Pain Sensitivity Assessment During Puberty for Pain

Recruiting in Palo Alto (17 mi)

Overseen byHadas Nahman-Averbuch, PhD

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Academic

Waitlist Available

Sponsor: Washington University School of Medicine

No Placebo Group

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

Aim 1- To examine the differences in pain sensitivity between adolescents at early vs. mid pubertal status Aim 2- To determine the relationships between sex hormone levels and pain sensitivity Exploratory Aim 1- To determine the effect of pubertal maturation on pain sensitivity Exploratory Aim 2- To identify parameters related to who will develop chronic pain during puberty Hypothesis 1- Adolescents in early pubertal status will have higher pain ratings and lower pain modulation capabilities compared to adolescents in mid puberal status. Hypothesis 2- Pain sensitivity will be associated with sex hormone levels. Exploratory Hypothesis 1- As adolescents mature, they will have a decrease in pain sensitivity to experimental pain which will be related to changes in sex hormone levels. Exploratory hypothesis 2- Female adolescents with greater pain sensitivity, lower testosterone levels and with a family history of pain would be at a higher risk to develop chronic pain

Research Team

Hadas Nahman-Averbuch, PhD

Principal Investigator

Washington University School of Medicine

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for healthy boys and girls aged 9-16 who speak English. It's not for those who are pregnant, have chronic pain or frequent headaches, psychiatric or neurological issues, sensation loss in limbs to be tested, conditions affecting puberty, or take regular pain meds.

Inclusion Criteria

I am a healthy male or female.

I am between 9 and 16 years old.

I speak English.

Exclusion Criteria

I cannot feel anything in one of my limbs.

I often have headaches, more than 5 times a month.

I have conditions or take birth control that affects my hormone levels.

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Treatment Details

Interventions

Cold pain tolerance (Behavioral Intervention)
Conditioned pain modulation (CPM) efficiency (Behavioral Intervention)
Mechanical Stimuli (Device)
Mechanical temporal summation (Behavioral Intervention)
Offset analgesia efficiency (Behavioral Intervention)
Pain Ratings (Behavioral Intervention)
Pressure pain thresholds (PPT) (Behavioral Intervention)
Pressure Stimuli (Device)
Thermal pain thresholds (Behavioral Intervention)
Thermal Sensory Analyzer (Device)

Trial OverviewThe study tests how sensitive kids at different stages of puberty are to pain using various methods like heat and pressure. It looks at whether hormone levels affect this sensitivity and if changes during puberty might predict future chronic pain risk.

Participant Groups

1Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Group I: Psychophysical assessments of experimental painExperimental Treatment10 Interventions

At baseline, participants will complete a 2.5-hours study session. In the study session, psychophysical assessments of thermal and pressure stimuli will be performed and sex hormone levels will be analyzed. In addition, demographic, social, pubertal maturation, behavioral and psychological factors will be collected via questionnaires. In the optional follow-up portion, participants can complete short surveys every 3 months and/or return for study visits after 6 months and/or after every year depending on the participant's availability. The study visits will include the same procedures as the baseline study visit. Additional surveys regarding new symptoms of pain will be completed. In some cases, participants will meet a pediatric physician who will determine if they meet the criteria for any pain syndrome (for research purposes only).