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Pain and the Brain
While unpleasant, pain exists for a reason: it directs our attention to an injury so we can take care of it and prevent further damage.
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Your selections:
Pain
The Neuroscience of Touch and Pain
The sense of touch conveys important social information and tells you when something is dangerous by letting you feel pain.
BrainFacts/SfN
Some Signals Take the Slow Road to the Brain
Why pain from stubbing your toe comes in waves from sharp to dull.
BrainFacts/SfN
The Gatekeepers of Sensation
The nerve fibers sensing touch, pain, and heat bundle together before entering the spinal cord.
BrainFacts/SfN
What Are the Biomarkers for Pain?
Researchers are developing a first-of-its-kind blood test to identify the biomarkers for pain, which could improve pain treatment.
BrainFacts/SfN
Migraines: What's Light Got to Do With it?
Neuroscientists are investigating how light triggers and exacerbates migraines.
BrainFacts/SfN
What Causes Brain Freeze?
An icy-cool summer delight like ice cream can quickly turn into pure pain, thanks to brain freeze. But why does this happen?
BrainFacts/SfN
Realizing the Benefits of Vagus Nerve Stimulation
A small battery-sized device implanted into the chest delivering small zaps of electricity to the vagus nerve can make a huge impact in a patient’s wellbeing.
BrainFacts/SfN
Painful Consequences
Chronic pain can cause severe cognitive effects, but relief may come from a surprising source.
BrainFacts/SfN
From Headache to Heartache
How much does it hurt? Researchers are examining the neuroscience behind emotional and physical pain.
BrainFacts/SfN
The Funny Bone: Butt Dialing Your Brain
Learn the basics of how neurons fire, and explore what we can learn from the feeling of banging our funny bone.
BrainFacts/SfN
5 min
Are Migraine and Seizure Related?
Michael Rogawski discusses the similarities between migraine attacks and epileptic seizures and what they might mean for treating the two conditions.
BrainFacts/SfN
Do Hurt Feelings Actually Hurt?
There’s no mistaking a broken heart for a broken bone — but our brains might look at both kinds of pain the same way.
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