Daily non-political popular news in brief.

Chronic pain harms the brain

People with unrelenting pain are often depressed, anxious and have difficulty making simple decisions. Northwestern University researchers have identified a clue that may explain how suffering long-term pain could trigger these other pain-related symptoms. Researchers found that in people with chronic pain, a front region of the cortex associated with emotion fails to deactivate when it should. It's stuck on full throttle, wearing out neurons and altering their connections.

Read more »

Keywords: chronic, pain, harms, brain, harm

« Previous | Next »

Similar news on "Chronic pain harms the brain":

1. UCLA imaging study reveals how pure oxygen harms the brain
   05-21-2007 · EurekAlert!
   A new UCLA imaging study reveals how inhaling 100 percent oxygen can harm the brain. The findings fly in the face of national guidelines for resuscitation and urge a new approach adding carbon dioxide to the gas mix to preserve brain function in patients.
   Similar news · Read more »
   
2. Carbon monoxide protects mice from multiple sclerosis
   01-25-2007 · EurekAlert!
   Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disorder that causes degeneration of the nerves in the brain and spinal cord, leading to various symptoms including muscle weakness and pain. Using a mouse model of MS (known as EAE), researchers have now shown that increased expression of a protein known as HO-1, as well as administration of carbon monoxide, protects mice from disease.
   Similar news · Read more »
   
3. New study examines brain-gut relationship in those suffering with stomach pain or discomfort
   09-05-2007 · EurekAlert!
   A new clinical study will explore the brain-gut interaction in patients with functional dyspepsia and whether certain drugs can effectively relieve symptoms of this disorder. Functional dyspepsia is a costly and chronic disorder that can cause severe stomach pain often reported as cramping, bloating and gas, or great discomfort or fullness after eating. The study is funded by the National Institutes of Health at six medical centers in the US.
   Similar news · Read more »
   
4. Pain type matters to brain
   12-09-2006 · Science News Online
   Chronic back pain affects different parts of the brain than acute back pain does, magnetic resonance images reveal.
   Similar news · Read more »
   
5. Chronic back pain linked to changes in the brain
   11-28-2006 · EurekAlert!
   A German research team using a specialized imaging technique revealed that individuals suffering from chronic low back pain also had microstructural changes in their brains. The findings were presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.
   Similar news · Read more »
   
6. Old memory traces in brain may trigger chronic pain
   06-04-2007 · EurekAlert!
   A Northwestern University researcher has found a key source of chronic pain appears to be an old memory trace that essentially gets stuck in the prefrontal cortex, the site of emotion and learning. The researcher has identified a drug that controls persistent nerve pain by targeting the part of the brain that experiences the emotional suffering of pain. The drug is D-Cycloserine, which has been used to treat phobic behavior over the past decade.
   Similar news · Read more »
   
7. Treatment blocks pain without disrupting other functions
   10-03-2007 · EurekAlert!
   A combination of two drugs can selectively block pain-sensing neurons in rats without impairing movement or other sensations such as touch, according to a new study by National Institutes of Health-supported investigators. The finding suggests an improved way to treat pain from childbirth and surgical procedures. It may also lead to new treatments to help the millions of Americans who suffer from chronic pain.
   Similar news · Read more »
   
8. Studies highlight little known, but potentially serious, manifestations of acid reflux
   10-15-2007 · EurekAlert!
   Acid reflux into the esophagus can present as other symptoms such as chronic cough or chest pain. Two new studies highlight the little-known connection between acid reflux and seemingly unrelated problems.
   Similar news · Read more »
   
9. No clear evidence that antidepressants assist in the management of chronic low back pain
   01-22-2008 · EurekAlert!
   Doctors commonly prescribe antidepressants for patients with low back pain for three main reasons; to relieve pain; reduce mild depression and improve a person's mood; and improve sleep. Despite this, the use of antidepressants in low back pain is controversial with different studies arriving at different conclusions.
   Similar news · Read more »
   
10. Pleasure and pain: Study shows brain's 'pleasure chemical' is involved in response to pain too
    10-18-2006 · EurekAlert!
    For years, the brain chemical dopamine has been thought of as the brain's "pleasure chemical," and studies have linked the addictive properties of drugs like cocaine to their effects on the dopamine system. But now, a new study adds a new twist to dopamine's fun-loving reputation: pain.
    Similar news · Read more »