Project Grant R21AT013595

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), a component of the Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health, awarded $407,856 to Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University on August 1, 2026, under the Research and Training in Complementary and Integrative Health program (CFDA 93.213).

The recipient will conduct research examining how alpha-frequency transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) targeting the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex modulates pain avoidance learning and behavior in chronic pain patients, particularly those with complex regional pain syndrome. The project employs a multimodal approach integrating behavioral measures, brain neurophysiology, and autonomic nervous system responses. Aim 1 will apply an instrumental pain avoidance task paired with computational reinforcement learning modeling to quantify tACS effects on threat and safety learning, with simultaneous magnetoencephalography recording. Aim 2 will examine both task-related and resting-state MEG activity to assess tACS effects on brain neurophysiology and autonomic responses. The research hypothesizes that enhancing alpha oscillatory power in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex will promote adaptive pain avoidance behavior by facilitating the inhibitory processes underlying decision-making and learning.

Performance occurs in Cleveland, Ohio, with an award period from August 1, 2026, through July 31, 2028. This is a Project Grant, the standard NIH research grant mechanism requiring two-stage peer review and meritorious, responsive applications.