Researchers at the University of Sydney have revealed a detailed map-like system within the brainstem that regulates pain differently depending on where it occurs in the body. Their discovery could help develop safer and more precise treatments for chronic pain that do not depend on opioids.

The brainstem functions as a vital communication link between the brain and spinal cord, directing every signal that travels to and from the brain. It also produces most of the neurochemicals essential for thought, sensory processing, and survival.

The study, published in Science, used 7-Tesla functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), one of the world’s most advanced brain scanning technologies, with only two currently available in Australia, to identify how two key regions of the brainstem regulate pain through the placebo effect.

Dr. Lewis Crawford, lead author and research fellow at the School of Medical Sciences and the Brain and Mind Centre, said: “This is the first time we’ve seen such a precise and detailed pain map in the human brainstem, showing us that it tailors pain relief to the specific part of the body that’s experiencing it.”