Pain relievers reduce human empathy

Scientists warn components in painkillers can reduce the ability of others to feel pain whether it is physical or emotional.

If your job or mood depends on feeling sympathetic to others, you may need to review your medication every time you have a headache. In a study published online in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, scientists from the National Institutes of Health and Ohio State University described the research results of more than 200 college students.

Accordingly, acetaminophen can reduce the ability of others to feel pain whether it is physical or emotional pain. (Acetaminophen is a compound commonly used in analgesics, both prescription and over-the-counter, which is the most common pain reliever in the United States. Acetaminophen is available in more than 600 different medicines under Health Care. Consumer and American Product Association - Consumer Healthcare Products Association).

Painkillers contain acetaminophe that makes people less sensitive to the pain of other people than normal - (Photo: Corbis).

"We do not know why acetaminophen has this effect, but it is worth considering , " said Baldwin Way. "Sympathy is very important. If you are arguing with your partner and have recently taken a medicine containing acetaminophen, according to this study, you may be less likely to understand what you have hurt your feelings for," the home. Ohio state psychology continues.

In the first experiment, 80 participants were asked to drink a liquid. Half of the subjects received portions containing about 1,000mg of acetaminophen. The rest receive no other liquid.

After an hour, all the subjects were asked to evaluate the painful experiences of the characters in eight other fictional scenarios. In some stories, characters experience physical trauma, in other stories emotional trauma. Eventually, subjects receiving acetaminophen rated the pain of the other eight characters less serious than those who took placebo.

The second experiment, participants suffered from white noise (created by combining different types of sounds with different frequencies together). They were asked to assess the pain of others who were also bothered by these unpleasant sounds. Again, people taking acetaminophen assessed the pain of others less seriously than students taking placebo.

In a further experiment, participants had to evaluate an online skits related to social rejection, they were divided into two groups just like in a noise experiment.

Acetaminophen is a compound commonly used in painkillers.

Baldwin Way evaluates: "In this case, participants have the opportunity to empathize with the sufferings of someone who they think has gone through the experience of social pain. However, people who take acetaminophen show that they reduce sympathy. They don't care about the pain of the other's refusal. "

The experiments are built on the basis of previous experiments that identified the brain region as the key to a person's sympathetic response.The frontal lobe region - deep in the folds between the front and sides of the brain, where the mind and body are integrated. It plays an important role in human awareness, including emotional awareness. The less a person feels pain, the less sympathetic he or she is to the pain of others.

"Because sympathy regulates pre-social behavior (prosocial behavior: voluntary behavior that benefits others, such as helping, sharing, donating, traveling, volunteering .) and onions. antisocial behavior (antisocial behavior), so the medicinal ingredient may reduce sympathy, raising concerns about the greater social side effect of acetaminophen " note note.