Dataset of the LowLandsScience 2016 (LLS 2016) project: More or Less pain with Muse

Short description of the study: Music has been shown to affect the pain thresholds as well as the perception of pain in patients as well as in healthy volunteers. The aim of this (observational) study was to evaluate the effect of preferred music opposed to the effect of disliked music on pain thresholds and perceived pain intensity in healthy volunteers. Pain thresholds were assessed via quantitative sensory testing (pressure pain algometry (PPT) and electrical pain tolerance thresholds (EPTT)) on the dorsal side of the non-dominant forearm. The perceived pain intensity was assessed via a numerical rating scale (NRS, ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable)). The 415 participating volunteers were randomly assigned to either PPT (n=277) or to EPTT (n=138) while listening to preferred as well as disliked music (random order). In the volunteers undergoing PPT as well as in the volunteers undergoing EPTT preferred music yielded higher pain thresholds than disliked music (P<0.001) and lower perceived pain intensity during the stimulus (P=0.003). In addition, the highest pain thresholds of both PPT and EPTT were obtained when the preferred music was preceded by disliked music.