the active material contained in acetaminophen painkiller Tylenol is not only a powerful reducing physical pain but also can eliminate the uncomfortable feelings such as a broken heart.
Previous studies had never mentioned that the physical pain and pain related to each other in a single brain circuit. It was also found by the psychologist C. Nathan DeWall of the University of Kentucky.
“Mechanism of the emergence of physical and emotional pain actually occurs simultaneously in the brain. Therefore the drug should have a physical pain relievers can also be used to treat a bad feeling like a broken heart or circumstances that trigger other grief,” Nathan said as quoted by Thirdage, Wednesday (30/12/2009).
In the first experiment, Nathan recruited 62 people to consume 1000 milligrams of acetaminophen and placebo medication every day. Each day participants also measured levels of mood and feelings using a set of measuring instruments of psychological pain.
The result, those who consumed acetaminophen had a lower reported hurt feelings than those who did not take the drug.
The second experiment conducted on 25 people by giving as much as 2000 milligrams of acetaminophen per day. After 3 weeks of taking the drug, participants are asked to do a computer game to learn the effects of acetaminophen if the drug or disappointment suffered defeat.
A brain scan tool functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) was installed to determine the brain’s response to feeling lost, sad or disappointed.
And from two experiments carried out Nathan, proved that the person taking the drug acetaminophen have a better mood and more powerful when to accept defeat in the game. “So if you’re broken-hearted or sad, acetaminophen can help,” said Nathan.
But the researchers warned against the use of acetaminophen in the long term, can damage the liver. Therefore, the use of drugs should remain under the doctor’s instructions. This study is published in the Journal Psychological Science.
