New research published in the journal JNeurosci has found that nostalgia can reduce pain perception. Chinese researchers asked study participants to rate their pain from heat stimulation while they looked at pictures of old cartoons, classic childhood games or candy, and compared their responses with other participants who viewed modern images. An MRI machine was also used to scan 34 of the participants.
The result: Participants who looked at images that made them feel nostalgic felt less pain. So next time your back starts to hurt, break out an old photo album. The fond memories really might help.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.