The MindBody Medicine Clinic’s research projects are designed to help 1) understand the mechanisms of chronic pain treatment; 2) evaluate the effectiveness of treatment and relapse prevention; 3) conduct and promote interdisciplinary/translational research studies focused on understanding the causes that lead to the development of chronic pain.
Understanding the Mechanisms of Chronic Pain TreatmentTogether with the Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit CNRU and the UVM Brain Imaging Core, the MindBody Medicine Team is currently working on research protocols utilizing functional MRI, which serve to capture pictures of the brain while participants are actively engaged in tasks. We are specifically investigating whether a psychotherapeutic approach, such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), has the potential to modify the dysfunctional neural circuitry associated with chronic pain.
Chronic Pain Studies using Functional MRI (fMRI)
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Treatment and Relapse Prevention
The MindBody Medicine Clinic has developed and is currently testing a cost effective, efficient treatment program for the prevention of chronic illness such as chronic pain and obesity and for the prevention of pain medication drug abuse. One of the MBMC’s objectives is to study the paradigm of self-healing by combining behavioral and meditative techniques with current developments in medicine, neuroscience, and psychotherapy.
The underlying technology used in most of our relapse prevention research is Interactive Voice Response (IVR). IVR is a method for interaction between an individual and a computer through the medium of a telephone using the touch-tone keypad.
For a diagram of TIVR, click here
Chronic Pain Treatment Studies Using TIVR
Weight Control Treatment Studies Using TIVR
To learn more about participation in UVM research and your protections as a volunteer, click here: Education about UVM Research
