Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 11, 2026
07:58
Electrophysiological Methods to Assess Peripheral Pain Block in an Anesthetized Rat
Published on: November 21, 2025
285
Touch inhibits subcortical and cortical nociceptive responses
Flavia Mancini1, Anne-Lise Beaumont, Li Hu
1Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Ministry of Education) and Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
Pain
|June 10, 2015
Summary
Touching a painful area reduces pain by inhibiting nerve signals at the spinal cord level (subcortical gating). This touch-induced analgesia relies on subcortical mechanisms, not solely brain-based (supraspinal) pathways.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pain Perception
- Sensory Processing
Background:
- The neural basis of touch-induced analgesia is debated, with some studies suggesting spinal-level gating and others implicating supraspinal mechanisms.
- Previous research in anesthetized animals indicated spinal gating of nociception by touch.
- Recent studies in awake humans proposed that brain-based (supraspinal) pathways are sufficient for this analgesic effect.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether touch modulates nociceptive processing at both subcortical and cortical levels in humans.
- To determine if supraspinal mechanisms alone are sufficient for touch-induced analgesia.
- To elucidate the role of subcortical versus supraspinal pathways in mediating the analgesic effects of touch.
Main Methods:
- Selective activation of Aδ and C skin nociceptors using high-power laser pulses.
- Recording of the laser blink reflex as a subcortical marker of nociceptive processing.
- Measurement of laser-evoked potentials (LEPs) to assess cortical nociceptive activity.
Main Results:
- Touch significantly reduced pain perception, demonstrating a clear analgesic effect.
- Concomitant touch suppressed the laser blink reflex, indicating subcortical inhibition.
- Touch inhibited both Aδ- and C-fibre laser-evoked potentials, suggesting modulation of ascending nociceptive signals before cortical processing.
Conclusions:
- Touch-induced analgesia is primarily mediated by subcortical gating of ascending nociceptive input.
- This subcortical gating modulates subsequent cortical responses to painful stimuli.
- Supraspinal mechanisms alone are insufficient to account for the observed touch-induced analgesia.
Related Concept Videos
01:44Nociception
34.9K
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.
34.9K
01:25Analgesia and Pain Management
3.1K
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...
3.1K
01:24Local Anesthetics: Differential Sensitivity of Nerve Fibers
1.7K
Local anesthetics (LAs) block the sodium channels of nerve trunks, sensory nerve endings, and neuromuscular junctions. Although LAs can block all kinds of nerves, the sensitivity of nerve fibers differs according to nerve types and structures. LAs are known to block myelinated fibers faster than unmyelinated ones. Also, they block pain or sensory neurons at low concentrations without affecting the motor neurons involved in muscle contractions. This helps relieve labor pain without affecting the...
1.7K
01:20Pain
1.9K
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...
1.9K
01:30Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Surface, Infiltration, and Conduction Block Anesthesia
2.7K
Depending on the target organ, local anesthetics (LAs) can be administered via various routes. In surface anesthesia, LAs are applied directly to the surface of the skin or mucous membranes. It is widely used for topical skin numbing before venipuncture or minor surgical procedures. Commonly used surface local anesthetics are lidocaine or benzocaine sprays or creams. Surface anesthesia occurs within 5 minutes and lasts for about 60 minutes. One of the main disadvantages of topical anesthesia is...
2.7K
01:33Somatosensation
45.8K
The somatosensory system relays sensory information from the skin, mucous membranes, limbs, and joints. Somatosensation is more familiarly known as the sense of touch. A typical somatosensory pathway includes three types of long neurons: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary neurons have cell bodies located near the spinal cord in groups of neurons called dorsal root ganglia. The sensory neurons of ganglia innervate designated areas of skin called dermatomes.
45.8K