Abstract
A population of neurons in the area of human thalamic nucleus ventralis caudalis (Vc) respond to noxious heat stimuli. In the cutaneous core of Vc 6% (6/108) of recorded neurons had a significantly greater response to noxious eat stimuli than to innocuous control stimuli. Half of these neurons (n = 3) also responded to innocuous cold stimuli. Within the region posterior and inferior to the cutaneous core of Vc 5% (4/77) of neurons responded exclusively to noxious heat stimuli. Cells responding to noxious heat were recorded at a greater proportion (66%) of sites where painful sensations were evoked by microstimulation than at sites where nonpainful sensations were evoked (1.5%). The results suggests that neurons in the region of human Vc mediate the sensory aspect of pain.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 235-240 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Brain research |
Volume | 623 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 1 1993 |
Keywords
- High threshold cell
- Human thalamus
- Microstimulation
- Pain
- Single neuron analysis
- Thermoreception
- Ventral posterior nucleus
- Wide dynamic range ccell
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
- Clinical Neurology
- Developmental Biology