Basic  Science | Translational  Research | Clinical  Research

Chronic pain medications
The majority of craniofacial pain patients including TMD are persistent pain patients. Many medications presently in clinical usage are primarily intended for acute pain patients. Ongoing studies are evaluating varying dosages of tricyclic anti-depressant medications for persistent orofacial pain that have previously demonstrated some efficacy in the treatment of persistent pain in other areas of the body.
Edward Grace

Psychological interventions and psychosocial patient profiles in persistent TMD pain
Various previous clinical studies have demonstrated that TMD persistent pain patients can be responsive to psychological interventions but there is little good scientific clinical research relating psychosocial patient variables with type of psychological intervention and efficacy of treatment. Ongoing studies are evaluating a wide variety of patient psychosocial variables with effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and personalized patient education.
Edward Grace, Jennifer Haythornthwaite

Acupuncture analgesia
Studies have indicated that acupuncture may be successful in the treatment of oral and craniofacial pain. Ongoing studies examine the effect of acupuncture on the responsiveness of particular parts of the brain during the presentation of painful stimulation to the skin. These responses will help determine whether decreases in pain due to acupuncture treatment are mirrored by changes in the activation of these pain-responsive areas of the brain. An understanding of the mechanisms of action of acupuncture on the brain will be of great importance in the future treatment of both acute and chronic pain.
Joel Greenspan, Warren Morganstein, Rao Gullapalli

Understanding the neurobiology and neuroendocrinology of mood and anxiety disorders
Research interests focus around three primary themes: 1) Understanding the neurobiology and neuroendocrinology of mood and anxiety disorders, primarily major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder; 2) development and testing of new and novel treatments for mood and anxiety disorders, including drugs, devices, and other somatic treatments; and 3) understanding the relationship between depressive disorders and other medical disorders such as diabetes, heart disease, cigarette smoking and other substance use disorders, chronic pain, and osteoporosis.
Mitchel Kling