Somatosensation / Perception / Pain
Pain
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pain is a perception that represents the interpretation of the sensations that arise from nociceptors
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nociceptors can activate several pathways in addition to the main spinothalamic pathway (i.e., this is an example of parallel processing)
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results in autonomic (increased heart rate, dilation of pupils, etc.), and emotional (fear) responses, as well as initiation of protective (withdrawal) reflexes
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pain perception varies widely among individuals, and can be significantly affected by emotions and past experience
- modulation of pain can serve either to magnify or to suppress the experience --- or to alter other fundamental processes such as localization (for example, referred pain)
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two types of pain are generally distinguished: