Paracetamol, a widely used painkiller, may do more than alleviate physical discomfort—it could also make people more prone to risky behavior, according to new research.
Psychologists from the University of Guelph, Canada, found that paracetamol reduces fear and cautiousness, likely due to its emotional-dulling effects. The findings raise questions about the drug’s impact on decision-making in high-risk situations, such as driving.
Key Findings from the Study
- Fear Reduction: Paracetamol users exhibited a reduced heart rate—a marker of fear—when facing threatening situations.
- Riskier Behavior: Participants who took 1,000 mg of paracetamol engaged in riskier behavior during a virtual reality “plank walk” challenge. Compared to a placebo group:
- They stepped onto the plank 17% faster.
- Walked 23% quicker.
- Had a 14% smaller increase in heart rate.
The Virtual Reality Test
The experiment involved 260 participants navigating a virtual plank suspended atop an 80-storey skyscraper. The plank became increasingly unstable, and falling simulated a dramatic drop with a flash of light.
- Most participants hesitated before stepping onto the plank.
- A few were too fearful to participate fully.
Implications for Safety
The researchers cautioned that paracetamol’s effects on emotions could have real-world safety consequences, particularly in high-stakes scenarios like driving. They noted:
“If individuals on paracetamol behave less cautiously in threatening situations, they might be more likely to speed or make unsafe choices.”
How Paracetamol Affects the Brain
Although the precise mechanism of paracetamol’s pain-relieving effects remains unclear, the drug is known to reduce activity in brain regions linked to emotional processing. This may explain its impact on both pain perception and fear responses.
Broader Context
The study highlights how pain has both sensory and emotional components. In rare cases where individuals suffer damage to brain areas associated with emotion, they report feeling pain but remain emotionally unaffected by it.
This research suggests that paracetamol may dull not only physical pain but also the emotional reactions that guide cautious behavior. While further studies are needed to confirm these findings, they underscore the need for a deeper understanding of the drug’s full range of effects.