Association between physical exercise and catastrophizing in the somatosensory profile of patients with trigeminal neuralgia

• Grant number: 25/20818-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 15, 2025
• End date: February 27, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Dental Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Glauce Crivelaro Do Nascimento
• Grantee: Thiago Germano dos Santos
• Supervisor: Giancarlo de La Torre Canales
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Ribeirão Preto (FORP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
• Associated to the scholarship: 25/07827-5 - Effects of Cannabidiol Associated with Physical Exercise on Trigeminal Neuralgia, BP.IC

Abstract

Neuropathic pain, resulting from damage to the central or peripheral nervous system, is a chronic, high-intensity, and debilitating condition often resistant to conventional therapies. When manifested in the orofacial region, it presents a particularly complex clinical challenge due to its multifactorial etiology and limited treatment options. Among emerging therapeutic strategies, physical exercise has gained recognition for its ability to modulate pain and promote neuroprotection through the release of endorphins and anti-inflammatory mediators. This research project aims to investigate the relationship between aerobic exercise, somatosensory profiles, and psychological factors in patients with trigeminal neuralgia. Considering the bidirectional interaction between pain and psychological states, maladaptive factors such as kinesiophobia, hypervigilance, and catastrophizing may play a critical role in pain modulation. Excessive alertness or fear of movement can reduce pain thresholds and increase the sensitivity of anatomical structures, potentially altering somatosensory parameters in affected individuals. Despite the clinical relevance of these interactions, no studies to date have examined the combined influence of kinesiophobia, hypervigilance, and catastrophizing with physical exercise on pressure pain thresholds and conditioned pain modulation in patients with trigeminal neuralgia. Addressing this gap, the present project seeks to provide novel insights into the neuropsychological mechanisms underlying orofacial neuropathic pain and inform the development of integrative therapeutic approaches that incorporate exercise as a non-pharmacological intervention. (AU)