Photo Credit: mrspopman

The following is a summary of “Association Between Interoceptive Accuracy and Pain Perception: Insights From Trained Musicians and Athletes,” published in the April 2025 issue of European Journal of Pain by Kleber et al. 

Long-term sensorimotor training has been linked to improved interoceptive accuracy and altered pain perception, though findings remain inconsistent across training types and pain stimuli.  

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to explore associations between different sensorimotor training types, interoception, and pain perception.  

They recruited 17 musicians, 15 athletes, and 14 individuals without extensive sensorimotor training. Participants completed a cardiac interoceptive accuracy (IAcc) task and underwent quantitative sensory tests, including mechanical detection thresholds (MDTs) and electrical detection thresholds (EDTs). Pain thresholds were assessed using pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) and heat pain thresholds (HPTs). Additionally, music-related perceptual discrimination and self-reported physical activity levels were evaluated.  

The results showed that athletes had higher IAcc and PPTs compared to controls. Musicians demonstrated greater heat pain sensitivity, though the IAcc did not reach statistical significance. Training duration significantly predicted IAcc across both groups. The PPTs linked positively with both IAcc and accumulated training, but mediation analyses exhibited that training influenced PPTs independently of IAcc, suggesting separate mechanisms for interoception and pain modulation. Additionally, physical activity levels showed a positive correlation with both IAcc and PPTs across participants.  

Investigators concluded that sensorimotor training improved interoceptive accuracy and influenced pain processing, with variations based on training modality and pain stimulus type. 

Source: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ejp.70012