PMID: 3760924Aug 1, 1986Paper

Responses of primate spinothalamic neurons to noxious thermal stimulation of glabrous and hairy skin

Journal of Neurophysiology
D J SurmeierW D Willis

Abstract

Extracellular recordings were made from 81 primate spinothalamic (STT) neurons in the L7-S1 segments of the spinal cord. The majority of the sample was recorded from within laminae IV-V. The responses of STT neurons to noxious thermal stimulation of glabrous and hairy skin were studied in an attempt to identify a neural substrate for the differences in thermal sensation evoked by noxious stimulation of these two types of skin. In addition, the responses to graded mechanical stimuli were examined for evidence of differential sensitivity. Thermal intensity-response functions were constructed from the alteration in the mean discharge rate produced by a 30-s thermal pulse of 43-55 degrees C. Generally, the functions derived from stimulation of both hairy and glabrous skin were either linear or positively accelerating. Deceleration in the response functions was occasionally observed above 53 degrees C. The population mean discharge rate derived from glabrous skin stimulation was significantly greater than that derived from hairy skin stimulation above 49 degrees C. Cluster analysis was used to assess whether the STT population could be partitioned into functionally relevant subgroups. No clustering was evident on the basis of the al...Continue Reading

Citations

Jan 1, 1997·Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Publication of the American Electroencephalographic Society·W D Willis, K N Westlund
May 19, 1998·Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research·F Hanai
Jan 1, 1988·Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·W D Willis

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