More is less: enhanced cortical activity and reduced pain under nitrous oxide

Shih-Pin Chen^{1

2

3

4

5

6

7}, Cheng-Chang Lien^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
² Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
³ Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁴ College of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁵ Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁶ Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁷ Division of Translational Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.

Shih-Pin Chen et al. Pain. 2025.

. 2025 Nov 1;166(11):2447-2448.

doi: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003772. Epub 2025 Aug 6.

Shih-Pin Chen^{1

2

3

4

5

6

7}, Cheng-Chang Lien^{1

2

3}

¹ Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
² Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
³ Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁴ College of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁵ Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁶ Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁷ Division of Translational Research, Department of Medical Research, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.

No abstract available

References

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1. Weinrich JAP, Liu CD, Jewell ME, Andolina CR, Bernstein MX, Benitez J, Rodriguez-Rosado S, Braz JM, Maze M, Nemenov MI, Basbaum AI. Paradoxical increases in anterior cingulate cortex activity during nitrous oxide-induced analgesia reveal a signature of pain affect. PAIN 2025;166:2576-87.
1. Yilmaz P, Diers M, Diener S, Rance M, Wessa M, Flor H. Brain correlates of stress-induced analgesia. PAIN 2010;151:522–9.