Music-based approaches to relieve pain in adults
Official title: Music mechanisms and technologies network: Integrative models to address pain through music
Funded at University of Memphis · NIH-11395597 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research network is testing how music-based interventions and new technologies can help adults manage acute and chronic pain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Memphis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Memphis, United States) |
| Project start | September 21, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $468,877 |
| NIH project number | 5U24AT012602-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11395597 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with acute or chronic pain who experience significant suffering or functional impairment and are seeking non-pharmacological pain relief.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals who may not benefit include those without pain or with pain conditions unlikely to respond to music-based approaches.
What this research studies
This project creates a collaborative network to study how music-based therapies influence pain through psychosocial, behavioral, and neurophysiological pathways, and to develop and test supportive technologies alongside patient-reported outcomes. It aims to fill gaps where current pain treatments have risks or limited effectiveness by focusing on personalized, lower-risk non-pharmacological options. The effort includes developing components of music-based interventions and validating tools that measure their impact beyond traditional self-reports. The work is led by the University of Memphis with a team of researchers and aims to produce scalable approaches for real-world use.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could have access to effective, lower-risk non-drug options for managing pain.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies show mixed results for MBIs; this project focuses on improving development and measurement to yield clearer benefits.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Memphis
Memphis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Burns, Debra S — University of Memphis
- Study coordinator: Burns, Debra S
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.