Visual and Auditory Neuromodulation of Pain Perception

Medical and dental patients may experience fear commonly attributed to physical pain during the visit. By reducing pain perception, patient comfort and future patient compliance may be improved. Patient health may be improved by increasing compliance and promoting increased visits. This can lead to more frequent and timely preventative actions. The research purpose is to establish quantitative and qualitative data to support current, non-pharmacological methods for reducing pain sensitivity. More specifically, the investigators aim to determine if the use of auditory and visual (3D imaging) stimuli related to the regulation of breathing can decrease or modulate pain. Healthy participants between the ages of 18 and 60 will participate in a one week study, with two in lab appointments on day one and day seven. Participants will be split into two groups, one will undergo breathing awareness using auditory and visual technology (i.e. listen to one's own breathing with headphones and watch 3D image of lungs using virtual headset), and the second group will have breathing awareness without the use of technology (i.e. simply focusing on one's own breathing). At each appointment, the investigators will collect pain threshold data using thermal Quantitative Sensory Testing (tQST) and brain activity data using Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). tQST and fNIRS data will be collected before, during, and after each breathing awareness/control exercise. Quantifying change in pain intensity has been demonstrated by pain threshold comparison across a stimulus using thermal Quantitative Sensory Testing (tQST). Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in coordination with pain stimulation has been shown effective at locating different hemodynamic cortical responses depending on pain perception and expectation. In the current study, functional resting states before and after pain stimulation will be quantitatively assessed using fNIRS. The study design will allow t