Pain

Question 1

What is pain transduction?

Answer 1

Activation of nociceptors and depolarization of the nerve ending, resulting in release of an electrical signal

Question 2

What is pain transmission?

Answer 2

Propagation of electrical signal from the periphery to the spinal cord

Question 3

What is pain modulation? Of the ascending and descending pathways, which promotes pain and which dampens pain response?

Answer 3

• Ascending signals originating in the spinal cord promote pain response
• Descending signals originating from the brain dampen pain response

Question 4

What is pain perception?

Answer 4

Awareness of pain sensation in the thalamus and higher cortical areas