And this bad wave? They discover that taking paracetamol can reduce empathy for others

According to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Ohio (USA), paracetamol limits an individual's empathy towards others while taking it.

In research, entitled "A social painkiller? Paracetamol reduces positive empathy, and under the guidance of Assistant Professor Dominik Mischkowski, 114 participants received 1,000 milligrams of paracetamol or inert placebo. The experiment was double-blind: neither the study coordinators nor the participants knew whether paracetamol or placebo was being administered.

After one hour, participants observed four scenarios describing two men and women who had a positive experience. By observing each scenario, participants badessed the positive impact of the scenarios, the enjoyment of the individuals appearing in each scenario, the enjoyment that the participants themselves experienced in these scenarios, and the degree of empathy they felt for the individuals. who participated.

The study found that while paracetamol decreases personal pleasure and empathic feelings, it has no effect on perceptions of pleasure and positivity. "I am always struck by the surprising psychological effects of an badgesic as common as paracetamol," says Mischkowski. "But, according to previous research, we hope that paracetamol will not only reduce empathy for pain, but also for pleasure." It's good that it happened like that. "

This is not the first time that Mischkowski badyzes paracetamol and its effects. In 2016, he published a study that also badyzes paracetamol. "We conducted the first study to test how the pharmacological ability to reduce the ability to respond to pain (paracetamol) also decreased the ability to respond to others' pain," he said.

In the previous study, participants responded to written scenarios about a person with physical or emotional pain. The present study aimed to broaden the previous results. These extended results are important for understanding the effects of paracetamol.

This drug is present in many popular over-the-counter medications to reduce pain and fever. "Since about a quarter of all American adults consume paracetamol-containing drugs each week, this research is critically important," says Mischkowski.