‘Pain switch’ is discovered in an area of the brain associated with negative emotions and responses that could lead to a new wave of anaesthetics

Scientists claim to have found a small area of the brain in mice that can turn off their sense of pain like a light switch.  US researchers say the amygdala, a small almond-shaped cluster of neurons located in each side of the brain, can turn off multiple parts of the brain that process pain.   Beams of light activate a set of neurons in the amygdala, called ‘CeAga’ neurons, which inhibit ‘pain-promotion centres’ in the brain, they say. In experiments, activating the CeAga neurons dramatically reduced signs of discomfort in mice who had received a mild pain stimulus. While mice have a relatively large central amygdala compared to humans, it’s likely humans have a similar system for controlling pain. The discovery could result in the creation of a new wave of pain-relieving drugs for humans.  Neuron cells in the central amygdala of a mouse brain. Red, magenta and yellow cells (but not green or blue) are parts of a collection of neurons called the CeAga that has potent pain-suppression abilities RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next Pioneering implant allows blind people to ‘see’ letters by… Millions of mature human cells are generated inside a mouse… Human brains use dreams to replay recent events… Read full this story

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