Physical, social hurt function similarly: researchers
(NEWSER) - Someday, painkillers might battle more than just physical pain. The medications could be used to fight the pain of social rejection, too, researchers say. That's because the brain handles physical pain and the hurt of rejection similarly, a study finds. Scientists picked up on the connection while looking at images of the brains of people who had suffered social or physical pain. Physical pain has an emotional aspect, as the brain weighs the gravity of the situation; emotional hurt may likewise connect to the brain's processing of sensory pain. More»
