Countless scientists in history have conducted experiments to make contributions and advancements in every field of scientific study imaginable. Although new knowledge is always appreciated, there are rare occasions when a discovery is made that can impact the way we once perceived our body and mind. When groundbreaking discoveries are made, one is often left with more questions than answers. This concept seemed to drive Candace Pert’s determination in her research throughout her life as well as breaking out of the normal confines of scientific research. She dared to venture into the exploration of the connection between mind and body; and due to her persistence, she was able to explore an entire new field of research.
As a graduate student
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In one of research paper titled, Basic and Clinical Studies of Endorphins she and her colleagues explore how endogenous produced opiate peptides influence addiction, pain, stress, and psychiatric illness. They reviewed, “possible cellular mechanisms for addiction, involvement of endorphins in the action of antipsychotic drugs, the role of endorphins in pain modulation, and studies of endorphins in normal subjects and psychiatric patients” (Bunney,1979 p.239). Many of her methods of conducting research in this field remain in use to this day. Through additional work she determined that the use of acupuncture that induced pain relief was due to the stimulation of beta-endorphin release, comparable to the bliss one receives from sex (Schwartz, 2013). Through these groundbreaking discoveries, she developed her own molecular theory of the emotions as bridging both mind and body. In the publication of her books Healing and the Mind and Molecules of Emotion, Why you Feel the Way you Feel she explored the link between science and psychosomatic medicine(Schwartz,2013). Pert is now widely regarded as the mother of a new field of science known as psychoneuroimmunology (Trachtman, Sept. 1998). The advancement that she had made are important to the scientific community because she paved the way for other researchers to explore the connection between