Descending projections from neurons in the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) make
synapses within the superficial dorsal horn (SDH) of the spinal cord that are involved in the …

Key points Electrical stimulation of the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) facilitates pain
behaviours in neonates but inhibits these behaviours in adults. The cellular mechanisms …

Background: Descending control of nociceptive processing, by pathways originating in the
rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) and terminating in the dorsal horn, contributes to …

Painful or potentially tissue-damaging stimuli are detected by primary sensory afferents that
innervate the skin as well as internal tissues. The neurons that give rise to sensory afferents …

Chronic craniofacial pain is intractable and its mechanisms remain unclarified. The rostral
ventromedial medulla (RVM) plays a crucial role in descending pain facilitation and …

Pain is a highly complex and subjective experience that is not linearly related to the
nociceptive input. What is clear from anecdotal reports over the centuries and more recently …

Evidence from both human and animal studies has demonstrated a key role for brainstem
centers in the control of ascending nociceptive input. Nuclei such as the rostral ventromedial …

Most forms of visceral pain generate intense referred hyperalgesia but the mechanisms of
this enhanced visceral hypersensitivity are not known. The on-cells of the rostral …

In perilous and stressful situations, the ability to suppress pain can be critical for survival.
The rostral ventromedial medulla contains neurons that robustly inhibit nocioception at the …

Pain perception is strongly influenced by descending pathways from “higher” brain centers
that regulate the activity of spinal circuits. In addition to the extensively studied descending …