Assessing the impact of preferred web app-based music-listening on pain processing at the central nervous level in older black adults with low back pain: An fNIRS study

Background: Low back pain (LBP) disproportionately affects older black adults, often leading to inadequate treatment due to clinician biases. Objective pain measures are imperative, and Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) shows promise for pain detection. Aim: To determine the impact of listening to home-based preferred web app-based music on underlying pain processing mechanisms at the central nervous level in older black adults aged ≥65 with LBP. Methods: Twenty older black adults with LBP listened to preferred music twice daily for four days using the MUSIC CARE® app. Neuroimaging data were collected using fNIRS. Data were transformed to changes in oxy-hemoglobin and deoxy-hemoglobin concentrations and analyzed. Results: Significant cortical activation pattern differences were observed between pre-and post-intervention scans, particularly in somatosensory regions. Post-intervention scans showed significantly reduced hemodynamic activities. Conclusion: Preferred music listening has the potential to alleviate pain, and fNIRS emerges as a promising tool for exploring cortical-level pain-related neural circuits.