MRI study: Infant brains have similar response to pain as adults
What’s behind those baby blue eyes of infants when they feel pain? Turns out, their still-developing brains are processing pain in a manner similar to adults, according to an MRI study from Oxford University.
Since infants can’t verbally communicate how they feel, there’s been some question as to how they process painful stimulus or whether babies’ brain were developed enough to truly feel pain at all. Results of the study, however, suggest they can, as the babies who underwent MRI demonstrated activation in the same regions of the brain that light up for adults who experience pain. For more, check out the link from Oxford University below:
Evan joined TriMed in 2011, writing primarily for Health Imaging. Prior to diving into medical journalism, Evan worked for the Nine Network of Public Media in St. Louis. He also has worked in public relations and education. Evan studied journalism at the University of Missouri, with an emphasis on broadcast media.