Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39394758›Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of pain (London, England)2025

Lower thresholds and stronger adaptation to pain in musicians reflect occupational-specific adaptations to contact heat stimulation.

Rebecca Divarco, Fabian Sternkopf, Matthias Karst, Eckart Altenmüller, Perianen Ramasawmy, Andrea Antal, André Lee

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in European journal of pain (London, England), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Rebecca DivarcoDepartment of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Georg-August University, Göttingen, Germany.
Fabian SternkopfInstitute for Music Physiology and Musicians' Medicine.
Matthias KarstHannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
Eckart AltenmüllerInstitute for Music Physiology and Musicians' Medicine.
Perianen RamasawmyDepartment of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Georg-August University, Göttingen, Germany.
Andrea AntalDepartment of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Georg-August University, Göttingen, Germany.
André LeeInstitute for Music Physiology and Musicians' Medicine.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundExtensive audio-motor training and psychological stress can cause professional musicians acute overstrain-injury and chronic pain, resulting in damaged careers and diminished quality of life. It has also been previously shown that musicians might perceive pain differently than non-musicians. Therefore, the aim of our study was to quantify differences between musicians and non-musicians regarding their subjective responses to painful contact heat stimuli and assess how emotional traits might influence these responses.

methodsUpon completing the StateTrait-Anxiety-Depression Inventory, 15 healthy musicians and 15 healthy non-musicians from German universities received 15 noxious contact heat stimuli at the dorsal side of each hand and foot. After each stimulation, participants were asked to provide a pain rating from 0 to 10.

resultsMusicians not only reported significantly higher pain ratings after the first stimulation but also showed a significantly higher degree of habituation compared to non-musicians. Additionally, musicians showed a significantly less pronounced difference regarding the pain rating of the hands compared to the feet than non-musicians. Trait anxiety and trait depression scores had no effect on the pain rating or the habituation.

conclusionThe more pronounced habituation of musicians might hint at a neuroplastic nociceptive alteration in musicians. The lack of significance between the psychological traits and their effect on the pain ratings is surprising but could be a result of both participant groups having stressful careers. SIGNIFICANCE: The findings of this report justify musicians' repetitive sensorimotor training as an important model for plasticity and contribute to a better understanding of pain perception in musicians.

Indexed as

Adaptation, PhysiologicalAdaptation, PsychologicalMusicPainPain PerceptionPain ThresholdAdultAnxietyDepressionFemaleHabituation, PsychophysiologicHandHot TemperatureHumansMalePain Measurement

Identifiers

PMID39394758
PMCPMC11755692

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.