Study: Brain Scans Can ‘See’ Pain

Researchers say they have found a way to “see” one type of pain on a brain scan. In the future, such an approach may help to tell whether babies or others who can’t communicate well are feeling pain. The study included 114 healthy volunteers. They were hooked up to a functional MRI (fMRI) machine to show activity in different parts of the brain. First, people were tested using a heating element applied to the forearm. Sometimes the heat was painful but not burning (116 degrees Fahrenheit). Other times it was just warm. Researchers saw a “pain signature” in the fMRI pattern for painful heat, compared with warmth. More than 90% of the time, these patterns matched what people said about whether they felt pain. Researchers also looked at “social pain.” Of those in the study, 40 recently had a romantic breakup. They were shown photographs of the partners who had dumped them.