The transmission of noxious stimuli from peripheral receptors to the cortex involves multiple
central ascending pathways. While projections to areas in the brainstem and diencephalon …

Pain research has uncovered important neuronal mechanisms that underlie clinically
relevant pain states such as inflammatory and neuropathic pain. Importantly, both the …

While nociceptive cortical activation is now well characterized in humans, understanding of
the nociceptive thalamus remains largely fragmentary. We used laser stimuli and …

Acute pain has an evolutionary role in the detection of physical harm and the response to it.
In some cases, however, acute pain can impair function and lead to other morbidities …

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the role of the basal ganglia in nociception and
pain. It focuses on the amygdala, which has become one of the most systematically studied …

Brain processing of pain in humans is based on multiple ascending pathways and brain
regions that are involved in several pain components, such as sensory, immediate affective …

Recent animal studies reveal ascending nociceptive and descending modulatory pathways
that may contribute to the affective–motivational aspects of pain and play a critical role in the …

Chronic pain differs from acute pain in that it serves no useful function, causes suffering,
limits activities of daily living, and increases costs of healthcare payments, disability, and …

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the affective characteristics of pain in an
attempt to bridge the knowledge gained in laboratory research to the clinical pain …

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews that different cortical areas participate in different
aspects of pain sensation, perception, and pain-related behavior. Based on the weight of …