Pain Assessment Through Integrated Neurophysiology and Multidimensional Profiling (PAIN-MAP)

September 22, 2026 updated by: Panos Bamidis, Aristotle University Of Thessaloniki

Exploring Pain: An OPM-MEG, Biomechanical, and Biopsychosocial Analysis in Chronic Low Back Pain

This observational case-control study aims to investigate the central neurophysiological mechanisms underlying non-specific chronic low back pain (CLBP) with neural mechanosensitivity, with wearable Optically Pumped Magnetometers Magnetoencephalography (OPM-MEG). The study evaluates brain activity dynamics at rest and during controlled movement-evoked pain. Additionally, it explores the relationship between cortical processing markers and multidimensional biopsychosocial profiles (including pain intensity, kinesiophobia, catastrophizing, sleep quality, and functional disability) and gait adaptaions in adults with CLBP aged 18 to 45 compared to healthy pain-free controls.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Detailed Description

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a leading healthcare challenge, with a significant proportion of cases classified as non-specific (NSLBP). A distinct subset of CLBP patients presents with neural mechanosensitivity, often clinically confirmed via neurodynamic tests such as the Slump test. While traditional neuroimaging has advanced our understanding of pain processing, conventional methods like EEG lack spatial resolution for deep brain structures, and traditional SQUID-MEG systems severely restrict patient movement.

This study leverages the novel technology of wearable Optically Pumped Magnetometers Magnetoencephalography (OPM-MEG), allowing for non-invasive, high-resolution recording of brain activity during movement.

The study protocol involves screening for eligibility, comprehensive demographic and medical history collection, and a physical/neurological examination (including reflex, sensory, and muscle strength testing, alongside Straight Leg Raise and Slump tests). Participants complete validated psychometric questionnaires evaluating pain intensity, kinesiophobia, pain catastrophizing , sleep quality, functional disability, and quality of life. Furthermore, participants undergo a standardized 6-minute walk test using smart digital insoles to record spatiotemporal parameters, kinematic variables, and composite gait biomarkers.

Participants, also, perform a controlled, movement-evoked pain task (modified Slump-based knee extension/flexion protocol) designed to elicit mild, transient symptoms and a resting state recording.

The primary objectives are to map and compare resting-state and movement-evoked cortical oscillations, current density, and functional connectivity between CLBP patients and healthy controls, and to assess the predictive value of neurophysiological markers on psychological burden. Secondary objectives include identifying distinct pain phenotypes by integrating biomechanical, psychophysiological, and neural data.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
60

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.
  • Name: Panagiotis D Bamidis, PhD

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Greece
    • Central Macedonia
      • Thessaloniki, Central Macedonia, Greece, 54124
        • Recruiting
        • Laboratory of Medical Physics and Digital Innovation, AUTH

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 45 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients and healthy controls will be recruited through referrals from private physical therapy clinics and medical centers in Thessaloniki, as well as through an open call for expressions of interest to the broader community for voluntary participation.

Description

Inclusion Criteria (Group of Chronic Low Back Pain Patients):

  • 18-45 years old
  • Non-specific low back pain
  • Duration of pain > 3 months
  • Positive SLUMP test

Inclusion Criteria (Group of Healthy Control Participants):

  • 18-45 years old
  • Healthy/ free of pain

Exclusion Criteria (Common for both groups):

  • History of spinal injury
  • History of cancer
  • Bone metabolic diseases
  • Inflammatory conditions (spondyloarthritis or systemic inflammatory diseases)
  • Spondylolistethis
  • Presence of neurological deficits suggesting active nerve root compression/radiculopathy (pathological of tendon reflexes, sensitivity and muscle strength)
  • Diagnosed neurodegenerative/neurological disorders or epilepsy
  • Psychiatric disorders
  • High irritability, according to Severity, Irritability, Nature, Stage, and Stability- SINSS pain assessment tool.
  • Claustrophobia due to the measurement process inside the shielded room
  • Electrical/electronic implants(e.g. pacemakers), metallic surgical materials (e.g. plates, stent) and dental and orthodontic metallic materials (e.g. braces).

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Observational Models: CASE_CONTROL
  • Time Perspectives: CROSS_SECTIONAL

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
CLBP

Adults aged 18-45 with chronic low back pain (>3 months) and neural mechanosensitivity.
HC

Healthy volunteers without pain.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Power spectral density as measured via OPM-MEG
Time Frame: Baseline

Differences in oscillatory activity between groups and subgroups. Difference is defined as statistical significance in the t-test comparison of the spectral power.
Baseline
Current density strength of the cortical activity as measured via OPM-MEG
Time Frame: Baseline

Differences in cortical activity strength between groups and subgroups. Difference is defined as statistical significance in the t-test comparison of the current density strength as reconstructed via an inverse solution algorithm.
Baseline
Cortical connectivity as measured via OPM-MEG
Time Frame: Baseline

Differences in cortical connectivity between groups and subgroups. Difference is defined as statistical significance in the t-test comparison of a connectivity metric estimated from the cortical activity, as reconstructed via an inverse solution algorithm.
Baseline
Network Topology as measured via OPM-MEG
Time Frame: Baseline

Differences in network topology between groups and subgroups. Difference is defined as statistical significance in the t-test comparison of a graph measure estimated from the connectivity matrices of Outcome 3.
Baseline

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Numerical Rating Pain Scale (NRPS)
Time Frame: Baseline

Differences in pain intensity between groups and subgroups. This scale assesses subjective pain Intensity by selecting an integer from 0 to 10, where 0 represents complete absence of pain and 10 worst possible pain.
Baseline
Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK)
Time Frame: Baseline

Differences in kinesiophobia between groups and subgroups. This questionnaire assesses kinesiophobia, i.e. the patient's fear of movement, physical activity, or re-inury due to pain. It includes 17 statements, where each statement is rated on a 4-point Likert scale, from 1 "Strongly disagree" to 4 "Strongly agree". Certain items, such as 4,8,12 and 16 are reversed scored. The total score is derived from the sum of all answers, with higher values indicating greater fear of movement.
Baseline
Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS)
Time Frame: Baseline

Differences in catastrophizing between groups and subgroups. This questionnaire measures pain catastrophizing i.e. the negative thoughts and excessive emotions experienced by the patient when in pain. It includes 13 statements. The patient rates each statement from 0 "Not at all" to 4 "All the time". The total score ranges from 0 to 52, with higher scores indicating higher levels of catastrophizing.
Baseline
Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS)
Time Frame: Baseline

Differences in sleep quality and the likelihood of insomnia between groups and subgroups. This scale assesses sleep quality and the likelihood of insomnia. It consists of 8 questions and each question has 4 response option from 0 "no problem/adequate" to 3 "severe problem/very inadequate". Total scores range from 0 to 24, with higher scores indicating more severe insomnia problems.
Baseline
Functional Disability measured via Modified Oswestry Disability Index (ODI)
Time Frame: Baseline

Differences in level of functional disability between groups and subgroups. This questionnaire measures the level of functional disability and how lower back pain affects daily activities. It consists of 10 questions. Each includes 6 possible answers scored from 0 (least impact) to 5 (maximum impact). The final score is calculated as a percentage ( total score of answers/ Maximum possible score x 100), where 0% means no disability and 100% maximum possible disability.
Baseline
Quality of life measured via World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF)
Time Frame: Baseline

Differences in quality of life between groups and subgroups. This questionnaire assess quality of life across four domains (physical health, psychological well-being, social relationships and environment) via 26 questions on a 1-5 scale. Each domain yields a score transformed into a 0-100 scale, where higher values reflect better quality.
Baseline
Distance walked during the 6-Minutes Walking Test (6-MWT)
Time Frame: Baseline

Differences in distance walked during the 6-Minutes Walking Test between groups and subgroups. During the 6-Minutes Walking Test the total distance a person can walk on a flat, hard surface will be measured in meters (m).
Baseline
Average Walking Speed (km/h)
Time Frame: Baseline

Differences in average walking speed between groups and subgroups. Average walking speed (kilometers per hour) will be measured during the 6-Minutes Walking Test.
Baseline
Cadence (step/min)
Time Frame: Baseline

Differences in cadence between groups and subgroups. Cadence will be calculated by the number of steps taken per minute (combined total of the two feet) and it will be measured during the 6-Minutes Walking Test.
Baseline
Stride Length (cm)
Time Frame: Baseline

Differences in stride length between groups and subgroups. Stride length will be calculated by the distance between two successive heel landings of the same foot and it will be measured during the 6-Minutes Walking Test.
Baseline
Stance Time (ms and %)
Time Frame: Baseline

Differences in stance time between groups and subgroups. Stance time will be calculated by the time during which the foot is in contact with the ground, standardized to be expressed as a percentage of the cycle time. It will be measured during the 6-Minutes Walking Test.
Baseline
Swing Time (ms and %)
Time Frame: Baseline

Differences in swing time between groups and subgroups. Swing time will be calculated by the time during which the foot is not in contact with the ground, standardized to be expressed as a percentage of the cycle time. It will be measured during the 6-Minutes Walking Test.
Baseline
Double Support Time (%).
Time Frame: Baseline

Differences in double support time between groups and subgroups. Double support time will be calculated by the percentage of the cycle during which both feet are in contact with the ground at the same time. It will be measured during the 6-Minutes Walking Test.
Baseline
Symmetry Percentages (%) between the lower limbs
Time Frame: Baseline

Differences in symmetry percentages between groups and subgroups. Symmetry expresses the congruence between the values obtained on the left and right foot for stance and swing time and determines whether one leg is used more than the other when walking. It will be measured during the 6-Minutes Walking Test.
Baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Aristotle University Of Thessaloniki

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 7, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
September 16, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 22, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
September 29, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
September 29, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 22, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
September 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 684546

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

IPD Plan Description

The decision regarding IPD sharing has not yet been finalized. Potential sharing of de-identified participant data will be evaluated in accordance with participant consent, GDPR requirements, ethical approvals, and institutional data-governance policies.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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