A safety and feasibility randomized placebo controlled trial exploring electroencephalographic effective connectivity neurofeedback treatment for fibromyalgia.
The treatment appeared feasible and acceptable in this small trial. Pain and function improved similarly in the active and placebo groups.
Anderson L, De Ridder D, Glue P, Mani R, van Sleeuwen C, Smith M, Adhia DB.
Scientific reports · Publication date: 2025-01-02
Added to site: 2026-09-09
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-83776-8
Publication date recorded by Europe PMC; online and issue dates may differ.
- Modalities
- Neurofeedback, sLORETA
- Clinical focus
- Fibromyalgia, Pain
- Population
- People with fibromyalgia
- Sample
- 30 participants: 15 active, 15 placebo
- Intervention / method
- 12 sessions of EEG effective-connectivity neurofeedback
- Comparator
- Placebo neurofeedback
Clinician summary
This feasibility trial reported 80.5% adherence and no adverse events. Comparable improvements between groups do not demonstrate treatment-specific pain relief.
How to interpret the findings
Designed primarily for feasibility and safety, with a small sample. Absence of reported adverse events does not establish safety in larger populations.
Equipment and disclosures
Equipment details were not verified from the reviewed abstract.
Funding and competing-interest disclosures were not verified from the reviewed abstract.
Related evidence
Compare findings from the same clinical area, including mixed results.
- Biofeedback-Based Therapy in Patients With Myofascial Orofacial Pain and Bruxism: An Umbrella Review. · Mixed
- Pain Outcomes and Exercise Data from the EXERT-Stroke Pilot Clinical Trial on Post-Stroke Headaches. · Mixed
- Non-invasive brain stimulation in chronic pelvic pain: a systematic review. · Mixed
- Photobiomodulation Irradiation Protocols for Burning Mouth Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Protocol-Level Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials. · Positive with limitations
- High resolution EEG microstate framework in fibromyalgia: An integrated multivariate and source localization approach to pain-related dynamics. · Mixed
Summary prepared with AI assistance. Source verification does not imply an independent replication or a clinician's endorsement. Read our review method.