Mechanistic Studies on Video-guided Acupuncture Imagery Treatment of Knee Pain

The aim of this study is to investigate brain response and connectivity changes evoked by video-guided acupuncture imagery treatment (VGAIT) and verum and sham acupuncture in knee osteoarthritis patients to elucidate the underlying brain mechanisms of mind-body interaction, imagery, and acupuncture.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Osteoarthritis, Knee Arthritis Joint Diseases Musculoskeletal Diseases Osteoarthritis Rheumatic Diseases

Age range

40 year–70 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging

Charlestown, Massachusetts, 02129, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Right-handed
Knee osteoarthritis patients
Ages 40 to 70 years old

Exclusion criteria

Any contraindications to MRI scanning (claustrophobia, metal implants)
Current or past history of major medical, neurological, or psychiatric illness other than knee osteoarthritis (including high blood pressure, heart disorders, impaired elimination, stomach problems, major kidney or liver problems, bleeding problems, severe dehydration, history of diabetes, history of asthma or other respiratory condition)
Pregnancy
Non fluent English speaker

Treatment and study plan

acupuncture

Device

Patients will watch a video of themselves receiving acupuncture or a control video or receive real or sham acupuncture treatment.

Other names: Video of Acupuncture

Primary outcomes

fMRI Signal Increases

Time frame: Collected once during the first treatment session

fMRI measures changes in brain activity by detecting fluctuations in blood oxygenation levels. The primary signal used in fMRI is the Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) signal, which reflects neuronal activity indirectly through hemodynamic responses.

Secondary outcomes

PAG Resting State Connectivity

Time frame: baseline and after one month treatment

The resting state functional connectivity of periaqueduct grey (PAG) before and after intervention. Resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) is assessed by analyzing spontaneous BOLD signal fluctuations in different brain regions when a subject is at rest, providing insights into intrinsic brain network organization. Preprocessing steps, including motion correction, spatial normalization, and noise removal, ensure data accuracy.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Massachusetts General Hospital

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start: 2019
Primary completion: 2023
Study completion: 2023
First posted: Aug 25, 2017
Registry last updated: Nov 5, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Completed