Medical Pain in the peripheral nervous system

[misgfool]

To my (limited) understanding, the peripheral nervous system sends messages of pain in the form of electrical impulses to the brains. But what's the difference between signals of extreme pain and mild pain/touch?

 

[Monique]

Well, what is the difference between looking at a dim light and an ultra-bright light. The latter will make you squint your eyes: it is a matter of the amount of stimulation. You have different receptors for different types of information: the nocireceptor senses injury and is thus responsible for feeling pain, you also have mechano- and thermoreceptors.

The introduction of this review is interesting (about the difference between non-painful and painful sensory stimuli): http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0959-4388(97)80028-1" .

 

[misgfool]

Well, what is the difference between looking at a dim light and an ultra-bright light. The latter will make you squint your eyes: it is a matter of the amount of stimulation. You have different receptors for different types of information: the nocireceptor senses injury and is thus responsible for feeling pain, you also have mechano- and thermoreceptors.

I'm interested in the actual signal that travels, like it's waveform, amplitude, phase etc? So that brains know that this is serious pain, output a mighty roar from mouth.

The introduction of this review is interesting (about the difference between non-painful and painful sensory stimuli): http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0959-4388(97)80028-1" .

I was looking for a bit (100%) cheaper article.

 

[Monique]

I'm interested in the actual signal that travels, like it's waveform, amplitude, phase etc? So that brains know that this is serious pain, output a mighty roar from mouth.

First, there is a threshold that needs to be crossed before the nocireceptor starts to fire a signal. When there is sufficient stimulus, an action potential is created: the membrane of the neuron depolarizes (the voltage increases), the voltage peaks after which you get a hyperpolarization and a refractory period. The action potential spreads to the adjacent membrane, so that it can travel along the axon. The refractory period ensures that the signal can only travel in one direction, once the membrane has recovered it can fire again. The neuron can either be slightly excited giving a sparse signal, or strongly excited giving a continuous signal. I hope that addresses your question.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I'm interested in the actual signal that travels, like it's waveform, amplitude, phase etc? So that brains know that this is serious pain, output a mighty roar from mouth.
I was looking for a bit (100%) cheaper article.

Wikipedia is free:

The conduction of nerve impulses is an example of an all-or-none response. In other words, if a neuron responds at all, then it must respond completely. The greater the intensity of stimulation does not produce a stronger signal but can produce more impulses per second. There are different types of receptor response to stimulus, slowly adapting or tonic receptors respond to steady stimulus and produce a steady rate of firing. These tonic receptors most often respond to increased intensity of stimulus by increasing their firing frequency, usually as a power function of stimulus plotted against impulses per second. This can be likened to an intrinsic property of light where to get greater intensity of a specific frequency (color) there has to be more photons, as the photons can't become "stronger" for a specific frequency.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuron

 

[somasimple]

Nociception isn't pain. Nociception is the message that is sent to brain.
http://www.iasp-pain.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=General_Resource_Links&Template=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&ContentID=3058#Pain" is created only by brain.

Pain
An unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage. Note: The inability to communicate verbally does not negate the possibility that an individual is experiencing pain and is in need of appropriate pain-relieving treatment. Pain is always subjective. Each individual learns the application of the word through experiences related to injury in early life. Biologists recognize that those stimuli which cause pain are liable to damage tissue. Accordingly, pain is that experience we associate with actual or potential tissue damage. It is unquestionably a sensation in a part or parts of the body, but it is also always unpleasant and therefore also an emotional experience. Experiences which resemble pain but are not unpleasant, e.g., pricking, should not be called pain. Unpleasant abnormal experiences (dysesthesias) may also be pain but are not necessarily so because, subjectively, they may not have the usual sensory qualities of pain.

Many people report pain in the absence of tissue damage or any likely pathophysiological cause; usually this happens for psychological reasons. There is usually no way to distinguish their experience from that due to tissue damage if we take the subjective report. If they regard their experience as pain and if they report it in the same ways as pain caused by tissue damage, it should be accepted as pain. This definition avoids tying pain to the stimulus. Activity induced in the nociceptor and nociceptive pathways by a noxious stimulus is not pain, which is always a psychological state, even though we may well appreciate that pain most often has a proximate physical cause.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Many people report pain in the absence of tissue damage or any likely pathophysiological cause; usually this happens for psychological reasons.

One cause of a huge variety of symptoms, including pain, that appear to have no pathophysiological cause, and which can be misdiagnosed as psychological, is Simple Partial Seizures:

# Symptoms associated with seizures from the postcentral gyrus include tingling, numbness, pain, heat, cold, agnosia, phantom sensations, or sensations of movement.
# Abdominal pain usually originates from the temporal lobe, and genital pain from the mesial parietal sensory cortex.

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1184384-overview

Many Simple Partial Seizures are restricted to such small and/or deep portions of the brain that they aren't picked up by surface electrodes in an EEG, (which makes their misdiagnosis as psychological even more likely):

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3137487From Somasimple's quote:

There is usually no way to distinguish their experience from that due to tissue damage if we take the subjective report. If they regard their experience as pain and if they report it in the same ways as pain caused by tissue damage, it should be accepted as pain. This definition avoids tying pain to the stimulus. Activity induced in the nociceptor and nociceptive pathways by a noxious stimulus is not pain, which is always a psychological state, even though we may well appreciate that pain most often has a proximate physical cause.

Therefore: I don't agree with the characterization of pain as a "psychological" experience in all cases. It would, by this author's logic, be accurate to say that our experience of heat and cold are always "psychological" as well. At the same time it is accurate to observe there is no dedicated "pain" signal; that a neutral signal's conversion to a perception of pain takes place in the brain, that conversion is a neurological, and not a psychological, event. The same neurological event can be triggered by means other than the normal stimulus (eg: simple partial seizure, trigeminal neuralgia), without it becoming a psychological event. The word "psychological" conotes emotional interpretation in the context of personal history.

 

[misgfool]

First, there is a threshold that needs to be crossed before the nocireceptor starts to fire a signal. When there is sufficient stimulus, an action potential is created: the membrane of the neuron depolarizes (the voltage increases), the voltage peaks after which you get a hyperpolarization and a refractory period. The action potential spreads to the adjacent membrane, so that it can travel along the axon. The refractory period ensures that the signal can only travel in one direction, once the membrane has recovered it can fire again. The neuron can either be slightly excited giving a sparse signal, or strongly excited giving a continuous signal. I hope that addresses your question.

Ok, so the voltage (amplitude) of the signal is higher for extreme pain than for slight pain. Now the second question is that, why is it so hard to reconnect nerves when they have been cut? If they only acts as conductors for electricity, why isn't it possible to reconnect them with any conducting material?

 

[zoobyshoe]

Ok, so the voltage (amplitude) of the signal is higher for extreme pain than for slight pain. Now the second question is that, why is it so hard to reconnect nerves when they have been cut? If they only acts as conductors for electricity, why isn't it possible to reconnect them with any conducting material?

Axons don't work the same way as a conductor in an electric circuit. How much do you know about conventional electric circuits? It's hard to explain the difference without knowing how much you already know about either.

 

[misgfool]

Axons don't work the same way as a conductor in an electric circuit. How much do you know about conventional electric circuits? It's hard to explain the difference without knowing how much you already know about either.

I know a lot (almost all) about electric circuits, but very little of axons.

 

[Monique]

Ok, so the voltage (amplitude) of the signal is higher for extreme pain than for slight pain.

No, it is the number of pulses that are generated by the neuron.

 

[turbo]

Nociception isn't pain. Nociception is the message that is sent to brain.

Pain is created only by brain.

I can attest to this. Years ago, I suffered a mild stroke due to some prescription medication that sent my heart into atrial fibrillation. A small clot made its way to my brain-stem and the damage caused me to lose temperature sensation in my right leg AND to cause a constant severe burning sensation in my right foot. My neurologist said that even if my right leg was amputated due to some severe injury or disease, I would still experience this pain for the rest of my life. Neuropathic pain is not fun at all - it can't be lessened with pain-killers, etc.

 

[misgfool]

I can attest to this. Years ago, I suffered a mild stroke due to some prescription medication that sent my heart into atrial fibrillation. A small clot made its way to my brain-stem and the damage caused me to lose temperature sensation in my right leg AND to cause a constant severe burning sensation in my right foot. My neurologist said that even if my right leg was amputated due to some severe injury or disease, I would still experience this pain for the rest of my life. Neuropathic pain is not fun at all - it can't be lessened with pain-killers, etc.

What I was thinking, that is if have understood this nerve thing correctly, was to cut a nervous pathway and put a microchip in between two axons to some point where the nerves are bundled (like shoulder etc.). The chip wouldn't have to be physically embedded to the tissue, but conductors to the axon membranes would be needed. Then program the chip so, that it would filter out extreme pain coming from the arm (i.e. reduce the amount of pulses heading to brains) without the need for brain dissolving medication. It would be a very simple to make such a chip and when mass produced the price would easily be less that $10. Best part is that it could be programmed in any way the patient wants. This was obviously a simplified case, since there must be a few of those pathways, but the principle should apply.

 

[somasimple]

Nerves use ions that have electric consequences but a microchip is purely electric, far from the functioning of a nerve that have many ways to change its behavior.
And pain is not an incoming stimulus but a brain response to noxious (or considered as) stimulus.

 

[misgfool]

Nerves use ions that have electric consequences but a microchip is purely electric, far from the functioning of a nerve that have many ways to change its behavior.
And pain is not an incoming stimulus but a brain response to noxious (or considered as) stimulus.

If nerves have electric consequences, they can be integrated with electric circuits.

However, I don't quite understand that stimulus thing. How can the brains know if you hide your hand and someone/thing touches one finger? There has to be some kind of sensory input coming to brains. All one has to do is to identify which signal is noxious and filter it out.

 

[zoobyshoe]

If nerves have electric consequences, they can be integrated with electric circuits.

The point is that you can't simply splice any old conductor into an axon.

I'm assuming you understand ions and cations. The electrical activity of nerves and neurons is based on actual physical motion of these, especially cations, rather than the EMF of conventional electricity based on electrons.

To understand this, you need to take some time to read up on the basics of action potentials. Maybe Monique ot Soma know a good site.

 

[misgfool]

The point is that you can't simply splice any old conductor into an axon.

How about a new one? My purpose is not to make an axon, only something that can interface with axons.

I'm assuming you understand ions and cations. The electrical activity of nerves and neurons is based on actual physical motion of these, especially cations, rather than the EMF of conventional electricity based on electrons.

There is only one (known) kind of electricity in the universe. It involves the presence and flow of electric charge. There is no conventional and unconventional electricity. It's either electricity or it is something totally different.

Apparently ion is a general category for atoms or molecules that have gained or lost electron(s). Ions have two subcategories: Anion which has more electrons than protons and cation which has less electrons than protons. Hence both of these have an electric charge of different polarity and are well in the realm of what you call conventional electricity.

It involves measurements of voltage change or electric current on a wide variety of scales from single ion channel proteins to whole organs like the heart.

Now looking at Wikipedia, you can see a picture of membrane voltage. I can't find any explanation why it would be different from other kinds of voltage measurements. For example look at the voltage clamp picture in Electrophysiology -article.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_potential
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrophysiology

 

[zoobyshoe]

There is only one (known) kind of electricity in the universe. It involves the presence and flow of electric charge. There is no conventional and unconventional electricity. It's either electricity or it is something totally different.

If I said a Stirling engine is not the conventional heat engine powered by exploding gases, would you object saying "There's only one (known) kind of heat in the universe. It's either a heat engine or it is something totally different. There is no conventional and unconventional heat."

 

[misgfool]

If I said a Stirling engine is not the conventional heat engine powered by exploding gases, would you object saying "There's only one (known) kind of heat in the universe. It's either a heat engine or it is something totally different. There is no conventional and unconventional heat."

I can't see the analogy. Also that example is incomprehensible and silly. No need to be offended. I was just stating a fact. Let's try to stick in the topic.

 

[Monique]

There has to be some kind of sensory input coming to brains. All one has to do is to identify which signal is noxious and filter it out.

I've heard of conditions where a physician will cut a nerve that is causing a noxious stimulus, but this is not an easy thing to do. What exactly is your idea about the application of the concept?

 

[zoobyshoe]

I can't see the analogy. Also that example is incomprehensible and silly. No need to be offended. I was just stating a fact. Let's try to stick in the topic.

It's sounding more like you want to be a pain in the peripheral nervous system rather than alleviating it.

 

[misgfool]

I've heard of conditions where a physician will cut a nerve that is causing a noxious stimulus, but this is not an easy thing to do. What exactly is your idea about the application of the concept?

I'm fairly good in what I choose to do. Really, I am. But I came up with this idea about 6 hours ago in a bus (while watching a charming young lady who had green eyes by the way), so you are demanding quite a lot at this point of the (hobby) project. I'm good, but not quite that good. However, while technical issues are very easy to solve, the biological side is still bit of a question mark. And that's where I could use some help.

It's sounding more like you want to be a pain in the peripheral nervous system rather than alleviating it.

All the more reason for you to focus in developing this chip, so that you can program it to filter the pain I'm causing.

 

[turbo]

All the more reason for you to focus in developing this chip, so that you can program it to filter the pain I'm causing.

How do you dial back pain safely? If your hardware solution makes extreme pain tolerable, how is the implantee going to be able to distinguish between pain that indicates that a mild amount of tissue damage may be occurring, and a (damped) sensation that on examination reveals that some really extreme damage is occurring? Doctors already have tools at their disposal (including narcotics) to deal with chronic pain, though as I posted above, their tools to deal with neuropathic-induced pain are limited and sufferers pretty much have to learn to live with it.

Pain is not pleasant, but it has real survival value.

 

[somasimple]

I've heard of conditions where a physician will cut a nerve that is causing a noxious stimulus, but this is not an easy thing to do. What exactly is your idea about the application of the concept?

And they stopped because they can't cut the brain.

 

[somasimple]

Pain is part of a security system. Without pain no life. Patient who do not feel pain have a short life time (<20 yrears).

 

[somasimple]

Therefore: I don't agree with the characterization of pain as a "psychological" experience in all cases. It would, by this author's logic, be accurate to say that our experience of heat and cold are always "psychological" as well. At the same time it is accurate to observe there is no dedicated "pain" signal; that a neutral signal's conversion to a perception of pain takes place in the brain, that conversion is a neurological, and not a psychological, event. The same neurological event can be triggered by means other than the normal stimulus (eg: simple partial seizure, trigeminal neuralgia), without it becoming a psychological event. The word "psychological" conotes emotional interpretation in the context of personal history.

See Ramachanfran and phantom limb pain.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_limb
Psychology is the result of neurons activation: a physical process.

 

[somasimple]

There is only one (known) kind of electricity in the universe. It involves the presence and flow of electric charge. There is no conventional and unconventional electricity. It's either electricity or it is something totally different.

A ion that is moving creates an electric field that is effectively electricity but where is the circuit?
Conventional electronic chips need electric circuits. A neuron has no dedicated wires or electric circuit. No circuit let's an useless electric field.
And a chip needs energy.

 

[somasimple]

And a last and quite definite problem is that you can't cut an axon without killing it.

 

[Monique]

And they stopped because they can't cut the brain.

What's this problem you have with the brain? If a neuron is misfiring and thus causing trouble, you need to tame it. The brain adds another level of complexity and it certainly can cause problems, but that does not mean you can completely ignore the effect of the neuron itself.

 

[somasimple]

Where do go neurons? Where are they connected?
I have no problem with brain. Brain is the masterpiece of pain. Without brain no pain.

 

[misgfool]

Pain is not pleasant, but it has real survival value.

Yes, but if it is chronic and severe, it doesn't really help. I would also like to reduce the medical payload people get, since drugs often have undesirable side effects. Unfortunately, the chip wouldn't help you.

 

[misgfool]

A ion that is moving creates an electric field that is effectively electricity but where is the circuit?
Conventional electronic chips need electric circuits. A neuron has no dedicated wires or electric circuit. No circuit let's an useless electric field.

I already solved this problem. I'm not going to go into details.

And a chip needs energy.

Yes.

And a last and quite definite problem is that you can't cut an axon without killing it.

I wouldn't cut an axon, just separate two of them from each others.

 

[somasimple]

I wouldn't cut an axon, just separate two of them from each others.

it doesn't mean anything, sorry.
An axon is a single piece you can't separate from the soma.

 

[misgfool]

it doesn't mean anything, sorry.
An axon is a single piece you can't separate from the soma.

Ok, thanks all for help.

 

[somasimple]

A nerve is a bundle that contains thousands and thousand axons. Of course, they aren't labeled so you do not know which are transmitting nociception.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuron

 

[zoobyshoe]

See Ramachanfran and phantom limb pain.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_limb

I've read about Ramachandran's work in phantom limbs a couple times before. It is a phenomenon of the brain, just as you say, but not a psychological one. I think we're both in agreement about what is happening, it's the term psychological I object to. It could be that in French this word has a different connotation.

"psy·chol·o·gy

1: the science of mind and behavior2 a: the mental or behavioral characteristics of an individual or group b: the study of mind and behavior in relation to a particular field of knowledge or activity3: a theory or system of psychology <Freudian psychology> <the psychology of Jung>"
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/psychology

Psychology is about the programming and programs, so to speak, and not the hardware. It's about what is called "mind"; about the way people think and behave. If a person were hypnotized to experience physical pain at the sight of a book, then that is a psychological event: it's purely the result of programming.

That is a consideration distinct from the physical mechanisms whereby the brain creates sensory experiences from stimuli. Phantom limb pain is the result of the mechanism, the hardware being forced to operate in the absence of normal stimuli. When the neurons have no direct input from the limbs they start accepting and processing input from the surrounding neurons and processing it as if it were from the limbs. That's a neurological event. A psychological explanation, on the other hand, would be, for example, to assert that the person is grief stricken over having lost a limb and reacts by becoming psychotic enough to convince themselves that the limb is still there.

That's the reason I object to his use of the word "psychological". If we define neurological events as psychological then people with Multiple Sclerosis and even Traumatic Brain Injuries, should be sent to psychologists and psychiatrists, and we can do away with neurologists.

 

[turbo]

I've read about Ramachandran's work in phantom limbs a couple times before. It is a phenomenon of the brain, just as you say, but not a psychological one. I think we're both in agreement about what is happening, it's the term psychological I object to.

True. My constant pain (burning right foot) is not some psychological problem. It is entirely physiological, as pointed out to me by my neurologist (a lovely German woman). She showed me the small region in my brain-stem that was damaged by the stroke, using MRI images. That region handles bi-lateral neural paths, so while I lost temperature sensation in the right leg from the hip down (and got this relentless roasting sensation in my right foot) I also lost a lot of joint-position feedback from the left leg. I learned to walk again in a few days, but uneven ground still gives me fits, especially if I am not perfectly upright. Nothing psychological about any of it, or I'd have had my brain shrunk long ago.

 

[zoobyshoe]

True. My constant pain (burning right foot) is not some psychological problem. It is entirely physiological, as pointed out to me by my neurologist (a lovely German woman). She showed me the small region in my brain-stem that was damaged by the stroke, using MRI images. That region handles bi-lateral neural paths, so while I lost temperature sensation in the right leg from the hip down (and got this relentless roasting sensation in my right foot) I also lost a lot of joint-position feedback from the left leg. I learned to walk again in a few days, but uneven ground still gives me fits, especially if I am not perfectly upright. Nothing psychological about any of it, or I'd have had my brain shrunk long ago.

Exactly. "Psychological" connotes "psychosomatic", which very erroneously characterizes the sufferer's problem as one of mental illness.

----------

I hope you don't mind my saying so, but your symptoms are very interesting. It just underscores how complex the architecture is.

 

[turbo]

Exactly. "Psychological" connotes "psychosomatic", which very erroneously characterizes the sufferer's problem as one of mental illness.

----------

I hope you don't mind my saying so, but your symptoms are very interesting. It just underscores how complex the architecture is.

I don't mind. I would like people to consider that our soldiers coming back from wars with wounds can be afflicted with many of these same symptoms. Phantom pain in amputated limbs (perhaps debilitating pain) loss of many types of sensation, etc, can result from the traumatic injuries these people suffered in their service. I had a tiny clot migrate to my brain-stem and kill some cells. Some of these people have suffered severe physical injuries, and the hardest ones to diagnose after the fact may be hidden brain injuries.

 

[turbo]

To follow up, our returning soldiers can be outwardly "whole" while suffering from pain that is very real, and that cannot be treated with pain-killers because it originates in their brains. They can never escape it, and well-meaning but inadequately-trained VA doctors can set them on treatment paths that result in addiction, frustration, self-destructive behaviors, and worse.

 

[somasimple]

I've read about Ramachandran's work in phantom limbs a couple times before. It is a phenomenon of the brain, just as you say, but not a psychological one. I think we're both in agreement about what is happening, it's the term psychological I object to. It could be that in French this word has a different connotation.

"psy·chol·o·gy

1: the science of mind and behavior2 a: the mental or behavioral characteristics of an individual or group b: the study of mind and behavior in relation to a particular field of knowledge or activity3: a theory or system of psychology <Freudian psychology> <the psychology of Jung>"
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/psychology

Psychology is about the programming and programs, so to speak, and not the hardware. It's about what is called "mind"; about the way people think and behave. If a person were hypnotized to experience physical pain at the sight of a book, then that is a psychological event: it's purely the result of programming.

Where lives the mind? Where is created behaviors?
You may contest that it is situated elsewhere than the brain. It is not my concern but as the scientific mind you may bring some proof that it is not the result of neurons network activation. A neurons network is purely physical and their activation create programs: something that is purely material and hardwired by physical synapses.

The connotation of psychosomatic and psychological that you brought is not scientific at all. Freund and all are not sciences and actually criticized by neuro-scientists. See Damasio...

She showed me the small region in my brain-stem that was damaged by the stroke, using MRI images.

Did I said brain?

I agree there is a problem of term but all illness have a psychological component because brain reacts every time the body is threatened. I fell sick or It hurts are already the result of brain activation.

Read this excellent book:https://www.amazon.com/dp/097509100X/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[somasimple]

Exactly. "Psychological" connotes "psychosomatic", which very erroneously characterizes the sufferer's problem as one of mental illness.

A mental illness? Do you mean a brain disorder? or a physical problem that occurs between some neurons located in brain?

 

[somasimple]

A favorite of mine from this book:
ALL PAIN IS REAL!

 

[Math Is Hard]

Where lives the mind? Where is created behaviors?
You may contest that it is situated elsewhere than the brain. It is not my concern but as the scientific mind you may bring some proof that it is not the result of neurons network activation. A neurons network is purely physical and their activation create programs: something that is purely material and hardwired by physical synapses.

The connotation of psychosomatic and psychological that you brought is not scientific at all. Freund and all are not sciences and actually criticized by neuro-scientists. See Damasio...


Did I said brain?

I agree there is a problem of term but all illness have a psychological component because brain reacts every time the body is threatened. I fell sick or It hurts are already the result of brain activation.

Read this excellent book:https://www.amazon.com/dp/097509100X/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Do you consider yourself a Behaviorist, somasimple?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behaviourism

I'm not clear on your stance.

 

[Mashes]

I'm interested in the actual signal that travels, like it's waveform, amplitude, phase etc? So that brains know that this is serious pain, output a mighty roar from mouth.



I was looking for a bit (100%) cheaper article.

I took anatomy and physiology I last semester and aced it. I think what you may be asking is the signal from sensory to brain and back to the motor unit that determines what's going on. You have sensory receptors in the skin, pacinian corpuscle, which adapts to the environment if it's light pressure or minor change in temperature. That's why when you have cloths on you tend to forget it's there. When you put your hand on the stove, an action potential arises from the sensory nerve that then travels to the spine, were an ascending tract, that has a name but I totally forgot it, shoots it up to the brain. Then the nerve comes in contact with its terminal were a chemical reaction takes place that transfers the action potential from the sensory nerve to an integrative nerve in the brain (Could explain this in more detail, just ask, i'll crack open the textbooks). The integrative nerve is the choice maker in this scenario. The integrative
nerve decides a course of action and the same chemical reaction that occurred at the sensory/integrative synapses happens here. The chemical reaction creates an action potential for the motor neuron to move your hand from the stove and let out that mighty roar, or in my case that mighty whimper.

So here's the summery- If you think of it a highway it becomes stupid easy.
1) Hand on stove, sensory nerve creates action potential
2) Action potential continues through the PNS until it reaches the CNS ( spine and brain )
3) Ascending tract launches sensory impulse to brain.
4) Sensory impulse transfers from sensory to integrative
5) Integrative to motor neuron
6) Epic scream and removal of hand from stove..hopefully.

If anyone notices something I missed, or said incorrectly, do correct me. I did this from memory and I'm on winter break so I'm rusty and this is great practice.

 

[somasimple]

Do you consider yourself a Behaviorist, somasimple?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behaviourism

I'm not clear on your stance.

I do not think so.
I'm just a physical therapist (PT) and my level of expertise is pain and behaviors carried by pain.
http://www.somasimple.com/forums/

 

[somasimple]

So here's the summery- If you think of it a highway it becomes stupid easy.
1) Hand on stove, sensory nerve creates action potential
2) Action potential continues through the PNS until it reaches the CNS ( spine and brain )
3) Ascending tract launches sensory impulse to brain.
4) Sensory impulse transfers from sensory to integrative
5) Integrative to motor neuron
6) Epic scream and removal of hand from stove..hopefully.

If anyone notices something I missed, or said incorrectly, do correct me. I did this from memory and I'm on winter break so I'm rusty and this is great practice.

I can't describe this sequence for an amputee who has this right missing foot that is itching like hell. You're missing something.

 

[Mashes]

Oh and to the posters of the post prior to mine, I read this book called My Stroke Of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor, Neuroanatomist. She had a stroke and while having the stroke she studied her behavior and physical state. Really gripping book with a lot to offer. Anyways, the end of the book is filled with brain and CNS facts about behavior and psychology. There was one page I wish I could quote but I lent my communications professor my copy of the book and the dude never returned it. It was about how physiological reactions to anger only last 90 seconds and after that it's our choice on how we want to feel. Heres a video about her book and her experiences.

 

[Mashes]

I can't describe this sequence for an amputee who has this right missing foot that is itching like hell. You're missing something.

The post was intended for misgool and was basic API. I hit all the points he wanted to know. As for what you're looking for, I have no idea why this would happen. Part of psychological grieving? People remember certain sensations, perhaps stronger then others? Couldn't tell you really

 

[Math Is Hard]

I can't describe this sequence for an amputee who has this right missing foot that is itching like hell. You're missing something.

Do you have any effective therapies for that? A long time ago I read about a remedy of letting the person scratch the opposite (intact) foot in front of a mirror and that seemed to help. I can't remember how they rigged it to create a precise illusion that the itching foot was being scratched.