PROVIDENCE – For about 50 million Americans, chronic pain is a disabling but often poorly understood condition, according to researchers at Brown University, and more than 100 million individuals suffer at least some degree of chronic pain.
To better comprehend the causes of chronic pain, and potentially develop preventative measures, researchers in the university’s Robert J. & Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science are developing SOMA, an app that assists patients in monitoring their symptoms and potentially related activities.
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SOMA draws from recent studies that identified a shift from peripheral, or body-centered, to central, or brain-centered, processing as acute pain becomes chronic.
While current treatments focus on the body, the researchers hope this data will provide a deeper understanding of the brain’s role in sending these pain signals.
Using the technology, researchers also hope to develop interventions to prevent predicted chronic pain, in addition to assisting people experiencing acute pain.
The app is available for download through the Google Play and Apple stores.
Jacquelyn Voghel is a PBN staff writer. You may reach her at Voghel@PBN.com.
