal TMS on pain perception in healthy adults. This study may help determine whether TMS can be used to stimulate a cortical area thought to be involved in perceived controllability, thus enhancing one's sense of controllability and thereby substantially reduce pain intensity and unpleasantness.

Although transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is now considered a minimal risk intervention, is approved for the treatment of depression, and is widely used around the world, little is known about mechanisms of action of prefrontal rTMS for depression or pain. There is some evidence that the prefrontal cortex is involved in perception of control and may moderate the effects of perceived controllability on emotional reactivity to painful stimuli. The present study aims to investigate the effects of prefrontal rTMS and perceived controllability on pain perception in healthy adults.