Projects & Grants
| Neuroplasticity and somatosensory perception disorders in patients with chronic low back pain | |
|---|---|
| Project Id | SGS15/LF/2026 |
| Main solver | Mgr. Kateřina LUKEŠOVÁ |
| Period | 1/2026 - 12/2026 |
| Provider | Specifický VŠ výzkum |
| State | solved |
| Anotation | Chronic nonspecific low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common musculoskeletal complaints and represents a complex bio-psycho-social problem in which central neuroplastic changes are increasingly shown to play a crucial role. Research suggests that patients with LBP show impaired somatosensory perception, changes in the integrity of the body schema, and reorganization of brain areas responsible for sensorimotor integration. These changes may be manifested by altered processing of proprioceptive stimuli, disturbances in trunk representation, and changes in behavior during motor tasks. The aim of this project is to evaluate the effectiveness of a six-week cognitive training program focused on body schema in patients with chronic LBP. The intervention will include tasks of implicit and explicit motor imagery (Recognise?) and body-outline perception training (PsyToolkit). Its effectiveness will be compared to an active placebo group, which will perform visually oriented logical tasks with no expected effect on body schema. The primary outcome will be changes in accuracy on a trunk-related laterality judgement task; secondary outcomes will include two-point discrimination thresholds, pain intensity, disability, and maladaptive cognitive factors. This project will provide new insights into whether disrupted body schema in people with LBP can be modified through targeted cognitive training and whether such intervention can influence neurocognitive and somatosensory functions relevant to clinical practice. Through the use of an active placebo group and repeated measurements (pre, post, and follow-up), the study design is methodologically robust and has the potential to advance innovative non-pharmacological approaches to chronic pain management. |
| Total Costs | 113 300 CZK |
