|
Science
Friday > Archives
> 1999
> June
> June 18, 1999:
Hour One: Anticipating Pain / Oral Health and Disease
| Researchers have found that the human brain uses several different parts to respond to pain. One part of the brain deals with actual pain signals, while a nearby portion of the brain deals with signals having to do with the anticipation of pain. The British researchers used MRI imaging to look at brain activity in people taking part in a simple experiment. Subjects were touched on the hand with either a pleasantly warm object or a painfully hot object. Just before each touch, they saw a colored light. After the subjects learned which light meant an impending "ouch," the researchers noticed brain activity in distinct parts of the brain close to pain handling centers -- before the source of pain was actually applied. Their findings were published in this week's issue of the journal Science. | 
Anticipating some pain?
(courtesy National Archives ) | Why the two different channels? While painful signals may tell you to move your hand off a hot stove before you receive a serious burn, the anticipation of future pain may keep you from putting your hand there again later. The researchers report their findings in this week's journal Science. We'll talk about it. | We'll also talk about some good reasons to do something that many people may associate with the anticipation of pain - go to the dentist. An emerging body of evidence says that not taking good care of your mouth may be linked to problems more far serious than cavities. Several epidemiological studies have looked at connections between periodontal disease (also known as gum disease) and the risk of heart attack. New research presented this week at the annual meeting of the Society for Epidemiologic Research suggests that people with serious gum disease are also twice as likely as people in good oral health to have the type of stroke associated with blocked arteries.
The exact connection between the two problems isn't entirely clear. Some researchers think that oral bacteria enter the bloodstream through infected gums, then cause inflammation in tissues. Others think that the bacteria clump up on the walls of blood vessels, gradually allowing plaque to form and block blood flow. Another theory holds that some protein produced by the bacteria is to blame for the cardiovascular problems. And there's also the possibility that a third unknown factor could cause BOTH the cardiovascular problems and the periodontal disease. | 
(courtesy National Archives) | Other researchers are looking at links between oral health and diabetes, and between oral health and babies' birth weight. Should we all be brushing five times a day? We'll find out on this hour of Science Friday.
Listeners respond
Guests:
Alex Ploghaus
Doctoral Student
Centre for Functional Magnetic Imaging of the Brain, Department of Clinical Neurology
University of Oxford
Oxford, England
Robert Genco, D.D.S., Ph.D.
Distinguished Professor, Oral Biology
Chair, Department of Oral Biology
State University of New York at Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Brian Mealey, D.D.S., M.S.
Chief, Dental Professional Services
U.S. Air Force Hospital
Eglin Air Force Base
Fort Walton Beach, Florida
Books/Articles Discussed:
|
"Dissociating Pain from its Anticipation in the Human Brain" by A. Ploghaus, et al. Science, June 18, 1999. | | Related Links:
Pain management
The International Association for the Study of Pain
The American Pain Society
The TALARIA project
Oral Health/Disease connections
University at Buffalo Infectious and Chronic Diseases Center
American Academy of Periodontology (or call 1-800-FLOSS-EM)
American Dental Association
This segment produced by:
Karin Vergoth and Tom Clarke
Web producer:
Charles Bergquist
|