Studies Related to Pain
Elborn College (Health and Rehabilitation, Physiotherapy)
This study will explore and characterize the psychological, physiological, and psychophysical reactions to a virtual reality-based car crash simulation, and identify characteristics of responders and non-responders. The goal of this program of research is to acquire new knowledge on the range of normal psychophysical reactions to motor vehicle collision (MVC), predict the magnitude of reaction based on person-level variables of sex, gender, age, and prior trauma, and test causal pathways of pain and distress development using advanced virtual reality integrated with proprioceptive robotic experience. This work will further the field of stress and trauma research through new knowledge on ‘normal’ reactions, identify who reacts most strongly, and what aspects of trauma are most distressing. Findings may be used to inform future ecological or clinical trials of stress-mitigating interventions intended to prevent the genesis of post-traumatic chronic disease states.
At least 18 years old
Healthy volunteers
Proficient in English
Robarts Research Institute (RRI)
Pain affects people in many ways, and we are still learning why. This study investigates how listening to rhythmic sounds might change brain activity linked to pain. Participants will hear specific sound patterns while experiencing brief heat sensations, some of which may feel mildly to moderately painful, as we record brain activity using EEG and fMRI simultaneously. The goal is to learn how sound affects the brain’s response to pain and whether it could support natural pain relief in the future.
Adults 18-30 years old
Healthy Volunteers
No History of Chronic Pain
Robarts Research Institute (RRI)
The claustrum is a small, thin and elongated brain area. It has been found to respond to pain, which is a salient perceptual experience (i.e., a feeling that is very noticeable) and requires attention. It remains unclear how the claustrum controls brain networks during attention tasks and or pain. In the current study, we will use high magnetic field (7T) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which is a neuroimaging method that measures the activation of the brain with high detail, to evaluate claustrum function in various conditions.
Adults 18 to 70 years old
Healthy Volunteers
Proficient in English
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