The Added Value of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) During Exercise for People With… (NCT07212829) | Clinical Trial Compass
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The Added Value of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) During Exercise for People With Chronic Widespread Pain
Belgium120 participantsStarted 2026-02-01
Plain-language summary
Many people with chronic widespread pain (CWP) feel more pain and fatigue after exercise. This makes it hard to stay active. Unfortunately, the investigators do not fully understand why this happens and how to prevent it.
The primary goal of this study is to explore the underlying genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of BDNF gene in response to exercise, and investigate if transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) during exercise works to improve worsening symptoms response to exercise in people with CWP.
The investigators designed a randomized crossover study and will enroll 60 patients with CWP and 60 healthy controls. Participants will undergo 2 interventions in random order: 1) exercise + active tDCS, and 2) exercise + sham tDCS. Participants will visit the hospital twice with at least one week in between the visits.
Who can participate
Age range18 Years – 70 Years
SexALL
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Inclusion criteria
✓. Diagnosis of chronic widespread pain (CWP) or fibromyalgia;
✓. Age between 18 and 70 years old;
✓. Body mass index (BMI) ≤ 35;
✓. Widespread Pain Index (WPI) assessment: the WPI questionnaire (0-19 points) will be used to record the number and distribution of painful body sites. Participants will be classified as having CWP if pain is reported on both sides of the body, above and below the waist, and in the axial skeleton, with pain symptoms lasting ≥ 3 months;
✓. Stable medication use for at least 1 month prior to study entry.
✓. Age between 18 and 70 years old;
✓. Body mass index (BMI) ≤ 35;
✓. No chronic conditions, such as chronic pain and diabetes.
Exclusion criteria
✕. Current pregnancy or pregnancy within the past 12 months;
✕
What they're measuring
1
Pain intensity
Timeframe: Participants rate their pain at baseline, and 30 minutes after the intervention.
2
Blood BDNF levels
Timeframe: Blood samples are collected at baseline and 20 minutes after exercise-tDCS session.
3
BDNF DNA methylation
Timeframe: Blood samples are collected at baseline and 20 minutes after exercise-tDCS session.
. Contraindications for non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS), in line with published safety guidelines;
✕. History of neurological disorders, including epilepsy (personal or family history), traumatic brain injury, stroke, dementia, or Parkinson's disease;
✕. Major medical conditions, including cancer, endocrine or metabolic disorders, urine, genital and cardiovascu-lar diseases (e.g., myocardial infarction, heart failure, arrhythmia, uncontrolled hypertension).
✕. Substance abuse.
✕. Presence of psychiatric disorders other than depression or anxiety.