Nociception

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Nociception (pronounced: noh-sih-SEP-shun) is the sensory nervous system's response to certain harmful or potentially harmful stimuli. In medicine and biology, it is the process by which a potentially damaging mechanical, thermal, or chemical stimulus is transmitted through the peripheral and central nervous systems to the brain.

Etymology

The term "nociception" is derived from the Latin nocere meaning "to harm" and ceptio from capere meaning "to take". It was first used in the medical literature in the early 20th century.

Process

Nociception involves four key steps: transduction, transmission, perception, and modulation.

  • Transduction: This is the process by which a noxious stimulus (like extreme heat or cold, or a mechanical force like a cut or scrape) is converted into an electrical signal by the specialized nerve endings known as nociceptors.
  • Transmission: The electrical signal is then transmitted from the nociceptor, along the peripheral nerve fibers to the spinal cord, and then up to the brain.
  • Perception: Once the signal reaches the brain, it is interpreted as the sensation of pain.
  • Modulation: The brain can then send signals back down to the spinal cord to increase or decrease the intensity of the pain signal, a process known as pain modulation.

Related Terms

  • Nociceptors: Specialized nerve endings that detect potentially damaging stimuli and convert this information into electrical signals.
  • Pain: An unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage.
  • Analgesia: The inability to feel pain while still conscious.
  • Hyperalgesia: An increased sensitivity to pain.
  • Allodynia: A condition in which non-painful stimuli cause pain.

See Also

External links

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