Abstract
Electrophysiological recordings were made from mechanosensitive nociceptors innervating hairy skin of the rat hindpaw, and responses evoked by a wide range of noxious cold stimuli (20 to -12°C) were determined. All Aδ and C nociceptors sampled were excited by noxious cold. Response thresholds of Aδ nociceptors were significantly higher (colder stimulus temperatures) than thresholds of C fibers, and many exhibited response thresholds below 0°C. Responses of both classes of nociceptors increased as stimulus temperature decreased. These data demonstrate that Aδ and C nociceptors are excited by a wide range of cold stimuli and suggest that the proportion of cutaneous nociceptors excited by noxious cold has been underestimated in previous studies.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 53-56 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Neuroscience Letters |
| Volume | 213 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jul 26 1996 |
Keywords
- Electrophysiology
- Nerve fibers
- Pain
- Sensation