Can pain make you slower? scientists use iPad game to find out
NCT ID NCT03115788
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026
Summary
This study looked at how short-term pain from heat or cold affects thinking and concentration. Twelve healthy adults played an iPad game before, during, and after experiencing mild pain. The goal was to see if pain changes how quickly and accurately people can perform simple tasks.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- heat induced pain and cold induced pain
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could help understand how pain impacts thinking and concentration, potentially guiding future treatments for pain-related cognitive issues.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early study with only 12 healthy volunteers, so results may not apply to real-world pain or people with medical conditions.
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Wake Forest University School of Medicine
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27157, United States
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