Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 30, 2025
00:05
The Tibial Fracture-Pin Model: A Clinically Relevant Mouse Model of Orthopedic Injury
Published on: July 28, 2022
1.7K
Post-injury pain and behaviour: a control theory perspective
Ben Seymour1,2, Robyn J Crook3, Zhe Sage Chen4,5,6
1Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. ben.seymour@ndcn.ox.ac.uk.
Nature Reviews. Neuroscience
|May 10, 2023
Summary
The brain uses control theory to manage pain and recovery behaviors after injury. Aberrant inference of injury can lead to chronic pain states.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Biology
- Pain Research
Background:
- Injuries commonly trigger persistent pain and recuperative behaviors for recovery.
- Understanding the brain's adaptive processes driving these behaviors is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a control-theoretic framework explaining brain mechanisms of post-injury behavior.
- To explore the evolutionary and ethological significance of pain and recuperation.
Main Methods:
- Adopting a normative, control-theoretic approach.
- Analyzing diverse sensory and physiological signals for injury inference.
- Examining behavioral homeostasis and effector control mechanisms.
Main Results:
- The brain continuously infers injury state to drive behavioral homeostasis.
- Rest and protective behaviors are modulated by this inference.
- Information restriction during recuperation can lead to persistent pain inference.
Conclusions:
- The proposed framework explains adaptive post-injury behaviors.
- Dysfunctional inference can transition acute pain to chronic pain states.
- Behavioral states during recovery are vital for survival and warrant further study.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Behaviorism
2.3K
The field of behaviorism was pioneered by figures such as Ivan Pavlov, John B. Watson, and B.F. Skinner fundamentally shifted the focus of psychology to the observable and controllable aspects of human and animal behavior. This shift marked a critical evolution in the discipline, emphasizing scientific rigor and experimental methodology.
The core premise of behaviorism is its focus on observable behavior rather than internal thoughts or feelings. This approach argues that true scientific...
The core premise of behaviorism is its focus on observable behavior rather than internal thoughts or feelings. This approach argues that true scientific...
2.3K
01:44Nociception
28.1K
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.
28.1K
01:24Operant Conditioning Intervention
91
Operant conditioning serves as a foundational principle in therapeutic interventions aimed at modifying maladaptive behaviors. Central to this approach is the notion that behaviors, both adaptive and maladaptive, are learned through reinforcement. By analyzing the environmental factors that reinforce problematic behaviors, clinicians can design interventions to weaken these reinforcements and replace maladaptive behaviors with healthier alternatives.
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...
In operant conditioning, behaviors that are...
91
01:20Pain
526
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...
526