Photonics West 2021: Microendoscopy shows details of neuron responses 11 Mar 2021 Yeka Aponte investigates how behaviors are regulated and the implications for pain relief. Pain and gain: the brain's response Studies of neural behavior using microendoscopy techniques are enhancing the understanding of how the brains of mice respond to both appetite and pain. Presenting in the SPIE Photonics West Digital Forum, Yeka Aponte from the National Institutes of Health and Johns Hopkins University discussed how this could ultimately point towards novel pain relief treatments for humans. "We are studying the mechanisms by which brain circuits regulate natural or survival behavior," said Aponte. "This is relevant to two current global epidemics: obesity, and the crisis of opioid overdoses."