Foundations - physiology

Question 1

What are the pain processes (4)

Answer 1

transduction (translation of noxious stimuli into electrical activity)
Transmission
Modulation
Perception

Question 2

What is nociception

Answer 2

detection and signalling of a threat

Question 3

What type of neurons are nociceptors

Answer 3

Primary sensory afferent neurons

Question 4

What are the subtypes of nociceptors (2)

Answer 4

Aδ fibres (fast, myelinated)
C fibres (Slow, unmyelinated)

Question 5

which nociceptor is involved responding to thermal stimuli

Answer 5

aδ fibres

Question 6

What are the pathways through which second order neurons can ascend the spinal cord (2)

Answer 6

spinothalamic tract
Spinoreticular tract

Question 7

which pathway involves the autonomic and emotional response to pain

Answer 7

Spinoreticular tract

Question 8

After the thalamus, where is information carried to

Answer 8

the primary sensory cortex

Question 9

Which ion channels are responsible for detecting thermal stimuli

Answer 9

TRP channels

Question 10

Which ion channels are important for generation and propagation of action potentials in nociceptors

Answer 10

voltage gated sodium channels

Question 11

How can pain be classified (4)

Answer 11

time
Severity
Source of origin
Mechanism

Question 12

What are the origins of pain (2)

Answer 12

somatic (may be referred)
Visceral (less localised, associated with autonomic symptoms)

Question 13

What causes referred pain

Answer 13

convergence of nociceptive visceral afferent and skin afferents upon th same spinothalamic neurons at the same spinal level

Question 14

What are the mechanisms of pain (3)

Answer 14

Nociceptive
Inflammatory
Pathological (neuropathy, dysfunctional)

Question 15

How does the inflammatory mechanism of pain work

Answer 15

activated by various mediators released at the site of inflammation

Question 16

How can inflammatory pain be beneficial (2)

Answer 16

discourages contact and movement
Promotes repair until healing occurs

Question 17

What causes neuropathic pain

Answer 17

damage to neural tissue

Question 18

How may neuropathic pain be perceived

Answer 18

burning
Shooting
Numbness
Pins and needles

Question 19

What is meant by dysfunctional pain

Answer 19

pain with no identifiable damage or inflammation

Question 20

Which pain mechanism is maladaptive

Answer 20

pathological pain

Question 21

What is meant by maladaptive pain

Answer 21

pain that persists after tissue heals with no protective function

Question 22

What does maladaptive pain lead to

Answer 22

central sensitisation

Question 23

At which stages do endogenous opioids act (2)

Answer 23

transmission
Modulation