PMID: 16634453Apr 26, 2006Paper

Plasticity of nociception: recent advances in function-oriented structural pain research

Ideggyógyászati szemle
Elizabeth Knyihár, Bertalan Csillik

Abstract

Traditional concept holds that the pain unit consists of three neurons. The first of these, the primary nociceptive neuron, starts with the nociceptors and terminates in the dorsal spinal cord. The second one, called spinothalamic neuron, crosses over in front of the central canal and connects the dorsal horn with the thalamus. The third one, called thalamo-cortical neuron, terminates in the "pain centres" of the cerebral cortex. While this simplistic scheme is useful for didactic purposes, the actual situation is more complex. First, in the periphery it is only nociception that occurs, while pain is restricted to the levels of thalamus and the cortex. Second, pain results from interactions of excitation and inhibition, from divergence and convergence and from attention and distraction, in a diffuse and plastic system, characteristic for all levels of organization. This study describes the major cytochemical markers of primary nociceptive neurons followed by the presentation of recent data on the functional anatomy of nociception and pain, with special focus on the intrinsic antinociceptive system and the role of nitrogen oxide, opiate receptors, nociceptin and nocistatin. In addition to the classic intrinsic antinociceptive ce...Continue Reading

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Basal Ganglia

Basal Ganglia are a group of subcortical nuclei in the brain associated with control of voluntary motor movements, procedural and habit learning, emotion, and cognition. Here is the latest research.

Amygdala: Sensory Processes

Amygdalae, nuclei clusters located in the temporal lobe of the brain, play a role in memory, emotional responses, and decision-making. Here is the latest research on sensory processes in the amygdala.

Amygdala and Midbrain Dopamine

The midbrain dopamine system is widely studied for its involvement in emotional and motivational behavior. Some of these neurons receive information from the amygdala and project throughout the cortex. When the circuit and transmission of dopamine is disrupted symptoms may present. Here is the latest research on the amygdala and midbrain dopamine.

Related Papers

Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Publication of the American Electroencephalographic Society
W D Willis, K N Westlund
Clinical Autonomic Research : Official Journal of the Clinical Autonomic Research Society
E E Benarroch
Neurological Sciences : Official Journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology
P Cortelli, G Pierangeli
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Lorne M Mendell
Masui. The Japanese journal of anesthesiology
Kazuhiko Fukuda
© 2022 Meta ULC. All rights reserved