Ashwin Viswanathan Lab

As a neurosurgeon whose focus is Functional Neurosurgery, Ashwin Viswanathan’s research focuses on improving the function and quality of life for patients with movement disorders and pain.  The research efforts are multi-institutional and interdisciplinary collaboration involving Neuroscience, Biomedical Engineering, Neurology and Pain Management.

One current NIH funded effort of this laboratory is studying pain pathways in the human spinal cord and learning how modulation of these pain pathways can reduce pain.  The lab uses human psychophysical testing, quantitative sensory testing and advanced MRI to develop new treatments for intractable pain.

A second (NIH award pending) major effort focuses on spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for the treatment of chronic non-cancer pain. In this five-year collaboration with Boston Scientific Corporation, we will learn how SCS alters pain perception in the body using human electrophysiological, psychophysical and clinical outcomes data.