Note: This study is currently only recruiting patients in the hospital.

If you are interested in being notified if this study begins recruiting from the general population, please use the 'I Am Interested' button below.

Do you have low back pain and use opioids to treat it? Neuroimaging study recruiting subjects!

The Wey research group at Massachusetts General Hospital is conducting a research study to understand the epigenetic changes in the brains of patients with chronic low back pain.

Massachusetts General Hospital Chronic Pain Pain Back Injuries
7 hours over 1 visit
Estimated Time Commitment
Male, Female, 18-65 years
May Be Eligible
Payment up to $400
May Be Offered
MRI scan, PET scan, Survey, Blood draw, Injection or IV
May Be Required
 
I Am Interested I Am Interested I Am Interested

Enrollment for this study is expected to close on Thursday, November 6, 2025

Overview

What we are studying

The Wey research group at Massachusetts General Hospital is conducting a research study to image the neuro-epigenetic effects of chronic pain. 


The goal of this study is to compare and contrast the expression of a protein called histone deacetylase (HDAC) in the brains of patients with chronic low back pain (cLBP). Furthermore, this study will also compare HDAC expression in cLBP individuals being treated with prescription opioids and those being treated through other means. 

If you are interested in participating, please follow this link to complete our secure redcap survey: https://redcap.partners.org/redcap/surveys/?s=ARDRP9H788


Those who are eligible to participate will be contacted.


 


Why it is important

Abuse and addiction to opioid painkillers has emerged as a major issue in the US over the past decades. Although prescription opioids are great for treating acute and severe pain, they are not ideal for chronic pain management. To develop new therapeutics for pain relief with reduced liability in causing tolerance, dependance, and addiction, there exists a need to understand 1) the underlying epigenetic changes associated with chronic pain and 2) the effects of long-term opioid treatment on those changes.


By analyzing the relative expression of HDAC across our subject groups, we hope to better understand how chronic pain and opioid use influence HDAC expression. Modulation of epigenetic processes may be a new therapeutic approach across many brain disorders.


What we hope to accomplish

A hybrid PET/MRI scanner will allow us to view HDAC expression in the brain. Our hope is that this study will provide insight surrounding the mechanisms of pain and long-term opioid use. 

Principal Investigator

Hsiao-Ying Wey, PhD

Massachusetts General Hospital

Public Profile

Project Contact

Click I Am Interested "I Am Interested" "I Am Interested" to get started. If you have questions, contact:

Kate Gaynor
Clinical Research Coordinator

neuroimagingstudy@mgh.harvard.edu
(617) 726-6039

Who can participate


  • Ages 18-65

  • Diagnosed chronic low back pain (cLBP) patients OR healthy volunteers

  • Have been taking prescribed opioids (such as Oxycontin, Percocet, Tramadol, Vicodin, etc.) to treat pain for at least 1 month, at least 2 days per week


Healthy Volunteers

Healthy volunteers are eligible for this study

Healthy volunteers must be 18-65 years old and not have any underlying chronic pain or psychiatric conditions. 

Who cannot participate


  • Pregnant women

  • Subjects with MRI safety contraindications (metal objects in the body)

What you may be asked to do

Participants will be asked to come in for a scanning visit that lasts 4.5-6.5 hours. 


Steps of this one-time visit include:



  • Consent

  • Simultaneous PET/MRI scan, including administration radioactive tracer via IV catheter

  • Separate MRI-only scan

  • Medical history, physical examination, and concomitant medication forms facilitated by Nurse Practitioner or Registered Nurse

  • Pain and mental health questionnaires and assessments


Participants will be offered an optional placement of an arterial line for blood draws. This step is solely optional and requires application of local anesthetic by a licensed anesthesiologist for arterial line placement. Arterial blood draws improve PET acquisition quality but increase visit duration. 


 


Project activities may include:

  • MRI scan
  • PET scan
  • Survey
  • Blood draw
  • Injection or IV

Estimated Time Commitment

7 hours over 1 visit

What You May Get

Participants will receive no direct health benefit from this study. We hope that this research will lead to a future treatment for those with low back pain.



  • Participants will be compensated up to $350 for completing all aspects of the study ($200 for PET/MRI imaging session, $50 MRI-only scan, and additional $100 for optional arterial line placement)

  • In the cases of PET tracer synthesis errors, subjects may be asked to stay longer to participate in the visit. If subjects choose to stay for an extended visit, they will be compensated an additional $50 for their time.  

Location

Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging at MGH East Campus
149 13th Street, Charlestown, MA

Map it!


Travel

  • Parking reimbursed
  • Accessible by public transportation
  • Parking available

Travel and Parking Details

Travel to the Charlestown Navy Yard is available via Partners Healthcare shuttles, free-of-charge, from North Station or the main MGH campus



  • Parking is available on-site 

  • Parking will be reimbursed

Additional Information

Project Website

http://www.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/~wey/


Participating Institutions


Funding Source

  • NIH or Other Federal
  • Department
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