Brain scans reveal why some knee pain feels different
NCT ID NCT07668674
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study uses brain MRI to compare brain activity in women over 40 with knee osteoarthritis who have two different types of pain: joint-related pain and nerve-related pain. Researchers will look at a brain region called the anterior insula to see if activity differs between the two groups. The goal is to better understand pain types, which could lead to more tailored treatments in the future. Participants will complete questionnaires, have a blood test, and undergo a non-invasive brain scan.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this study could help doctors better understand why some people with knee osteoarthritis feel nerve-related pain, potentially leading to more personalized pain treatments.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early pilot study with only 60 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. It is designed to observe and learn, not to test a new treatment.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 2
Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.
- Participants
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About 60 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Jul 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Aug 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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40 years and older
- Sex
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Female participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Women aged 40 or older (only women will be included to ensure consistency in the analyses, given the higher prevalence of osteoarthritis in women and the influence of sex/gender on the experience of pain) * Diagnosis of femorotibial osteoarthritis of the knee according to the 1986 American College of Rheumatology criteria * Presence of knee pain with an intensity of ≥ 4/10 on a numerical rating scale (NRS) * Chronic knee pain, i.e., lasting at least 6 months with at least 15 days of pain in the past 30 days * Completion of the PainDETECT questionnaire, which will allow the patient to be assigned to one of two groups prior to the enrollment visit (those with nociceptive pain \[score ≤ 12\] and those with neuropathic pain \[score \> 13\]) * Patients have read and understood the information letter * Patients have signed the informed consent form * Patients are enrolled in a social security program Exclusion Criteria: * Other joint diseases affecting the knees (gout, chondrocalcinosis, rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis, psoriatic arthritis) * Conditions that, in the investigator's opinion, interfere with the assessment of osteoarthritic pain, such as conditions causing neuropathic pain in the lower extremities (e.g., peripheral neuropathy, chronic radiculopathy) or fibromyalgia * Kellgren-Lawrence radiographic stage IV in one or both knees * Patients with one or more knee prostheses * Claustrophobia making MRI impossible * Contraindication to MRI * Pregnant or breastfeeding women * Patients under guardianship, conservatorship, deprived of liberty, or under judicial protection * Patients who have participated in an interventional clinical trial within the last 6 months that could impact the primary endpoint
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
3 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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APHP - Pitié-Salpêtrière
Paris, France
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APHP - Saint-Antoine
Paris, France
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CHU Clermont-Ferrand
Clermont-Ferrand, France
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