Meaning of brain scans for ‘pain’ called into question

Patterns of brain activity thought to show pain responses have been called into question after researchers saw such patterns in rare patients born without a sense of pain. The study was designed to test the ‘pain matrix,’ a pattern of brain activity that is often considered a marker for pain. The association is so pervasive that the ‘pain matrix’ has been used in research to suggest that social rejection or mental effort can cause ‘pain.’