Assessment of the Effects of Extensive Somatosensory Training on Pain Processing

Assessment of the Effects of Extensive Sensorimotor Training on Pain Processing

Persistent pain may lead to several alterations in the brain activity and sensory perception (i.e. pain). Around 80% of professional musicians experience prolonged episodes of musculoskeletal pain throughout their careers, a percentage that is four times higher than in the general population. With this background, the intended experiment aims at understanding the role of several biological factors associated to sensorimotor training that can lead to alteration of the brain activity and, consequently, pain processing.

Inclusion Criteria:

Healthy men and women Speak and understand English.

General exclusion criteria are:

• Pregnancy
• Drug addiction defined as the use of cannabis, opioids or other drugs
• Previous neurologic or mental illnesses
• Presence of a history of trauma or neurologic entrapment syndromes to the arm regions.
• Lack of ability to cooperate
• Frequent computer gamer ( > 9 hours/week)