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Brain zap and ice water test could unlock secrets of pain

NCT ID NCT06726018

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only This study
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study looks at how the brain naturally turns down pain signals, a process called conditioned pain modulation (CPM). Researchers will use transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to measure brain activity and apply mild pain (pressure, heat, cold) to 75 healthy adults. They also want to see if factors like optimism, stress, and cultural background affect pain control. This is not a treatment trial—it aims to understand pain mechanisms better.

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 research could reveal how the brain's pain-control pathways work and how factors like stress and optimism affect them, pointing toward better ways to prevent or treat chronic pain.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-stage study in healthy volunteers, not patients. It measures brain activity and pain responses, not a treatment. Results may not apply to people with chronic pain.

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

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 75 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

May 2026

Expected to finish

Dec 2028

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

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

18 to 75 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show 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: * pain-free * between 18-75 years old. Exclusion Criteria: Participants will not be excluded based on race or gender but will be excluded if they meet any of the following: * non-English speaking * systemic medical condition is known to affect sensation * regular use of prescription pain medication to manage pain * current or history of chronic pain condition * currently using blood thinning medication * any blood clotting disorder such as hemophilia * any contraindication to the application of ice or cold packs, such as uncontrolled hypertension, cold urticaria, cryoglobulinemia, paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria, and circulatory compromise * involved in vigorous physical activities like heavy lifting, digging, aerobics or fast bicycling * metal in the head or eyes, pacemakers, shunts, or lines, history of craniotomy, history of focal seizures * Migraine and persistent headaches.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Pain

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.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    The full official record for this study. This one lists no contact details, but it is the first place any would appear.

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  3. 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

  • Department of Physical Therapy and Movement Science, University of Texas at El Paso

    El Paso, Texas, 79902, United States

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