Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Thermosensation

Thermosensation

Peripheral thermosensation is the perception of external temperature. A change in temperature (on the surface of the skin and other tissues) is detected by a family of temperature-sensitive ion channels called Transient Receptor Potential, or TRP, receptors. These receptors are located on free nerve endings. Those detecting cold temperatures are closer to the surface of the skin than the nerve endings detecting warmth. These thermoTRP channels, while temperature selective, have relatively...

Pain

Pain

Pain serves as a critical warning signal that alerts the body to potential or actual harm. When mechanical pressure on the skin is intense, such as from a sharp pinch, the sensation transitions from touch to pain. Similarly, extreme temperatures, like a hot pot handle, convert the sensation of heat into pain. Pain can also result from overstimulation of other senses, such as blinding light, loud noise, or the intense heat from habañero peppers. This ability to sense pain is essential for...

Nociception

Nociception

Nociception—the ability to feel pain—is essential for an organism’s survival and overall well-being. Noxious stimuli such as piercing pain from a sharp object, heat from an open flame, or contact with corrosive chemicals are first detected by sensory receptors, called nociceptors, located on nerve endings. Nociceptors express ion channels that convert noxious stimuli into electrical signals. When these signals reach the brain via sensory neurons, they are perceived as pain. Thus, pain helps the...

Responses to Heat and Cold Stress

Responses to Heat and Cold Stress

Every organism has an optimum temperature range within which healthy growth and physiological functioning can occur. At the ends of this range, there will be a minimum and maximum temperature that interrupt biological processes.

Assessing Body Temperature - Temporal Artery

Assessing Body Temperature - Temporal Artery

Here is a stepwise guide to assessing the body temperature at the temporal artery using a temporal artery thermometer
Step 1: Perform hand hygiene and don a fresh pair of gloves to prevent cross-infection and ensure patient safety.
Step 2: Explain the procedure to the patient to establish trust. Clear communication establishes trust with the patient, ensures they understand what to expect, promotes cooperation, and enhances comfort during the procedure.
Step 3: Assess the patient's forehead...

Factors Affecting Perception

Factors Affecting Perception

Perception is influenced by perceptual set, context, motivation, and emotion. Perceptual set, or perceptual expectancy, refers to the tendency to perceive things in a particular way, influenced by previous experiences and expectations. This phenomenon affects the interpretation of stimuli, creating a set of mental tendencies and assumptions that impact sensory perceptions of sound, taste, touch, and sight.
An illustrative example of a perceptual set is the scenario where an airline pilot told...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Phase 2 Futility Trials in Alzheimer Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Cohort Analysis of the ADNI Data Set.

Neurology·2026

Same author

Application of the 2024 McDonald Criteria in Individuals With Nonspecific Symptoms or Incidental Imaging Findings in a Multicenter Study.

Neurology·2026

Same author

Efficacy and safety of ocrelizumab in primary progressive multiple sclerosis, including older patients and those with more advanced disease (ORATORIO-HAND): a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 3b study.

Lancet (London, England)·2026

Same author

Men's health research priorities in men with multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis journal - experimental, translational and clinical·2026

Same author

Testing the Long-Term Effects of the <i>Go Sun Smart</i> Worksite Health Communication Campaign: A Group-Randomized Experimental Study.

The Journal of communication·2026

Same author

Use of semaglutide and tirzepatide among people with multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England)·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Dynamic Quantitative Sensory Testing to Characterize Central Pain Processing

Dynamic Quantitative Sensory Testing to Characterize Central Pain Processing

Published on: February 16, 2017

Temporal characteristics of cold pain perception.

Michael A Frölich¹, Mark S Bolding, Gary R Cutter

¹Department of Anesthesiology and Center for the Development of Functional Imaging (CDFI), University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), United States. froelich@uab.edu

Neuroscience Letters

|May 25, 2010

Summary

Perceived cold pain intensity changes over time during sustained stimuli, not matching stimulus presentation. This quadratic pattern is crucial for accurately studying pain perception and its physiological basis.

More Related Videos

Determining Pain Detection and Tolerance Thresholds Using an Integrated, Multi-Modal Pain Task Battery

Determining Pain Detection and Tolerance Thresholds Using an Integrated, Multi-Modal Pain Task Battery

Published on: April 14, 2016

An Experimental Paradigm for the Prediction of Post-Operative Pain (PPOP)

An Experimental Paradigm for the Prediction of Post-Operative Pain (PPOP)

Published on: January 27, 2010

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Dynamic Quantitative Sensory Testing to Characterize Central Pain Processing

Dynamic Quantitative Sensory Testing to Characterize Central Pain Processing

Published on: February 16, 2017

Determining Pain Detection and Tolerance Thresholds Using an Integrated, Multi-Modal Pain Task Battery

Determining Pain Detection and Tolerance Thresholds Using an Integrated, Multi-Modal Pain Task Battery

Published on: April 14, 2016

An Experimental Paradigm for the Prediction of Post-Operative Pain (PPOP)

An Experimental Paradigm for the Prediction of Post-Operative Pain (PPOP)

Published on: January 27, 2010

Area of Science:

Psychophysics
Neuroscience
Pain Research

Background:

Adaptation to sustained stimuli is key in psychophysical experiments.
The cold pressor task (CPT) is a sustained stimulus used in pain and cardiovascular research.
Current functional imaging often models CPT as a simple on-off stimulus, ignoring temporal perception changes.

Purpose of the Study:

To characterize the temporal course of perceived cold pain in humans.
To develop a model for the temporal dynamics of cold pain perception.
To highlight the importance of accounting for perception changes in stimulus-response studies.

Main Methods:

Fifteen healthy participants underwent alternating cold (2°C) and tepid (32°C) water immersion of their foot.
Pain intensity was rated using an electronic slide algometer.
A mixed general linear model (polynomial regression) analyzed the pain ratings over time.

Main Results:

Cold pain perception followed a distinct crescendo-decrescendo pattern.
This temporal pattern was accurately described by a quadratic model.
Perceived pain intensity over time differed significantly from stimulus presentation duration.

Conclusions:

The time course of perceived cold pain is not linear and differs from stimulus presentation.
Ignoring the temporal dynamics of pain perception can lead to misleading results in research.
Accurate modeling of pain perception is vital for identifying its physiological correlates.