Pain Expectation Conditioning for Pain
What You Need to Know Before You Apply
What is the purpose of this trial?
This trial aims to understand how expecting pain can alter muscle coordination during walking. Researchers will compare two groups: one will first experience real pain from a spicy cream, followed by a harmless cream they believe is painful; the other will receive only the harmless cream without any prior painful experience. This study suits healthy individuals who can walk unaided for at least 10 minutes and have no serious health issues affecting their heart, nerves, or muscles. As an unphased trial, it offers participants the chance to contribute to foundational research that could enhance understanding of pain perception and muscle coordination.
Will I have to stop taking my current medications?
The trial requires that you avoid taking painkillers (analgesics) within 6 hours before the study.
What prior data suggests that this method is safe?
Research shows that expectations about pain can alter the actual experience of it. Expecting less pain can lead to feeling less pain, while expecting more pain can intensify the sensation. This concept arises from studies on the placebo effect, where individuals feel better because they believe they are receiving real treatment, even when they are not.
Regarding safety, the study uses creams in a controlled environment. The capsaicin cream, which may cause a mild burning sensation, is used to create an expectation of pain. Although some may find it uncomfortable, it is not harmful. The neutral cream is completely safe. These creams have been used in other studies without causing serious side effects. Therefore, the safety of this type of study is well-established and considered safe for participants.12345Why are researchers excited about this trial?
Researchers are excited about pain expectation conditioning because it explores how our minds can influence our perception of pain. Unlike typical treatments that rely on medications to block pain, this approach investigates if simply believing a cream will cause pain can actually make it feel painful, even when it isn't. Understanding this could lead to new ways of managing pain by harnessing the power of expectation, potentially reducing the need for drugs and their side effects.
What evidence suggests that pain expectation conditioning is effective for altering muscle synergies?
Research shows that expectations about pain can alter the actual pain experienced. Studies have found that expecting more pain can intensify the sensation, while positive expectations can alleviate it. One study found that when people anticipated more pain, the pain felt worse. Another study showed that emotions and feelings of uncertainty can influence pain perception. This trial will explore these concepts by comparing two groups: the Prior Experience Group, where participants have previously used capsaicin cream and will receive a neutral cream while being told it contains capsaicin, and the Control Group, where participants have never used capsaicin cream and will also receive a neutral cream with the same information. The trial aims to assess how expecting pain affects muscle movement during walking.25678
Who Is on the Research Team?
Maryne Cozette, PhD, Lecturer
Principal Investigator
Lecturer
Guillaume Léonard, PhD, Lecturer
Principal Investigator
Lecturer
Thierry Lelard, PhD, HDR
Principal Investigator
Lecturer
Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?
This trial is for individuals who experience chronic surgical pain, general pain, anxiety, or are susceptible to the nocebo effect. Specific eligibility criteria have not been provided.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Timeline for a Trial Participant
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Experimental Session
Participants undergo a single session involving walking assessments and application of a neutral cream with deceptive labeling
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for changes in muscle synergies and pain perception after the intervention
What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?
Interventions
- Pain expectation conditioning
Trial Overview
The study examines how expecting pain can change muscle coordination during walking. One group will first feel real pain from capsaicin cream and then get a fake one labeled as painful; another gets just the fake painful cream without prior experience.
How Is the Trial Designed?
2
Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Placebo Group
Participants in this arm have experienced capsaicin cream before and will be given a neutral cream. They will be told that the cream contains capsaicin and will cause pain.
Pariticpants in this arm have never experienced capsaicin cream before and will be given a neutral cream. They will be told that the cream contains capsaicin and will cause pain.
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
Universite de Picardie Jules Verne
Lead Sponsor
Mitacs
Industry Sponsor
Citations
Pain Expectation Effects Are Predicted by Emotion Rather ...
Furthermore, reduced anxiety on emotion-regulation trials appeared to reduce pain ratings during the pain overestimation condition, while ...
Expectations and uncertainty shape pain perception during ...
Findings reveal that uncertainty modulates pain perception differently depending on pain intensity and that pain learning is influenced by psychological traits.
Effects of Positive and Negative Expectations on Human ...
Expectations substantially influence pain perception, but the relationship between positive and negative expectations remains unclear. Recent ...
The effect of expectancy on conditioned pain modulation
Research indicates that positive expectancy can significantly alleviate pain, while negative expectancy (such as anticipating intensified pain) ...
Pain modulation by self-generated expectations
The behavioural results showed that pain perception was significantly altered by self-generated expectations, and that all three conditions ...
Impaired pain-related threat and safety learning in patients ...
Valence ratings indicate significantly reduced threat and safety learning in patients with CBP, whereas no significant differences were observed in contingency ...
Classical Conditioning Differences Associated With ...
The review revealed preliminary evidence that people with chronic pain may exhibit less differential US expectancy and fear learning.
How Instructions, Learning, and Expectations Shape Pain and ...
Treatment outcomes are strongly influenced by expectations, as evidenced by the placebo effect. Meta-analyses of clinical trials reveal that placebo effects are ...
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