Chronic pain and brain activity
University of Balearic Islands 2000 - Current
The major aim of this research line is to analyze the brain
activity in chronic pain patients using functional magnetic resonance
imaging (fMRI) and EEG. The underlying hypothesis is that chronic pain
is characterized by plastic changes of the nervous system. Our
experimental design pursues to demonstrate the existence of abnormal
pattern in the brain processing of somatic information in chronic pain
patients. In addition, we are interested on the influence of cognitive
and affective factors on brain plastic changes. Three patients groups
with similar sociodemographic, but different clinical characteristics
are examined: fibromyalgia, complex regional pain syndrome and
rheumatoid arthritis. Brain activity is recorded during nociceptive
and non-nociceptive stimulation using fMRI. In addition, psychological
characteristics of pain, neuropsychological functioning and pain
thresholds are examined. This research is funded by the
Spanish Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia and European Regional
Development Funds (FEDER) (grants PSI2017-88388-C4-1-R, PSI2013-48260, PSI2010-19372, SEJ2007-62312,
SEJ2004-01332, BSO2001-0693), the Regional Government of the Balearic
Islands, and the private foundation La Marato TV3.