Psychological Research in Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain (ÀGORA Group)
Research Program
Leaders
Where we are
Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu
Professional network profiles
Related websites
Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu Our group conducts patient-centred research, which is invaluable insofar as it can be translated into clinical practice. Our main focus is on the economic evaluation of psychological and pharmacological treatments for fibromyalgia and chronic pain, on the neurobiological basis of chronic pain and on psychometric aspects of the measures usually administered to these patients.
More specifically, the ÀGORA Group is interested in studying which treatments are effective and cost-effective for patients with chronic pain, identifying the specific patient profile (clusters) in which these treatments are most effective and how they act cognitively, emotionally and physiologically.
Several of our members, including the group leader, belong to the Network for Research in Preventive Activities and Health Promotion in Primary Care (ISCIII; RD16/0007/0012) and the group is recognised and receives funding as an emerging group from AGAUR (Government of Catalonia; 2017 SGR 667).
Research lines
- Evaluation of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of different psychological and pharmacological treatments for the management of fibromyalgia and chronic pain.
- Analysis of the role of neuroimaging variables (structural, functional, perfusion and spectroscopy) and inflammatory variables (pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines) in predicting responses to the treatments under evaluation.
- Development and psychometric validation of patient-reported outcomes (PRO).
- Mindfulness, health and quality of life. This line of psychosocial research aims to assess the therapeutic potential of community activities (effect of the Camino de Santiago on mental health and quality of life; assessing well-being associated with implementation of a green roof system in homes for the elderly).
Scientific objectives
- To analyse the efficiency of third-generation psychological treatments and innovative pharmacological treatments for patients with chronic pain.
- To develop and validate "psychological process variables" and pinpoint which psychological constructs are involved in the response to treatment.
- To analyse the brain from a structural and functional point of view concerning the areas that predict the response to treatments as well as those likely to undergo changes as a result of the therapy.
- To analyse the role of psychoneuroimmunological variables in the prediction and mediation of treatment outcomes.
Area/Field of expertise
The research carried out by the group is part of the study of the clinical, economic, psychobiological and social aspects of diseases with chronic non-malignant pain, especially musculoskeletal pain. The main objective is to study the cost-effectiveness of pain control therapy and the role of psychological, biological and social variables that act as predictors and/or mediators of therapeutic change. The methodology generally employed is the conduct of randomised controlled clinical trials, although we also have experience in meta-analysis and psychometric assessment.
With the aim of conducting successful research in fibromyalgia and chronic pain, we have a multidisciplinary team (five psychologists -one also a health biologist-, a statistician, a rheumatologist, an anaesthetist and a GP) made up of researchers and professionals from Sant Joan de Déu Health Park and other academic or clinical institutions in our territory.
In recent years and in various different projects, we have evaluated the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of different pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for fibromyalgia and major depression, thanks primarily to yearly funding from ISCIII. Our group is defined as a "dry lab" that seeks to contribute significantly to knowledge about the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the effects of therapies for chronic pain.
Group members
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Jefe de Grupo Senior
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Investigador
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Investigador colaborador
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Investigador
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Investigador
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Investigador
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Investigador post-doc
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Investigador colaborador
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Ayudante de investigación
Last Publications
- Mikkonen J, Leinonen V, Lähdeoja T, Holopainen R, Ekström K, Koho P, Airaksinen O, Luciano JV, Navarrete J and Neblett R Dimensionality, reliability, and validity of the Finnish version of the pain catastrophizing scale in chronic low back pain. Scandinavian Journal of Pain . 24(1): .
- Sanabria JP, Colomer A, Gandara-Urrutia N, Pérez-Sutil JM, Noboa-Rocamora G, Fernández-Vázquez Ó, Val-Mariano G, Fontana-McNally M, Cardona-Ros G, Feliu A, McCracken LM, Edo S, Sanz A and Luciano JV Experiences of patients with chronic low back pain plus comorbid depressive symptoms in a videoconference group acceptance and commitment therapy or behavioral activation treatment for depression: a qualitative study. DISABILITY AND REHABILITATION . 46(21): 1-12.
- Medina S, O'Daly O, Howard MA, Feliu A and Luciano JV Does practice make perfect? Functional connectivity of the salience network and somatosensory network predicts response to mind-body treatments for fibromyalgia. Frontiers in Pain Research . 5: 1245235-1245235.
Projects
- Project name:
- Efectividad y coste-utilidad de la terapia cognitiva basada en mindfulness (MBCT) para prevenir la recaída o recurrencia depresiva en adultos españoles con trastorno depresivo recurrente: un ensayo controlado aleatorizado (estudio Bounce-Back from Depress
- Leader
- Jesús Montero Marin
- Funding entities:
- Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Fundació Privada per a la Recerca i la Docència Sant Joan de Déu - FSJD, Montero Marin, Jesús
- Code
- PI23/00021
- Starting - finishing date:
- 2024 - 2026
- Project name:
- Disseny i avaluació de l’efectivitat d’una intervenció d’Arts en Salut per millorar la qualitat de vida i la capacitat funcional respecte el dolor de persones amb fibromiàlgia. Estudi de metodologia mixta.
- Leader
- Juan Vicente Luciano Devis
- Funding entities:
- Generalitat de Catalunya
- Code
- SA-2024-389
- Starting - finishing date:
- 2024 - 2024
- Project name:
- Coste-utilidad y efectos fisiológicos de una aplicación digital para pacientes con fibromialgia basada en la Terapia de Aceptación y Compromiso (Proyecto SMART-FM-Spain)
- Leader
- Juan Vicente Luciano Devis
- Funding entities:
- Luciano Devis, Juan Vicente, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Fundació Privada per a la Recerca i la Docència Sant Joan de Déu - FSJD
- Code
- PI22/00829
- Starting - finishing date:
- 2023 - 2025
Theses
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Evaluación clínica y económica de la Terapia de Aceptación y Compromiso y de la Terapia de Activación Conductual en
pacientes con dolor lumbar crónico y síntomas de depresión
- Author
- Sanabria Mazo, Juan Pablo
- Institution
- UNIVERSIDAD AUTÓNOMA DE BARCELONA
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Caracterització del perfil immunoinflamatori i efectes del mindfulness en pacients amb fibromiàlgia
- Author
- Andrés Rodríguez, Laura
- Institution
- UNIVERSIDAD AUTÓNOMA DE BARCELONA
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Identificación de subtipos de pacientes con fibromialgia y análisis de la eficacia y coste-utilidad del programa de reducción del estrés basado en mindfulness
- Author
- Pérez Aranda, Adrián
- Institution
- UNIVERSIDAD DE BARCELONA
News
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Pro-inflammatory alterations identified in persons with non-specific low back pain
A study led by the Psychological Research on Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Group (AGORA Group) of the Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IRSJD) · Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) contributes new evidence on the immune-inflammatory state in non-specific low back pain.
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The conditions of 70% of people with chronic pain have worsened during the pandemic
Juan Vicente Luciano and Albert Feliu, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, participate in a study that has analysed the factors that can negatively influence people with pain.
More activities
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Defensa tesi doctoral: Juan Pablo Sanabria Mazo
Sala de Graus (B7/052), Facultat de Psicologia, UAB
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XIII CIBERSAM Instrument Bank Workshop
Àgora 3 i 4. SJD Hospital de Sant Boi