Spinal cord stimulation therapy to treat chronic pain conditions
Submission Type
Synchronous Poster
Area of Study or Work
Neuroscience, Psychology
Zoom Meeting
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Joseph Williams
Expected Graduation Date
2021
Start Date
4-11-2021 2:00 PM
End Date
4-11-2021 3:00 PM
Abstract
Chronic neuropathic pain affects around 2 million U.S adults, with an estimated annual cost of approximately $635 billion each year. Oral medication is currently the standard treatment for neuropathic pain, though it is only moderately effective, with approximately 64% of patients finding some symptom relief. However, chronic pain medication can have deleterious side effects like weight gain, sedation, and most problematically, addiction/dependence. An alternative therapeutic option is spinal cord stimulation (SCS) which is a method of electrical stimulation that introduces low levels of electrical current to the spinal cord to effectively block the sensation of pain. SCS improves a patient's functional and psychological status and can reduce a patient's opioid intake. While SCS has a clear therapeutic effect, the optimal stimulation parameters and the biological mechanisms by which SCS works are not yet completely understood. The present study will examine optimal stimulation parameters and possible biological mechanisms to improve SCS efficacy by assessing the effects of either 48 hours or 23 days of spinal cord stimulation in Sprague-Dawley rats using a spared nerve injury model, which involves a partial injury to the rat sciatic nerve.
Spinal cord stimulation therapy to treat chronic pain conditions
Chronic neuropathic pain affects around 2 million U.S adults, with an estimated annual cost of approximately $635 billion each year. Oral medication is currently the standard treatment for neuropathic pain, though it is only moderately effective, with approximately 64% of patients finding some symptom relief. However, chronic pain medication can have deleterious side effects like weight gain, sedation, and most problematically, addiction/dependence. An alternative therapeutic option is spinal cord stimulation (SCS) which is a method of electrical stimulation that introduces low levels of electrical current to the spinal cord to effectively block the sensation of pain. SCS improves a patient's functional and psychological status and can reduce a patient's opioid intake. While SCS has a clear therapeutic effect, the optimal stimulation parameters and the biological mechanisms by which SCS works are not yet completely understood. The present study will examine optimal stimulation parameters and possible biological mechanisms to improve SCS efficacy by assessing the effects of either 48 hours or 23 days of spinal cord stimulation in Sprague-Dawley rats using a spared nerve injury model, which involves a partial injury to the rat sciatic nerve.