Cannabinoids Effect on Central and Peripheral Pain Modulation in Fibromyalgia
Status:
Recruiting
Trial end date:
2024-12-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Fibromyalgia is a syndrome characterized by widespread chronic pain involving all
musculoskeletal systems, accompanied by chronic sleep disorders, fatigue, memory problems,
and more. Despite the advancement in the understanding of pain mechanisms thanks to various
innovations in neuroscience and pain medicine, the syndrome's treatments are not satisfying,
even in the presence of optimal multidisciplinary therapy, and many patients continue to
suffer from chronic pain and associated symptoms.
Although the pathophysiology of Fibromyalgia is not fully understood, there is evidence
supporting the involvement of several mechanisms, including central sensitization, descending
pain modulation pathway deficiency, and autonomic dysfunction, confirmed by physiological and
functional imaging studies.
Following the above reasons, there is great importance in understanding the effect of new
treatments on pain mechanisms in Fibromyalgia syndrome. In the past few years, more and more
research is providing evidence for cannabis analgesia in chronic pain syndromes, with an
emphasis on Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). However, only a little research has examined its
efficacy in random double-blind experiments. Thus, testing the effect of THC in experimental
clinical pain models could give a hint to our understanding of the pain regulation system in
Fibromyalgia.
The current research will study the effects of the cannabinoid THC component on pain
regulation in Fibromyalgia in a double-blind controlled design. For that matter, the
investigators will perform different peripheral physiological tests and functional magnetic
resonance imaging. Additionally, the investigators aim to disclose the neural mechanisms
underlying pain-autonomic interactions in Fibromyalgia patients.