The Added Value of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) During Exercise for People With Chronic Widespread Pain

Many people with chronic widespread pain (CWP) feel more pain and fatigue after exercise. This makes it hard to stay active. Unfortunately, the investigators do not fully understand why this happens and how to prevent it. The primary goal of this study is to explore the underlying genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of BDNF gene in response to exercise, and investigate if transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) during exercise works to improve worsening symptoms response to exercise in people with CWP. The investigators designed a randomized crossover study and will enroll 60 patients with CWP and 60 healthy controls. Participants will undergo 2 interventions in random order: 1) exercise + active tDCS, and 2) exercise + sham tDCS. Participants will visit the hospital twice with at least one week in between the visits.

NCT Number	NCT07212829
Lead Sponsor	Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Conditions	Chronic Widespread Pain, Fibromyalgia (FM)
Enrollment	120 participants
Start Date	2026-02-01
Primary Completion	2027-12-30 (estimated)
Study Completion	2028-06-30 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-04-20