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The article doesn't make clear whether the study participants were given acetaminophen to relieve pain (e.g. a headache), or whether they were simply given the
by jawns 9y ago
The article doesn't make clear whether the study participants were given acetaminophen to relieve pain (e.g. a headache), or whether they were simply given the drug regardless of whether they were currently experiencing pain. So I looked up the pharmacological procedures in the study itself, which confirms that it's the latter case. The drug was administered regardless of whether the subjects were experiencing any pain for which acetaminophen would be an appropriate treatment.
I would think it's at least conceivable that the body reacts differently to acetaminophen when it's used to treat pain, versus when it's administered even if the subject is not in pain. And especially since most people take acetaminophen for some pain-relieving purpose, rather than for no purpose at all, I would think it's important to try to emulate those real-world conditions when designing studies like this (although clearly it's difficult to control for something as subjective as pain).
Side note: I absolute hate when articles about scientific studies don't even name the study so you can look it up. In this case, the study appears to be titled "From painkiller to empathy killer: acetaminophen (paracetamol) reduces empathy for pain" and the full text is available here:
https://academic.oup.com/scan/article/11/9/1345/2224135/From-painkiller-to-empathy-killer-acetaminophen https://academic.oup.com/scan/article/11/9/1345/2224135/From...
- guelo 9y agoMaybe you could hit study participants in the head with a stick.
- fossuser 9y agoI also remember reading that there was some evidence that acetaminophen (and possibly other NSAIDs) helped with anxiety [1] - the idea being that social pain and physical pain are similar. It seems like reducing empathy might be the same thing - a more general dulling of emotions. On a personal note I've found Aleve works really well (better than Tylenol) when I'm feeling anxious, but maybe that's just placebo. I originally read about the Tylenol affect after feeling surprisingly less anxious when I took Aleve and searching around. [1] https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/mind-guest-blog/tomorrows-anti-anxiety-drug-is-tylenol/ https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/mind-guest-blog/tomorro...
- pcl 9y agoFWIW, acetaminophen is not an NSAID. Also, the common characteristic of NSAIDs is their anti-inflammatory nature (the AI in NSAID), which addresses injury-related pain by locally reducing swelling. This pathway for the class of drugs is unlikely to provide anxiety benefits.
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- slv77 9y agoProstaglandin E2 inhibits the release of endorphins so suppressing prostaglandins may have an impact on anxiety.
- gcb0 9y agothey actually mention that and even cite a whole other study that test if physical side effects are different between people without pain and people with flu induced pain. spoiler, no.
- dperfect 9y agoI wonder if the outcome of the study could also be affected (in part) by emotional states associated with past uses of acetaminophen. In the past, there have been people close to me that used aromatic "remedies" like essential oils for headaches and other ailments, to the point that now whenever I smell those scents, I unconsciously start feeling as though I am (or someone near me is) sick or in pain. I suspect there may be similar effects (conscious or not) with drugs that have historical associations in the minds of participants in the study. Rather than an associated smell, perhaps an altered state of body/brain chemistry could make similar memorable impressions.
- lawpoop 9y agoInteresting to me -- as a kid, the only place I smelled lily flowers was at funerals. Their pungent and slightly unpleasant odor I thought was enbalming fluid, or something else associated with dead bodies. I can't smell them to this day without immediately associating them with the pallid, sunken skin of dead, elderly white folks.