Global Lyme Alliance grant recipient, Dr. Alla Landa is currently seeking volunteers for her study, “Reducing Chronic Pain in Post-Treatment Lyme Syndrome: a Brain Imaging and Treatment Study” at Columbia University’s Lyme and Tick-borne Diseases Research Center in New York City. This is one of the first-ever studies of chronic pain management in Lyme patients.
At least 5-15% of those with Lyme disease develop Post-treatment Lyme Syndrome (PTLS), which is marked by “debilitating residual symptoms that last months to years, even after having received antibiotic treatment.” These symptoms often include chronic muscle, joint and/or nerve pain.
Dr. Landa’s study explores how the brain processes pain signals in PTLS patients.
• Can PTLS patients benefit from medication that reduces central pain?
• Can PTLS patients benefit from D-Cycloserine: the FDA-approved tuberculosis treatment?
• Do PTLS patients have over-active central pain circuits in the brain?
If you are between 18 and 55 years old, suffering from Lyme disease and chronic pain, and would like to participate in this study, please contact Ellen Brown at 646-774-8100 or eb3048@cumc.columbia.edu for an initial eligibility screening.
For more information about the study please visit http://www.columbia-lyme.org/research/cr_research.html.