'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

erek

erek

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General anesthetics activate a potent central pain-suppression circuit in the amygdala

"General anesthesia (GA) can produce analgesia (loss of pain) independent of inducing loss of consciousness, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We hypothesized that GA suppresses pain in part by activating supraspinal analgesic circuits. We discovered a distinct population of GABAergic neurons activated by GA in the mouse central amygdala (CeAGA neurons). In vivo calcium imaging revealed that different GA drugs activate a shared ensemble of CeAGA neurons. CeAGA neurons also possess basal activity that mostly reflects animals’ internal state rather than external stimuli. Optogenetic activation of CeAGA potently suppressed both pain-elicited reflexive and self-recuperating behaviors across sensory modalities and abolished neuropathic pain-induced mechanical (hyper-)sensitivity. Conversely, inhibition of CeAGA activity exacerbated pain, produced strong aversion and canceled the analgesic effect of low-dose ketamine. CeAGA neurons have widespread inhibitory projections to many affective pain-processing centers. Our study points to CeAGA as a potential powerful therapeutic target for alleviating chronic pain."

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-05-scientists-brain-center-profoundly-pain.html
 
Separating pain suppression from consciousness suppression does not seem like a great idea at first blush. I don't think I would want to be awake while someone was cutting into my abdomen.
 
1_rick said:
Separating pain suppression from consciousness suppression does not seem like a great idea at first blush. I don't think I would want to be awake while someone was cutting into my abdomen.
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what if they double up on two different drugs? suppressing consciousness and also pain?
 
erek said:
what if they double up on two different drugs? suppressing consciousness and also pain?
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If there's a reason to do that than is better than current general anesthetics (or maybe a reason to use an alternative, like how we have acetominophen, ibuuprofen, etc.), then sure, but otherwise I'm not sure why to bother.
 
Tsumi said:
I consider tech to involve inorganic things. This is all bio and nothing inorganic.
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They're using inorganic technologies:

"Using technologies that Wang’s lab has pioneered to track the paths of activated neurons in mice, the team found the CeAga was connected to many different areas of the brain, “which was a surprise,” Wang said. "
 
erek said:
They're using inorganic technologies:

"Using technologies that Wang’s lab has pioneered to track the paths of activated neurons in mice, the team found the CeAga was connected to many different areas of the brain, “which was a surprise,” Wang said. "
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I might give a pass on that... if there was detail on said technology. But there isn't in that article.

More than likely it's less of actual "technologies" and more like "techniques."
 
"We discovered a distinct population of GABAergic neurons", and so did Joey.

Old news...
 
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There was research several years ago - on those born without (or who had developed non) functioning amygdala - which showed function there was necessary to prevent unnecessary fear responses as well. I would have assumed that, since pain is an inherent aversive stimuli in all primates - and probably most, or if not all, mammals - that the amygdala contained an "anti pan" center.

So like, I don't like the way that article was written. Im sure the study was better, but I lost interest after hyper-vague statements like "often associated with."
 
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