An integrated and adaptive study examining central and peripheral mechanisms of chronic pain in knee osteoarthritis patients

It has been estimated that 300 million people worldwide have osteoarthritis (OA) and this has increased by 97% over the past 25 years. The pain and loss of mobility experienced by people with knee OA can seriously reduce quality of life, while pain management causes significant healthcare spending. Unfortunately, the pain associated with OA is complex and difficult to treat. One promising theory to explain the reason why many people with OA and chronic pain, called nociplastic pain, focuses on changes in the brain and spinal cord that lead to painful hypersensitivity to normally painful and non-painful sensations. Our research study plans to use advanced magnetic resonance imaging techniques and novel analysis methods to determine if specific parts of the brain are responsible for nociplastic pain. We will include 99 knee OA patients, some without pain and others with chronic pain, to explore the group differences at baseline and after a cold sensation. It is expected that knee OA patients who experience chronic pain will exhibit dysfunction in parts of their brain that is not present in patients who do not experience chronic pain.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dinesh Kumbhare

Student:

Partner:

TBIFinder

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Toronto

Program: