Spinal Cord Injury Neuropathic Pain - Identifying Biopsychosocial Predictors

University Of Alabama At Birmingham, Birmingham AL

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The candidate's career goal is to become an independent clinical investigator in the biopsychosocial factors of pain following debilitating injuries, particularly identifying novel treatment approaches targeting neuropathic pain (NP) following spinal cord injury (SCI). To meet this goal, the candidate proposes a career development plan with emphasis on training in the biopsychosocial facets of pain, hands-on training using state-of-the-art neuroimaging techniques, and didactics in advanced multivariate statistical approaches, such as high dimensional data reduction that can accommodate the unique challenges presented by pain neuroimaging. A highly accomplished team of investigators with proven track records as mentors will oversee the candidate's career development. The research component of this project addresses two prominent gaps: 1) the field remains limited in its understanding of predictors of neuropathic pain development following SCI and its pathophysiology, and this has precluded successful endeavors to find satisfactory avenues of treatment, and 2) while the biopsychosocial model is hailed as ideal, there has been no study that fully integrates the multiple domains involved in clinical SCI pain research. This proposed project will therefore utilize a combination of psychological, physiological, and neurologic variables to determine which of these factors are associated with the development of SCI-related NP. The aims of the study are to: 1) determine the effects of psychological functioning pre-injury and acutely following SCI on SCI-related NP; 2) identify relationships between neural markers for somatosensory cortical reorganization and SCI-related NP outcomes within two years of SCI; and 3) examine cortical structural and functional resting state measures and determine correlations with SCI-related NP outcomes within two years of SCI. This project will greatly enhance our understanding of the complex biopsychosocial factors involved in the development of NP following SCI, and will provide critical training for Dr. Richardson's development as an independent clinical investigator.