Gretchen Vogel
Washington, D.C.--A century-old illusion, in which alternating warm and cool bars on a grill produce a sensation of burning cold, has helped scientists pinpoint the part of the brain that responds to pain from extreme temperatures. The findings, presented at the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting here and in this week's issue of Nature, also help scientists understand the phantom pain endured by many stroke and spinal cord injury victims.