Does experimental pain affect auditory processing of speech-relevant signals? A study in healthy young adults.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effect of tonic pain stimulation on auditory processing of speech-relevant acoustic signals in healthy pain-free volunteers.


METHODS
Sixty university students, randomly assigned to either a thermal pain stimulation (46 degrees C/6 min) group (PS) or no pain stimulation group (NPS), performed a rate change detection task (RCDT) involving sinusoidally frequency-modulated vowel-like signals. Task difficulty was manipulated by changing the rate of the modulated signals (henceforth rate). Perceived pain intensity was evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS) (0-100).


RESULTS
Mean pain rating was approximately 33 in the PS group and approximately 3 in the NPS group. Pain stimulation was associated with poorer performance on the RCDT, but this trend was not statistically significant. Performance worsened with increasing rate of signal modulation in both groups (p < 0.0001), with no pain by rate interaction.


CONCLUSIONS
The present findings indicate a trend whereby mild or moderate pain appears to affect auditory processing of speech-relevant acoustic signals. This trend, however, was not statistically significant. It is possible that more intense pain would yield more pronounced (deleterious) effects on auditory processing, but this needs to be verified empirically.
Sapir
Shimon
S
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Israel. sapir@research.haifa.ac.il
Pud
Dorit
D
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult