What if it were possible to develop a pain killer that could curb the negative emotions associated with pain without causing euphoria? Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have taken a step toward that goal. Studying rodents, they have shown they can block receptors in the brain responsible for the emotional components of pain and restore the animal’s motivation. Their findings could lay the groundwork for developing new, less addictive approaches to pain treatment.
Blocking opioid receptor restores motivation in chronic pain patients (Links to an external site)
