It's all in your head: Select neurons in the brainstem may hold the key to treating chronic pain (Hunger helps)

Medical Xpress / University of Pennsylvania / Nature ^ | Oct. 8, 2025 | Nathi Magubane / J. Nicholas Betley et al

[ConservativeMind]

Acute or short-lived pain, despite its bad reputation, is usually a lifesaver.

Chronic pain is different; the alarm keeps blaring long after the fire is out, and then the pain itself becomes the problem.

Now, research has identified a key to regulating long-term pain states: a group of cells called Y1 receptor (Y1R)-expressing neurons in the brainstem's lateral parabrachial nucleus (lPBN). These neurons are activated during enduring pain states, but they also integrate information about hunger, fear and thirst, allowing for pain signals to be modulated by other brain circuits signaling more urgent needs.

They found that Y1R neurons didn't just flare briefly in response to acute pain—they also kept firing steadily during enduring pain, a state neuroscientists call "tonic activity."

"From my own experience, I felt that when you're really hungry you'll do almost anything to get food," he says. "When it came to chronic, lingering pain, hunger seemed to be more powerful than Advil at reducing pain."

The current work started when Nitsan Goldstein found that other urgent survival needs such as thirst and fear can also reduce enduring pain. That finding supported behavioral models developed, suggest filtering of sensory input at the parabrachial nucleus can block out long-lasting pain when other more acute needs exist.

A key part of that switch is neuropeptide Y (NPY), a signaling molecule that helps the brain juggle competing needs. When hunger or fear takes priority, NPY acts on Y1 receptors in the parabrachial nucleus to dampen ongoing pain signals.

"It's like the brain has this built-in override switch," Goldstein explains. "If you're starving or facing a predator, you can't afford to be overwhelmed by lingering pain. Neurons activated by these other threats release NPY, and NPY quiets the pain signal so that other survival needs take precedence."

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TOPICS: Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: cbd

[ConservativeMind]

Chronic pain appears to go through the same path that hunger, thirst, and fear goes through. Of these three, hunger is most easily and safely achieved.

I would suggest intermittent fasting or even full fasting or the Fast Mimicking Diet could help uncover what we are experiencing and provide some respite, while helping with our health in other ways, as well.

[ConservativeMind]

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[alternatives?]

If you have back pain, hit your thumb with a hammer. The back pain will go away.

[tired&retired]

I always thought the chronic pain was caused by my wedding ring!😁

[Faith65]

Thanks!
Fascinating!

[Celtic Conservative]

The problem with that is once the hunger is satiated the pain shows right back up.

CC

[chuck allen]

If that chronic pain comes with inflammation, then I’d strongly suggest folks to try the Entourage CBD’s. That is CBD with CBG,CBC and CBN cannabinoids, preferably with a small dose of THC, (2.5mg). I’ve had chronic inflammation from Arteritis for 3 years, with average CRP levels of 15, (should be less than 5) and SED Rate levels elevated near 18. (20 is high). I started the Entourage CBD’s in July and within 2 weeks my CRP AND SED Rate returned to normal level of 3 and 5 respectively. They have remained at normal for 3 months. My Rheumatologist is stunned and amazed. I have used Prednisone and then switched to Methotrexate injections and neither reduced my levels to where Dr was happy. I had nothing to lose so I tried CBD and it’s working. The THC feels no more than if I had a beer or single glass of wine. CBD’s are non-psychoactive. I have labs every 6-8 weeks for Arteritis control so I don’t go blind.

[ConservativeMind]

I generally agree, but you are not seeing where lower level cutting off of the pain could help modify the crazy overactive signaling that goes on without the help.

It also provides a respite people weren’t getting.

[ConservativeMind]

It helped your C-Reactive Protein go down like that?

Chuck, it seems your inflammation could have partly been from your body's overactive pain response, and not so much of your arteritis.

It may be remotely possible CBDs influence your arteritis directly, but that might show on other tests, if true.

Either way, I would say stay the course until you find something better.

[chuck allen]

Yes on 7/17 my CRP was 15.44mg/L, the RBC Sed Rate was 14. They had been in that range over 2 years. On 7/31 after 2 weeks of 40mg of the CBD daily, CRP was 3.17, SED was 5. Keep in mind when the giant cell Arteritis was diagnosed my CRP was 153 and SED was 94, those are off the charts inflammatory numbers. I had a headache for 3 months leading up to that. I had labs on Friday and CRP was still 3.22 and SED was 5. Nothing changed in my life except taking the CBD cocktail.

[chuck allen]

Well something is causing the inflammation but damned if the Dr can figure out why. I’ve had 3 full body cat scans and 3 MRI’s with no trace of what is causing it. On the bright side the cat scan did reveal my calcium buildup in my arteries which led to finding 4 blockages which I had surgery on last Sept. I was a lucky one in that I never had a heart attack being so blocked up.

[ConservativeMind]

Are you still taking the other two drugs?

[Irish Eyes]

Sounds interesting. Happy it is working for you.