Pain
In this lesson, we’ll discuss pain—a specific type of somatosensation that deserves a bit more attention due to the influential role it plays in our lives.
1) Start with this deeper dive into pain and several related topics:
2) Read these articles to delve a little deeper into some of the topics from the video:
Know Your Brain - Spinothalamic Tract
Know Your Brain - Periaqueductal Gray
3) Watch this video to learn about an unusual (and typically painful) condition:
4) Watch this video for a refresher on pain pathways:
5) Finally, answer these questions to test your understanding:
1. Which of the following fibers carry information to the spinal cord about fast, sharp pain?
- A. C fibers
- B. A-beta fibers
- C. A-delta fibers
- D. D fibers
Show Answer
Correct answer: C
A-delta fibers are thinly myelinated and conduct signals relatively quickly, carrying information about fast, sharp, well-localized pain.
2. This part of the brain is best known for its role in pain inhibition. Neurons leave here and form part of a pathway that extends down to the spinal cord to inhibit the transmission of pain signals.
- A. amygdala
- B. hippocampus
- C. precentral gyrus
- D. periaqueductal gray
Show Answer
Correct answer: D
The periaqueductal gray, or PAG, is an area of gray matter found in the brainstem. Although the functions of the PAG are complex and not fully understood, it is best known for its role in the inhibition of pain.
3. Destiny accidentally touches a hot stove and experiences immediate pain. The pain is sent to her brain primarily along which of these pathways?
- A. corticospinal tract
- B. dorsal columns-medial lemniscus
- C. spinothalamic tract
- D. spinocerebellar tract
Show Answer
Correct answer: C
The spinothalamic tract, which is part of the larger anterolateral pathway in the spinal cord, is the main pathway for carrying pain and temperature information to the brain.
4. Which pathway within the anterolateral system terminates in the periaqueductal gray and is thought to play a role in pain inhibition?
- A. spinothalamic tract
- B. spinoreticular tract
- C. spinomesencephalic tract
- D. dorsal columns-medial lemniscus pathway
Show Answer
Correct answer: C
The spinomesencephalic tract plays an important role in the control and inhibition of pain. Fibers in the spinomesencephalic tract follow the same path as the spinothalamic tract but they synapse in an area of the midbrain called the periaqueductal gray.
5. True or false: The majority of people who experience an amputation also experience phantom limb sensations.
- A. True
- B. False
Show Answer
Correct answer: A
Phantom limb is a condition in which someone who has lost a part of their body continues to experience phantom sensations coming from that body part. Phantom sensations are thought to be experienced by almost all amputees, and most suffer from some degree of phantom pain.
