Distinct Populations of Spinal Projection Neurons Mediate Divergent Functions for Pain and Sensorimotor Integration

Pain is believed to be relayed from the spinal cord to brain through two major ascending pathways. One arises largely from the superficial dorsal horn, primarily targets the parabrachial nucleus (PBN), and is thought to mediate the aversive component of pain. The other arises predominantly from the deep dorsal horn, primarily targets the rostral aspect of the ventral posterior lateral (VPL) thalamus, and is thought to mediate the discriminative component of pain. However, the precise roles of these two populations have been a subject of ongoing controversy.
Source: The Journal of Pain - Category: Materials Science Authors: Tags: 11 Source Type: research