Participate
Our studies help us understand how the brain produces pain, mood and decision-making, and how stimulation can improve them. Most studies include compensation for your time. To ask whether a study is right for you, email hdlab@umn.edu or call 612-946-1424.
Study Title: Evaluating Noninvasive Brain Stimulation for TMD Pain: A Feasibility Study
PI: Don Nixdorf
The overall goal of this study is to explore if a gentle nerve-stimulating tAN device can help people with jaw pain (TMD) feel better and think clearer, while using a smartwatch to track responses like heart rate, sleep, and activity levels.
Timeline: Eligible participants will take 5-6 weeks to complete this study.
Trigeminal Neuralgia Study
This study is currently enrolling healthy volunteers who have no facial pain, face-related disorders, or prior surgeries.
This will take about 2 hours to complete, and you will be compensated $80.
Please reach out to hdlab@umn.edu or call 612-946-1424 for additional details!
The RECODE Study
This study is enrolling people who have a diagnosis of chronic pain, treatment resistant depression, or both, as well as healthy controls who do not have chronic pain or depression. Participating in this study involves undergoing an MRI scan where you will watch some videos and perform a computer task, followed by two lab visits where you will receive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) and perform additional tasks on the computer. To learn more, email hdlab@umn.edu or call 612-946-1424.
Telefitting Spinal Cord Stimulation for Pain (The TSP Study):
This study is enrolling patients who have chronic pain and are scheduled to receive a spinal cord stimulator (SCS) to treat their pain. Participating in this study involves up to 7 in-person visits to the Herman-Darrow Lab at the University of Minnesota. Each visit will involve doing various behavioral tasks/games on a computer while wearing an EEG headcap, a programming session for the stimulator settings, and an optional blood draw. This study is not enrolling healthy controls. Please contact hdlab@umn.edu or call 612-946-1424 if you believe you qualify for this study. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05741788
Spinal cord or brain injury studies
Our partner lab, the Restorative Neurotrauma Lab at Hennepin Healthcare, runs studies of spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury. See their studies at restorativeneurotraumalab.org