• Carnegie Mellon Researchers Rethink Chronic Pain Share on Facebook (opens in new window) Share on X (opens in new window) Share on LinkedIn (opens in new window) Print this page Share by email Nearly one in four adults in the U.S.lives with chronic pain(opens in new window). • Opioids like morphine help by reducing the brain’s perception of pain, but they come with risks and side effects researchers still don’t fully understand. • Across neuroscience, biomedical engineering and artificial intelligence, researchers from Carnegie Mellon University’sNeuroscience Institute(opens in new window)are exploring how pain is measured, understood and treated to support safer, more effective care. • Understanding pain behavior could unlock new treatments For decades, the way researchers have measured pain in the lab hasn’t changed: They basically poke a subject with a blunt object or a pin and watch for a flinch, according toEric Yttri(opens in new window), associate professor ofbiological sciences(opens in new window). • But that’s not how pain is experienced in the real world. • “It’s artificial,” Yttri said.

Article Summaries:

  • Carnegie Mellon University’s Neuroscience Institute is redefining how chronic pain is measured and treated. Researchers are moving beyond reflex‑based lab tests to analyze everyday movements that reflect pain, using AI algorithms (A‑SOiD, B‑SOiD) and a new behavioral library called LUPE. These tools allow scientists to assess whether novel therapies-such as a gene therapy that targets opioid‑responsive neurons-actually reduce pain‑related avoidance behaviors, rather than merely dulling sensation. By focusing on the emotional experience of pain, the team aims to develop safer, more effective treatments for the roughly 25 % of U.S. adults living with chronic pain.

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