Pain - Deeper Dive

In this video, I’ll provide an overview of how pain is detected, transmitted, and processed in the nervous system. I’ll cover topics like nociceptors and the different types of fibers that carry pain signals, the spinothalamic tract and other pathways in the anterolateral system, and the roles of the thalamus, somatosensory cortex, insula, and anterior cingulate cortex in pain. I’ll also discuss how the brain can modulate pain through descending pathways, the influence of endogenous opioids and endocannabinoids, and how processes like sensitization contribute to hyperalgesia, allodynia, and neuropathic pain.

0:03 Nociceptors
1:00 Pain signaling in the spinal cord
1:44 Spinothalamic tract
2:07 Somatosensory cortex and other cortical areas for pain processing
2:52 Other pain pathways in anterolateral system
3:34 Periaqueductal gray and descending pain modulation
4:19 Endogenous opioids and endocannabinoids
5:22 Hyperalgesia, sensitization, and allodynia
5:53 Peripheral sensitization
6:38 Central sensitization

Learn more on my website: https://neuroscientificallychallenged...

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REFERENCES

Basbaum AI. Pain. In: Kandel ER, Koester JD, Mack SH, Siegelbaum SA, eds. Principles of Neural Science. 6th ed. New York, NY: McGraw Hill; 2021.

Purves D, Augustine GJ, Groh JM, Huettel SA, LaMantia AS, White LE, eds. Neuroscience. 7th ed. Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates; 2024.

Vanderah TW, Gould DJ. Nolte's The Human Brain. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021.


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I’m Marc, a university professor at Penn State, and I’m here to take you on a journey into the fascinating world of the brain. I created this channel to break down complex topics into easy-to-understand snippets—perfect for both students and curious minds alike. 📚

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