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Article: Chronic pain damages brain neurons, Northwestern researchers find.
- Article from:
- Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL)
- Article date:
- November 23, 2004
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 Chicago Tribune. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Ronald Kotulak
Nov. 23--Chronic pain appears to damage neurons in key parts of the brain controlling sensory perception, which may explain why such pain becomes harder to treat the longer it lasts, a Northwestern University study has found.
Experts said the research underscores the importance of seeking treatment for chronic pain to avoid long-term damage. Chronic pain may affect as many as 50 million people and is the No. 1 cause of adult disability, according to a survey by the American Chronic Pain Association that also indicates such patients frequently delay seeing a physician.
Using MRI brain imaging technology to examine 26 ...