Exploring brain responses to pain in people with and without fibromyalgia

You are being invited to take part in a research project. Before you decide, it is important for you to understand why the project is being done and what it will involve.

Please take time to read the following information carefully and discuss it with others if you wish. Ask us if there is anything that is not clear or if you would like more information. Take time to decide whether you wish to take part.

Purpose of this study

This study aims to explore how people with fibromyalgia experience pain by comparing their responses and brain activity to those of individuals without pain. It forms part of a larger PhD project investigating fibromyalgia syndrome and builds on two earlier studies within this programme of research.

This research seeks to better understand how fibromyalgia affects pain perception, including pain thresholds, and subjective pain experiences.

Why you have been invited to participate

You have been identified as a potential participant because you have responded to a recruitment advert. You should only take part if the following conditions apply to you:

  • Being 18 to 60 years old.
  • Assigned female at birth.
  • Residing in the UK, and having a proficient understanding of English.

Eligible participants must fall into one of the following two groups:

  1. Individuals diagnosed with Fibromyalgia Syndrome by a recognised medical specialist (for example, a rheumatologist, neurologist, or specialist pain management team).
  2. Individuals who are not experiencing any form of pain at the time of taking part in the study and who have no history of chronic pain (for example, fibromyalgia, chronic back pain), acute pain conditions (for example, headache, toothache, injury-related pain), or any health condition that typically includes pain as a primary symptom (for example, arthritis, migraines, inflammatory conditions).

You must not take part if the following conditions apply to you:

  • You are pregnant.
  • You have a current or history of neurological conditions, for example, stroke or epilepsy.
  • You have a history of drug dependence or regular drug use.
  • You are taking medication known to increase sensitivity to sunlight.
  • You are taking anticoagulants or immunosuppressants.
  • You have a personal or family history of skin cancer.
  • You have eczema on your hands or Raynaud’s disease.
  • You have a tattoo on the back of the left hand.
  • You are hypersensitive to light in the near-infrared wavelength region.
  • You have had excessive sun exposure for example, tanning or sunburn in the past three weeks.
  • You have consumed analgesic medication within eight hours prior to participation (any type of painkillers for the pain-free group or ad hoc use only for the FMS group).
  • You have consumed recreational drugs or excessive alcohol in the 24 hours prior to participation.
  • You have smoked or consumed more than one cup of a caffeinated beverage on the day of testing.

Do you have to take part

No. It is up to you to decide whether to take part. You can ask questions about the project before deciding. You can stop being part of the project at any time, without giving a reason. You may leave the project by emailing Maria Planes Alias.

What you will do

If you decide to take part, you will be asked to complete a pre-screening questionnaire to confirm your eligibility, provide informed consent, and book a time slot for your in-person laboratory session. One day before your visit, you will receive a reminder and a link to a pre-session survey, where you will complete a set of questionnaires about your health, background, and other relevant experiences.

The lab session will take place at the Tom Reilly Building, Liverpool John Moores University, and is expected to last around two hours.

In this study, brief pain (pinprick sensations) will be delivered using a laser, while EEG sensors on the scalp will measure the brain’s electrical responses to the pain. Previous laser-based studies have shown altered brain activity in people with fibromyalgia.

You will receive £20 voucher for taking part.

Download the research participation information sheet (PDF, 626KB)

Contact details

If you would like to discuss the research with someone beforehand (or if you have questions afterwards), please contact:

Principal Investigator: Maria Planes Alias
LJMU postgraduate research student
Email address: m.planesalias@2022.ljmu.ac.uk

Supervisor: Dr Charlotte Krahé
Email address: c.m.krahe@ljmu.ac.uk

This Project has received a favourable ethics opinion from an LJMU Research Ethics Committee. Research Ethics Committee Reference Number: 251222LJMUREC264