Paracetamol, the Versatile Painkiller Has Unusual Side Effect Unknown Till Recently

Paracetamol or Acetaminophen, a familiar painkilling ingredient is used in many formulations like Crocin, Tylenol and Calpol. The new study reveals that the consumption of the drug may influence the ability of the brain in detecting errors.

The study was undertaken at the University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia in Canada to measure the neurological response of the brain in detecting errors with the use of acetaminophen. Two groups with 30 participants were chosen for the study and were offered a target-detection job named “GO or Not Go”.

Contestants were asked to press the “Go” button whenever the letter F flashed on the screen but not to use the button when the letter E came on the screen. Randles told that the ploy was to find the response how quickly participants capture all the “Go”s and refrain from identifying the “No Go”s. The electrical activity in the brains of contestants was measured through an electroencephalogram or EEG.

Researchers looked for both the Error Related Negativity or ERN and Error Related Positivity or Pe. It is natural when people go under EEG test and commit an error in the task; it creates a strong increase in ERN and Pe.

The group consuming the normal maximum dose of acetaminophen or 1,000milligrams showed a smaller Pe while committing mistakes compared to those without the acetaminophen dose. It suggests that acetaminophen restrains our consciousness alertness of the error. Randal concluded that acetaminophen makes it tougher to recognize an error and may result in repercussions for cognitive control in everyday life. Previous researches also confirm that painkiller restrains evaluative responses and decreases reaction time.