Why Broken Hearts Hurt — and What Heals Them | Yoram Yovell | TED

Summary

In this talk, Yoram Youvel, a psychiatrist and neuroscientist, explores the nature of mental pain, drawing on personal experience and scientific research. He discusses the brain's pain matrix, the role of endorphins in pain relief, and the potential of non-narcotic drugs to treat both physical and mental pain without the risks of addiction and overdose. Youvel emphasizes the importance of mental pain in human relationships and the ongoing quest for safer, more effective treatments.

Takeaways

• 😢 The speaker, Yoram Youvel, experienced profound mental pain after his father's death, which led him to explore the nature of mental pain.
• 🧠 Mental pain is closely linked to physical pain, sharing similar brain circuits that are part of the brain's pain matrix.
• 🐕 Jaak Panksepp's research with separated puppies revealed that the distress cries of young mammals are linked to human feelings of sadness and depression.
• 🧬 Yoram's work in Dr. Eric Kandel’s lab studying GPCRs laid the foundation for understanding receptors involved in pain and pleasure.
• 🤔 Mental pain serves as an alarm system, prompting us to seek social connections and avoid harm, thus playing a crucial role in our survival and relationships.
• ❤️ Love and mental pain are intertwined, as the capacity to love comes with the potential for heartache.
• 🏃‍♂️ Endorphins, the brain's natural 'feel-good' molecules, are released during exercise, social bonding, and in response to injury, helping to alleviate both physical and mental pain.
• 💊 Narcotics can reduce mental pain, as demonstrated by Panksepp's experiment with morphine on separated puppies, but they carry significant risks of addiction and overdose.
• 🔬 Yoram's team is developing new treatments for physical and mental pain by identifying drugs that activate mu opioid receptors in a safer manner than narcotics.
• 👨‍🔬 The use of molecular computing technologies and virtual models of the mu opioid receptor has led to the discovery of potential new treatments that could revolutionize pain management.

Q & A

What was the turning point in Yoram Youvel's life that led him to become a psychiatrist and neuroscientist?

The turning point in Yoram Youvel's life was the death of his father when he was 14 years old, which left him with a deep emotional pain and led him to pursue a career in understanding the brain and mental health.

What is a GPCR and how does it relate to Yoram Youvel's research?

A GPCR, or G protein-coupled receptor, is a protein that is part of a synapse and is involved in how nerve cells communicate with each other. Yoram Youvel's research involved studying a GPCR receptor in Dr. Eric Kandel’s lab, which later became relevant to his work on mental and physical pain.

What did Jaak Panksepp's experiment with separated puppies reveal about the brain's response to emotional pain?

Jaak Panksepp's experiment revealed that the separation distress cry in puppies was produced by the same brain circuits that are active in humans when they feel sad or experience depression. These circuits are also part of the brain's pain matrix, which mediates both physical and mental pain.

Why does mental pain exist according to the script?

Mental pain exists as an alarm system, similar to physical pain, to prevent damage. It serves as a glue that keeps individuals together in relationships and communities, and it prompts them to seek comfort and connection when they are in distress.

How do endorphins help in alleviating both physical and mental pain?

Endorphins, which are the brain's natural feel-good molecules, are released during activities like aerobic exercise, closeness to loved ones, and after severe injuries. They attach to mu opioid receptors in the brain, which helps to ease pain by triggering a series of events inside neurons.

What is the potential therapeutic use of buprenorphine as mentioned in the script?

In the script, a clinical trial found that very low doses of buprenorphine, a narcotic drug, helped reduce suicidal tendencies in severely suicidal individuals by soothing their mental pain.

How do narcotics differ from endorphins in their potential for addiction and overdose?

Narcotics, such as opioids, can cause addiction and are lethal in overdose, while endorphins are not lethal in overdose and are much less likely to cause addiction. This is due to the different ways they activate mu opioid receptors.

What is the significance of the discovery that some GPCRs can be activated by two different drugs simultaneously?

The discovery that some GPCRs can be activated by two different drugs at the same time suggests that the combination of drugs might produce different therapeutic effects than when they are used individually, potentially leading to safer treatments for pain.

What role did molecular computing technologies play in Yoram Youvel's research?

Molecular computing technologies were used to create a detailed virtual model of the human mu opioid receptor. This model, along with molecular docking algorithms, helped screen thousands of existing drugs to find potential combinations that could activate the receptor in a safer manner.

What is the current status of the research on finding safer alternatives to narcotics for treating pain?

The research is still a work in progress. While two existing drugs have been identified that may potentially treat physical and mental pain without severe side effects, they are yet to undergo further testing and clinical trials before they can become approved treatments.