Scientists during experiments eliminated pain with the help of music

An international team of scientists has identified neural mechanisms that can be used to eliminate pain.

using sound. The results of the study and series of experiments may lead to the development of safe treatments.

“We need more effective treatmentsacute and chronic pain, and this process begins with understanding the basic neural processes that regulate pain,” said Rena D'Souza, director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (USA). “We've yet to uncover a circuit that relieves pain using sound in mice, but this study provides knowledge that will serve as the basis for new approaches to treating pain.”

Human studies conducted in 1960have shown that music and other types of sounds can relieve acute and chronic pain, including pain from dental and medical operations, childbirth, and cancer. At the same time, studies on human brain imaging revealed only certain areas of the organ associated with analgesia due to music.

To expand this study, researchersexposed mice with inflamed paws to three types of sounds: pleasant classical music, random jumbled sounds from the same piece, and white noise. All three types of sounds at low intensity relative to background noise reduced pain sensitivity in mice. A higher intensity of the same sounds had no effect on the animals' pain responses.

To study the brain circuitry underlying thiseffect, the researchers used non-infectious viruses coupled with fluorescent proteins to track connections between brain regions. They identified a route from the auditory cortex, which receives and processes information about sound, to the thalamus, which acts as a relay station for sensory signals, including pain. In mice, sounds reduced the activity of neurons in the thalamus and increased pain threshold.

These results may give scientists a starting pointfor research to determine if animal findings apply to humans and to help develop safer alternatives for pain management.

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