It turned out that a common pain reliever provokes dangerous behavior

People take painkillers to relieve dental, headache, women's and other types of “everyday” pain on their own. At the same time, scientists warn that over-the-counter drugs not only bring relief, but also provoke dangerous behavior.

More than 500 university students participated in a series of experiments of the new study. One group took a placebo. The second group was given a single dose (1000 mg – the recommended single dose for adults) of acetaminophen. It is also known as paracetamol, which is part of common painkillers.

According to the results of observations and analyses, it became clear that the effect of drugs aimed at reducing pain also extends to various psychological processes. In particular, people's sensitivity to the feelings of others (empathy) decreases and cognitive functions are dulled. Including worse memory, slower mental performance, and more.

Ohio State University neuroscientist Baldwin Way added that acetaminophen makes people feel less negative emotions when they consider risky actions. In other words, people either do not feel fear, or its level is significantly reduced. In some cases, this can lead to reckless actions that will have serious consequences.

Scientists intend to continue the research. They believe that it is necessary to learn more about the effect of paracetamol on the human body. This will allow to more accurately determine the risks of its use.