We know for a long time that the study of a musical instrument does not only bring applause on stage, but also benefits for the brain. Numerous research shows that music develops fine motility, memory, language and can even slow down brain aging.
Neuroscience shows that musicians feel the pain different from the rest of the Isto photo
But after years of work with musicians, observing how it resists endless hours and the pain caused by thousands of repetitive movements, a natural question arises: if the music can reshape the brain in so many ways, could it influence their pain?
A new study quoted by The Conversationtry to provide the answer.
How the brain reacts to pain
It is already known that pain is not just a physical sensation. It changes our attention, thoughts, movements and behavior. For example, if you reach a hot pan, the reflex of withdrawing your hand before you burn yourself is the result of a protective mechanism.
The pain also changes the brain activity. Normally, it reduces the activity of the motor cortex – the area that coordinates the muscles – to prevent overloading an already affected body. This mechanism is useful in the short term, but it becomes problematic when the pain persists.
When chronic pain becomes a problem for the brain
If, for example, you scratch your ankle and keep it still for too long, mobility decreases, and in the brain the activity in the regions that control the perception of pain is disturbed. The result? Greater suffering and increased risk for pain to be chronic.
Studies also show that long -lasting pain can shrink “Body map” from the brain – that area that establishes what muscles to move and when. A reduced map is correlated with a more intense perception of pain.
Why do people feel pain differently: Some suffer more than others like musicians
Even though there is a clear connection between the reduction of this map and the intensity of the pain, not all people react the same. Some seem to tolerate the discomfort better, and their brain is less sensitive to pain. Why? Scientists have not yet found a complete answer.
Experiment: How did researchers compared to musicians and non-musical
The pain does not feel the same for everyone. And for musicians, who train their brains and hands at the same time, it could be perceived differently. This was the hypothesis from which the researchers started when they decided to find out how they influence the musical training the way people feel and manage the pain.
For the experiment, scientists have created a pain in the hand, both in musicians and in people without musical experience.
The solution used was not at all random: a compound called nerve growth factor. Normally, this protein has the role of maintaining healthy nerves, but injected into the muscles of the hand causes a deaf, persistent and accentuated pain. The procedure is safe, temporary and does not leave permanent traces, but it faithfully reproduces the feeling of muscle pain.
After that, the researchers watched what was happening in the brain. With the help of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) – a technique that sends short magnetic impulses to different brain areas – have achieved true “Maps” of the way the brain controls the movements of the hand.
They were drawn before the injection, then restored after two days and again after eight days. In this way, the specialists could see in real time how the pain changes the brain activity and, especially, if the musicians react otherwise than the rest of the participants.
Surprising differences between musicians and non-musicians
The results of the study have revealed a fascinating painting: the brain of the musicians not only looks different than that of the non-musicians, but they also react differently when the pain occurs.
Even before the pain induction, the researchers noticed that the musicians had a “Map of the hand” much more clearly drawn in the brain. And the more hours of practice, the more this neuronal representation had been gathered.
After pain, the differences have become even more obvious. The musicians reported a smaller discomfort compared to the other participants. While in non-musical “Map of the hand” She had decreased visibly after only two days, at the musicians she remained stable. In addition, those with more intense training seemed even more resistant to pain.
Of course, the study was conducted on a small sample – but the conclusions are strong: the brain of the musicians responds differently to pain. Musical preparation seems to work as a true “armor”, protecting both the subjective perception of pain and the reaction of the motor areas in the brain.
Music and brain: How does musical training influence the perception of pain
This does not mean that music could be prescribed as a treatment for chronic pain. However, the discovery shows that the long experience and intense training can reshape the way we perceive pain. A promising perspective, which could explain why some people resist better than others and at the same time could inspire new therapies for those who live with persistent pain.
The researchers do not stop here. The next step is to see if musical training can also protect against other effects of chronic pain, such as attention or thinking problems. Ultimate goal: Developing treatments capable of “Re-enter” the brain of patients affected by constant pain.
“For me, the most fascinating part is this: the fact that, as a musician, what I learn and practice everyday does not make me better on the instrument, but literally rewrite my brain – changing how I experience the world, including something as fundamental as pain.”said one of the researchers.
Conclusion: Why do musicians feel the pain different
This study shows that musicians not only sing better due to intense training, but also that they have a brain that manages the pain. The clearer neural representations and the greater resistance to discomfort suggest that music deeply shapes the way we perceive pain.
Even if music is not a direct treatment for chronic pain, discoveries open promising prospects: long training could inspire therapies capable of “rewrite” the brain and to improve the life of those who live with persistent pain.
In short, the musicians feel the pain differently because the music literally remodeled their brain.
