Babies feel pain 'like adults', MRI scan study suggests

Scientists at Oxford University say a world-first form of research shows infants may be far more sensitive to pain than adults

The brains of babies "light up" in a similar way to adults when exposed to the same painful stimulus, suggesting they feel pain much like adults do, researchers said on Tuesday.

In the first of its kind study using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), scientists from Britain's Oxford University found that 18 of the 20 brain regions active in adults experiencing pain were also active in babies.