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skippy · 10-11-2003, 03:29 AM

Heartbreaks hurt just like any other pain

Last Updated Thu, 09 Oct 2003 14:48:22
WASHINGTON - U.S. scientists have determined that the human brain reacts to a broken heart as it does to a broken leg. Using brain imaging, they found that the brain's pain response centre perceives both hurts as painful.

Being picked last for the team hurts

Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles watched blood flow to the brain as people participated in a game.
The volunteers didn't know the purpose of the experiment. Participants thought they were vying against two other people, but in fact they were playing a computer program.

The program treated the 13 subjects as outcasts by intentionally excluding them from the game. It was an adult version of being the "loser" who is picked last to play ball.

Social psychology graduate student Naomi Eisenberger of UCLA and her colleagues worked on the study, which appears in Friday's issue of the journal Science.

They found the volunteers' brains "lit up" when they were rejected, just as our brains do when we experience physical pain.

Specifically, neural activity was heightened in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) – the part of the brain which responds to a punch or poke in the eye.

The researchers say the findings suggest any type of social exclusion, from a divorce to not being invited to a party to being turned down for a date, could cause distress to the ACC.

Eisenberger said we may have evolved the tendency to feel rejection as pain as a defensive mechanism since infants need to stay close socially to survive.

If separation hurts, then children would learn not to stray too far from their social group, she said.

Humans also need a defense mechanism to prevent us from becoming overwhelmed by rejection, the researchers say.
Written by CBC News Online staff
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OK here is the question. Have you been hurt by someone you love?

My wife had an affair once, it lasted for months. He was a lot younger than me, she was only looking for 'excitement'. I can't begin to explain how much this hurt.

I found out about it when a freind told me about it. I was thankful that I new about it, and was able to improve my marriage because of it. We have now been married for 20 years.

10-11-2003, 03:29 AM	#1 (permalink)
skippy Banned	New research - Heartbreak pain is real Heartbreaks hurt just like any other pain Last Updated Thu, 09 Oct 2003 14:48:22 WASHINGTON - U.S. scientists have determined that the human brain reacts to a broken heart as it does to a broken leg. Using brain imaging, they found that the brain's pain response centre perceives both hurts as painful. Being picked last for the team hurts Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles watched blood flow to the brain as people participated in a game. The volunteers didn't know the purpose of the experiment. Participants thought they were vying against two other people, but in fact they were playing a computer program. The program treated the 13 subjects as outcasts by intentionally excluding them from the game. It was an adult version of being the "loser" who is picked last to play ball. Social psychology graduate student Naomi Eisenberger of UCLA and her colleagues worked on the study, which appears in Friday's issue of the journal Science. They found the volunteers' brains "lit up" when they were rejected, just as our brains do when we experience physical pain. Specifically, neural activity was heightened in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) – the part of the brain which responds to a punch or poke in the eye. The researchers say the findings suggest any type of social exclusion, from a divorce to not being invited to a party to being turned down for a date, could cause distress to the ACC. Eisenberger said we may have evolved the tendency to feel rejection as pain as a defensive mechanism since infants need to stay close socially to survive. If separation hurts, then children would learn not to stray too far from their social group, she said. Humans also need a defense mechanism to prevent us from becoming overwhelmed by rejection, the researchers say. Written by CBC News Online staff **************************************************** OK here is the question. Have you been hurt by someone you love? My wife had an affair once, it lasted for months. He was a lot younger than me, she was only looking for 'excitement'. I can't begin to explain how much this hurt. I found out about it when a freind told me about it. I was thankful that I new about it, and was able to improve my marriage because of it. We have now been married for 20 years.