CI

At a glance

ClinicalIndex Comparison Record
N/ACompleted· 116 enrolled
Drug / intervention
verum acupuncture +3 moredevice
Likely dose
Not stated in record
Structured eligibility isn't available for this trial yet — see the full criteria in the Eligibility tab below.

Standardized by ClinicalIndex from the ClinicalTrials.gov record · verify against the source.

Search/NCT03716830
NCT03716830N/ACompleted

Enhancing Acupuncture Treatment Effect Through Non-invasive Neuromodulation

Massachusetts General Hospital·interventional·Posted Oct 23, 2018·Updated Nov 5, 2025

In Brief

A clinical study evaluating verum acupuncture, sham acupuncture, and 2 other interventions for Chronic Pain. Completed, enrolled 116 participants across 1 site.

Detailed Summary

In this study, investigators will examine the brain mechanism behind the synergistic effects of combining acupuncture and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) treatments. Specifically, chronic low back pain (cLBP) patients will be recruited and randomized to one of four groups (30 per group, one month of treatment): 1) verum acupuncture + real tDCS, 2) sham acupuncture + real tDCS, 3) verum acupuncture + sham tDCS, and 4) sham acupuncture + sham tDCS. Investigators will study 1) the longitudinal (one-month) effects of different treatments as indicated by changes in resting state functional connectivity (rsFC), cerebral blood flow (CBF), clinical outcomes of low back pain, and quantitative sensory test (QST) and 2) the association between these changes.

Study Details

Study Typeinterventional
Allocation--
Masking--
Primary Purpose--
ConditionsChronic Pain
CountriesUnited States
Collaborators--

Timeline

N/ACompletedFinished
20192020202120222023202420252026
First PostedOct 23, 2018
Enrollment StartNov 7, 2020
Primary CompletionJan 31, 2025
Study CompletionMar 31, 2025
TodayJul 2, 2026
Enrollment to primary: 4.2 yearsPosted 7.7 years ago

Interventions

verum acupuncturedevice

Participants will receive real acupuncture treatment.

sham acupuncturedevice

Participants will receive sham acupuncture treatment.

real tDCSdevice

Participants will receive real transcranial direct current stimulation.

sham tDCSdevice

Participants will receive sham transcranial direct current stimulation.