USC Neuroimaging study (Kutch)

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WS1234
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USC Neuroimaging study (Kutch)

Post by WS1234 »

FYI - if you are in the Southern California region, this study with be recruiting patients shortly.

http://news.usc.edu/116282/chronic-pelv ... -about-it/
What do you know about chronic pelvic pain?

USC Assistant Professor Jason Kutch is furthering his work on the disorder that affects millions of men.

Chronic prostatitis has no established cause, and there are no generally effective treatments. The pain can be debilitating, affecting one’s ability to perform a number of ordinary tasks, such as sitting and walking. The disorder can also affect bowel and bladder function.

“CP/CPPS symptoms can start suddenly for men in their 20s, 30s or 40s,” said Kutch, assistant professor in the USC Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy. “These symptoms can last for a long time and really upend someone’s life, so there is a pressing need for a better understanding of this condition.”

Stretch and relax

Kutch recently published the first neuroimaging study comparing men with CP/CPPS to healthy men. His preliminary research showed that men with the disorder experience dysfunction in a specific region of the brain called the motor cortex, which controls pelvic floor muscles.

These findings fit with the physical therapy approach to treating CP/CPPS. One of Kutch’s collaborators on the project, Daniel Kirages, is a physical therapist who treats the disorder with a combination of pelvic floor muscle stretching and relaxation.

“We are excited about our preliminary findings, but we need to carefully establish the link between brain and pelvic floor muscle dysfunction before we can improve therapy for CP/CPPS,” Kutch said.

Neuroimaging studies

A $1.3-million grant from the National Institutes of Health will help Kutch build on his research for the next four years. He plans to perform neuroimaging studies on nearly 50 men with chronic pelvic pain and 50 men who do not have a history of pelvic pain. He will also measure pelvic floor muscle activity to better understand the link between dysfunction in the brain and poor pelvic muscle control.

His research may provide groundwork for additional investigation into whether noninvasive motor cortex stimulation, combined with physical therapy, can be a viable treatment.

“Our hope is that this study will really point us toward next-generation therapies,” Kutch said.
Age: 32 | Onset Age: 29 | Symptoms: Urethral Pain/Irritation | Helped By: | Worsened By: | Other comments:
WS1234
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Re: USC Neuroimaging study (Kutch)

Post by WS1234 »

Hi xxx,

Thanks for your interest. We will be recruiting CP/CPPS participants in a few months. The project started 2/1/2017 and I’m currently hiring personnel and doing the final setup. I anticipate starting recruitment in June 2017.

The study will involve 1 visit to the USC Health Science Campus (Google Maps), will compensate $200 and free parking.

If you know of any other men with CP/CPPS that might be interested in participating, please feel free to give them my email address.

Thanks, and I will be in touch.

Jason Kutch
[email protected]
Age: 32 | Onset Age: 29 | Symptoms: Urethral Pain/Irritation | Helped By: | Worsened By: | Other comments:
WS1234
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Posts: 107
Joined: Mon Jan 30, 2017 7:09 pm
Location: Canada

Re: USC Neuroimaging study (Kutch)

Post by WS1234 »

I received this email from Dr. Kutch's research assistant and she said I can share here. I encourage anyone in the Western US to participate:
Hello xxx,

We are conducting a research study of Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CP/CPPS) at the University of Southern California (USC). This study is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and our goal is to study both brain and pelvic floor muscle function in men with and without CP/CPPS. The study involves one visit to the Health Science Campus (HSC) of USC, and compensates $200, free parking at HSC, and an image of your brain.

If you are interested in getting more information and would like to see if you qualify, please contact the study coordinator by phone at (323-442-1945).

Sincerely,
Erin Fitzgerald, PT, DPT, NCS
Age: 32 | Onset Age: 29 | Symptoms: Urethral Pain/Irritation | Helped By: | Worsened By: | Other comments:
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