Unravelling the Neurobiological Mechanisms Underlying the Bidirectional Relationship Between Chronic Sleep Disturbances and Pain Sensitivity in People With Non-specific Chronic Low Back Pain and Chronic Insomnia
This study is a part of a larger project aiming to evaluate the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the relationship between sleep and pain in people with non-specific chronic low back pain. Specifically, this study aims to evaluate the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the relationship between chronic sleep disturbances and pain sensitivity in people with non-specific chronic low back pain and chronic insomnia.
• 18-60 years old.
• Ability to speak and understand the Dutch Language.
• Body mass index \<30.
• No smoking or nicotine use.
• Low caffeine use (≤3 cups of coffee/day, ≤1 energy drink/day).
• Low alcohol use (≤9 alcoholic units/week).
• No use of neuro- and/or psychopharmacological treatments and/or immunosuppressive agents (including NSAIDs) with a suspected influence on neuroinflammation unless terminated within a sufficient time frame before the start of the study, or unless falling under the Pharmacological exceptions criteria (see below).
• Willing to (try to) adhere to the acute pre-test restrictions, including refraining from analgesics (unless stable use), caffeine, alcohol, and/or strenuous physical activity (\>3 METs) in the 24 hours preceding the main test day.
• Currently pain free, defined as having no pain that affects daily living/functioning and/or which has led to a consultation with a healthcare practitioner.
• No episode of low back pain that interfered with daily functioning/living and/or which led to a consultation with a healthcare practitioner within 12 months from the time of inclusion.
• No history of chronic low back pain.
• Low back pain reported on most days (≥50%), every week, for more than 3 months.
• Low back pain-related emotional disress OR functional disability rated as ≥3 out of 10.
• Stable sleep phase within 10 PM and 10 AM (assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index).
• Average habitual total sleep time between 7 and 9 hours (assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index).
• A Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index ≤5.
• An Insomnia Severity Index ≤7.
• An Epworth Sleepiness Scale ≤10.
• Sleep efficiency ≥85% during a one-night, laboratory-based polysomnography screening.
• No episode of sleep disturbances that interfered with daily functioning/living and/or which led to a consultation with a healthcare practitioner within the preceding 12 months from the time of inclusion.
• No history of chronic insomnia.
• Chronic insomnia according to the ICSD-3-TR criteria (assessed using an ICSD-3-TR-adapted version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index).
• An Insomnia Severity Index ≥15.