Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 31, 2026

Author Spotlight: Exploring the Link Between Time Perception of Visual Stimuli and Reading Skills
Published on: January 19, 2024
Not Hot, but Sharp: Dissociation of Pinprick and Heat Perception in Snake Eye Appearance Myelopathy
Jan Rosner1, Michèle Hubli1, Pascal Hostettler1
1Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Abstract:
Following a traumatic spinal cord injury, a 53-year-old male developed a central cord syndrome with at-level neuropathic pain. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a classical "snake eye" appearance myelopathy, with marked hyperintensities at C5-C7. Clinical examination revealed intact pinprick sensation coupled with lost or diminished thermal/heat sensation. This dissociation could be objectively confirmed through multi-modal neurophysiological assessments. Specifically, contact heat evoked potentials were lost at-level, while pinprick evoked potentials were preserved. This pattern corresponds with that seen after surgical commissural myelotomy. To our knowledge, this is the first time such a dissociation has been objectively documented, highlighting the diagnostic potential of multi-modal neurophysiological assessments. In future studies, a comprehensive assessment of different nociceptive modalities may help elucidate the pathophysiology of neuropathic pain.
Related Concept Videos
Brick Durability, Strength, and Appearance
Subliminal Perception
Factors Affecting Perception
An illustrative example of a perceptual set is the scenario where an airline pilot told...
Perception
Bottom-up processing begins at the sensory level, where receptors detect external environmental stimuli. These could include the tactile sensation of...
Hot Weather Concreting
Mitigating the heat increase in concrete can be economically achieved by shading aggregate stockpiles to prevent heating from solar radiation,...
Gestalt Principles of Perception

