Neural circuits involved in phantom limb pain (B07)

• Subject Area: Human Genetics ; Anaesthesiology ; Anatomy and Physiology ; Clinical Neurology; Neurosurgery and Neuroradiology
• Term: since 2015
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 255156212

We use a mechanistic approach to treatment by combining placebo-controlled virtual reality-assisted phantom movement and transcranial direct current stimulation to influence phantom limb pain and associated brain circuits. A quantitative characterisation of peripheral factors will permit to determine their role for pain and treatment outcome. Ecological momentary assessment will aid in elucidating the role of contextual factors such as use of a prosthesis or stress in a continuous manner before, during and after treatment. Bedside functional near infrared spectroscopy and psychometric and psychophysical testing will be used pre and post amputation to assess brain circuits and associated factors contributing to phantom pain in a causal manner.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1158: From nociception to chronic pain: Structure-function properties of neural pathways and their reorganisation
• Applicant Institution: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
• Project Heads: Dr. Jamila Andoh; Professorin Dr. Herta Flor