Research suggests that taking a paracetamol pill may do more than just soothe the pain – it may turn you into a reckless risk taker.
Scientists believe its relieving effect on pain has a similar effect on emotions and decision-making, prompting those taking the drug to throw caution to the wind.
Psychologists from the University of Guelph in Canada discovered that paracetamol reduces heart rate, a sign of fear, during dangerous experiences.
“This could have important implications for safety: if individuals taking paracetamol act less cautiously in threatening situations, they may be more likely to speed or make other unsafe choices while driving,” the researchers concluded.
“It may be that the drug works by impairing emotional appraisals of painful sensations,” they said.
“At the same time, the same mechanism may dampen other emotions, including fear.”
About 260 men and women were given either 1,000 mg of the drug or a placebo before participating in a frightening high-altitude virtual reality board walk.
Scientists believe its relieving effect on pain has a similar effect on emotions and decision-making, prompting those taking the drug to throw caution to the wind. Pictured: File photo
Psychologists from the University of Guelph in Canada discovered that paracetamol reduces heart rate, a sign of fear, during dangerous experiences. Pictured: File photo
A fall from the plank caused a fall 80 stories from the roof of a skyscraper. The goal was to walk along the plank as much as possible before returning.
The plank became progressively unstable the more people walked. If they fall, they hit the ground with a flash of white light.
Heart rates rose at a rate of over 30 beats per minute, and it took 15 seconds for people to be brave enough to put their feet on the plank. Two people were too afraid to do it, and three of them quit before they could come back.
Significant differences were found between the two groups. Those who took acetaminophen or paracetamol took 17% less time to get up on the plank for the first time, walked 23% faster when they were on it, and had a 14% smaller increase in heart rate, compared to those who took the placebo.
It is unclear how the drug could have such an effect. Despite its popularity, the drug’s exact mechanisms of action to relieve pain are still not fully understood
Pain has a sensory and emotional component, and the drug has been found to reduce activity in areas of the brain associated with emotion.
This emotional component has a huge impact on how we perceive pain. Previous research has shown that in rare cases when people suffer damage to these brain areas, they do not feel pain, although they still feel it.