Pain used to uncover brain secret

"Christians feel pain just like everyone else, but many would say that their
belief in a
God who cares and the promises of the Bible are a huge comfort in difficult
times" -
Church of England spokesman

Volunteers are to be 'burnt' by scientists to see if faith eases pain.

Oxford University scientists will carry out experiments on hundreds of people in
a bid
to understand how the brain works during states of consciousness.

One aspect of the two-year study will involve followers of both religious and
secular
beliefs being burnt to see if they can handle more pain than others.

Some volunteers will be shown religious symbols such as crucifixes and images of
the
Virgin Mary during the tests.

How scientists plan to torture volunteers

Gel - A gel containing chilli can be applied to the back of the hand to simulate
a
burning sensation
Heat-pad - A pad which can reach up to 60C will be put against the skin

Researchers believe the study may improve understanding of faith, how robust it
is
and how easily it can be dislodged.

The team from the newly-formed Centre for Science of the Mind also want to
include
people with survival techniques in the experiments, which may help the special
forces
easily identify people with high pain thresholds.

Volunteers will have a gel containing chilli powder or heat-pad applied to the
back of
their hand to simulate pain.

Scans

A team of neurologists, pharmacologists and anatomists will then analyse how
people
react by using brain scans.

Another part of the research involves tests using anaesthetic, to see what
effect it has
on the brain and why some people need higher doses to make them unconscious.

Baroness Greenfield, director of the centre, said 20 years ago scientists had
shied
away from studying the brain in such away but that was now changing.

"We want to find out what the brain is doing, how it is working when we are
having
feelings and most importantly of all when we are conscious.

"I am not promising we are going to solve the problem, I don't think we are.

"But I think we are going to get more of an insight."

Centre deputy director Toby Collins added: "The reason we are using pain is that
it is
easily standardised but varies greatly between individuals.

"The pain matrix is not fully understood yet."

Dr Alison Gray, a spokeswoman for the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: "The
experience of pain depends on biological factors such as the amount of tissue
damage and release of natural pain killers - endorphins - in the brain.

"We know anecdotally that religious believers can tolerate great pain when there
is a
specific purpose, and I would speculate that this would operate via endorphin
release.

"Religious practices such as prayer and meditation release endorphins and would
in
theory increase the pain threshold.

"It will be interesting to see what these trials show, it may be that the
specific purpose
of bearing the pain is missing, if so I would expect the tests would be
inconclusive."

But the Church of England said it was possible religion could be of help.

A spokesman said: "Pain is a fact of life, whatever your beliefs. Christians
feel pain
just like everyone else, but many would say that their belief in a God who cares
and
the promises of the Bible are a huge comfort in difficult times."

Published: 2005/01/12 12:00:12 GMT

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