Abstract
Cutaneous nociceptors are specialized primary afferents responding to noxious or injurious stimulation of the skin. Unmyelinated (C-fiber) nociceptors mediate the burning pain from noxious heat stimuli and pain from prolonged mechanical stimuli. Myelinated (A-fiber) nociceptors mediate the sharp, pricking pain associated with application of intense heat or sharp objects. The enhanced pain sensation at the site of skin injury (primary hyperalgesia) is thought to result from an enhanced responsiveness (sensitization) of cutaneous nociceptors. Hyperalgesia in a large area of uninjured skin surrounding the injury site (secondary hyperalgesia) is most likely due to sensitization of neurons in the central nervous system.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | The Senses |
| Subtitle of host publication | A Comprehensive Reference: Volume 1-7, Second Edition |
| Publisher | Elsevier |
| Pages | 68-87 |
| Number of pages | 20 |
| Volume | 5 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9780128054093 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780128054086 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 2020 |
Keywords
- A-fiber
- C-fiber
- Electrophysiology
- Fatigue
- Hyperalgesia
- Myelinated fibers
- Neural encoding
- Nociceptor
- Noxious
- Pain
- Primary afferents
- Psychophysics
- Sensitization
- Unmyelinated fibers
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Medicine
- General Neuroscience