PAIN

Question 1

nociceptive pain

Answer 1

acute pain

Question 2

where are nociceptors cell bodies found

Answer 2

in the dorsal root ganglia and trigeminal ganglia

Question 3

what neurons are nociceptors

Answer 3

first order

Question 4

how high is the threshold for nociceptive pain

Answer 4

high
-provoked only by intense stimuli

Question 5

what is inflammatory pain caused by

Answer 5

activation of the immune system by injury or infection

Question 6

what does inflammatory pain cause

Answer 6

Causes pain hypersensitivity (heightened sensitivity to noxious stimuli) and allodynia (innocuous stimuli now elicit pain)

Question 7

is inflammatory pain adaptive

Answer 7

yes
-and protective

Question 8

is pathological pain adaptive

Answer 8

no
-maladaptive with no protective function

Question 9

cause of pathological pain

Answer 9

results from abnormal nervous system function - may be neuropathic, or dysfunctional

Question 10

what fibres comprise nociceptor neurons

Answer 10

Question 11

Adelta nociceptor fibres

Answer 11

mechanical/thermal nociceptors that are thinly myelinated (conduction velocity of 6-30 ms-1 ) & respond to noxious mechanical and thermal stimuli. Mediate ‘first’, or fast, pain

Question 12

C-fibres of nociceptors

Answer 12

nociceptors that are unmyelinated (conduction velocity of 0.5 – 2.0 ms-1) – collectively they respond to all noxious stimuli (i.e. they are polymodal). Mediate ‘second’, or slow, pain

Question 13

what pain does spinoreticular tract mainly transmit

Answer 13

slow C-fibre pain

Question 14

what is the anterolateral system made of

Answer 14

-spinothalamic tract
-spinoreticular tract
-spinomesencephalic tract

Question 15

how can analgesics reduce nociception and pain

Answer 15

-acting at site of injury by decreasing nociceptor sensitisation
-suppressing synaptic transmission of nociceptive signals in the dorsal horn of spinal cord
-activating descending inhibitory control
-suppressing nerve conduction by blocking channels
-targeting ion channels upregulated in nerve damage

Question 16

where is pain perception and the spinomesencephalic pathway projected to

Answer 16

the periaqueductal grey in the midbrain
-The PAG projects to brainstem nuclei that project to the spinal cord, modifying nociceptive transmission

Question 17

opioid action is mediated by G protein coupled opioid receptors to produce what?

Answer 17

-inhibition of opening of voltage activated calcium channels
-opening of potassium channels