Central neuropathic pain can develop after damage to the brain or spinal cord caused by stroke, multiple sclerosis, or spinal cord injury. It affects about one in 10 stroke survivors and can cause persistent burning and other painful sensations, even in areas with reduced or absent sensation. Because the pain originates in the central nervous system, conventional treatments such as injections, surgery, procedures, and opioids often provide limited relief.

The University of Minnesota’s SENAP clinical trial will test a personalized brain-stimulation approach for patients with severe, treatment-resistant neuropathic pain. Researchers will use functional MRI to map two pain-related brain networks in each participant and identify individualized targets for an implantable stimulator.

The team aims to determine whether targeting both networks simultaneously can provide more consistent pain relief. The approach could help explain why conventional motor cortex stimulation works for some patients but not others, while allowing stimulation settings to be tailored to each individual’s brain.

The study also reflects a shift toward personalized pain treatment, recognizing that brain networks involved in pain can vary between individuals. By combining brain mapping with targeted stimulation, researchers hope to develop a more precise approach for people who have exhausted existing treatment options.

Source: https://med.umn.edu/news/university-minnesota-researchers-receive-38m-nih-grant-test-personalized-brain-stimulation-chronic-pain