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Related Concept Videos

Major Somatic Sensory Pathways01:28

Major Somatic Sensory Pathways

Sensory impulses related to touch, pressure, vibration, and proprioception from various body parts, such as the limbs, trunk, neck, and posterior head, travel to the cerebral cortex through the posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway. The pathway’s name derives from the two white-matter tracts that convey the impulses: the spinal cord's posterior column and the brainstem's medial lemniscus. First-order sensory neurons extend their axons into the spinal cord, forming the posterior columns...
Nociception01:44

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...
Overview of Somatic Sensory Pathways01:29

Overview of Somatic Sensory Pathways

Somatic sensory or somatosensory pathways refer to the neural pathways that carry information related to touch, pressure, pain, temperature, and proprioception from the skin, muscles, tendons, and joints to the brain. These pathways involve several stages of processing and integration of sensory information.
The somatosensory system is divided into three main pathways: the dorsal (or posterior) column-medial lemniscus, spinothalamic (or anterolateral), and spinocerebellar pathways.
The dorsal...
Pain01:20

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...
Sensory Functions of the Skin01:16

Sensory Functions of the Skin

The skin is the largest organ of the human body and plays a crucial role in our sensory perception. It contains a vast network of sensory receptors that contribute to the skin's protective function by perceiving physical, biological, and environmental cues and generating relevant responses.
There are two main categories of receptors on the skin: capsulated and non-capsulated. The non-capsulated ones are mainly the pain receptors. The capsulated ones can be further categorized based on the...
Analgesia and Pain Management01:25

Analgesia and Pain Management

Pain is critical to various clinical pathologies, provoking an urgent need for effective management. Pain, whether acute or chronic, is a complex neurochemical process. Its alleviation depends on the type, with nonopioid analgesics effective for mild to moderate pain, such as musculoskeletal or inflammatory pain, while neuropathic pain responds best to anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, or serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. For severe acute or chronic pain, opioids may be...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Cheek Injection Model for Simultaneous Measurement of Pain and Itch-related Behaviors
04:59

Cheek Injection Model for Simultaneous Measurement of Pain and Itch-related Behaviors

Published on: September 27, 2019

The multiple pathways for itch and their interactions with pain.

Steve Davidson1, Glenn J Giesler

  • 1Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. davidsons@morpheus.wustl.edu

Trends in Neurosciences
|November 9, 2010
PubMed
Summary

New research reveals multiple neural pathways and molecular mechanisms behind itch, including histamine-independent routes. Understanding these pathways and itch inhibition is key to developing new treatments for clinical pruritus.

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Cheek Injection Model for Simultaneous Measurement of Pain and Itch-related Behaviors
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Cheek Injection Model for Simultaneous Measurement of Pain and Itch-related Behaviors

Published on: September 27, 2019

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Published on: January 21, 2020

Recording Network Activity in Spinal Nociceptive Circuits Using Microelectrode Arrays
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Published on: February 9, 2022

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Dermatology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Recent identification of multiple neural pathways and molecular mechanisms for itch sensation.
  • Emerging evidence suggests itch pathways are closely linked to pain processing.
  • Histamine-independent pathways contributing to itch are increasingly recognized.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current understanding of itch production and inhibition.
  • To propose a model for itch processing within the central nervous system (CNS).
  • To highlight the need for new treatments for clinical pruritus.

Main Methods:

  • Review of physiological studies.
  • Analysis of molecular mechanisms.
  • Examination of behavioral and brain imaging data.

Main Results:

  • Convergence of data describing neural pathways involved in itch.
  • Identification of both histamine-dependent and histamine-independent itch mechanisms.
  • Ongoing debate regarding the precise relationship between itch and pain.

Conclusions:

  • A comprehensive understanding of itch generation and inhibition is crucial.
  • Further research may lead to novel therapeutic strategies for pruritus.
  • A proposed model for CNS itch processing is presented.