Pain serves an important protective function by alerting us to potential harm through the stimulation of pain receptors by damaging stimuli. Pain signals are transmitted along axons of varying thickness to the spinal cord, where neurotransmitters like glutamate and substance P are released to send the signals to different areas of the brain involved in sensory processing and the emotional experience of pain, such as the thalamus, somatosensory cortex, amygdala, and cingulate cortex. The brain is able to determine the location and intensity of various painful sensations.

1. COME TO YOUR SENSES Pain

2. Pain Pain is useful because it alerts us to something harmful. Pain is not as specialized as some other receptors and is transmitted by a bare nerve ending. Capsaicinis a chemical found in hot peppers such as jalapenos, and they also stimulate pain receptors. Capsaicin produces a burning or stinging sensation. Thicker and faster axons send information about sharp pains and thinner axons send information about duller pain. The axons for pain enter the spinal cord and release two neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters are glutamate (released when there is mild pain) and a combination of glutamate and substance P (released when pain is more severe).

3. Pain Pain is sent to several places in the brain. One pathway for pain goes through the thalamus and then to the somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobe. The somatosensory cortex responds to what kind of pain is felt and where the pain is in the body. Other pathways for pain include through the medulla, the amygdala, the hippocampus, the prefrontal cortex, and the cingulate cortex. These areas respond to the unpleasant emotional aspects of pain.

4. Pain Pain reception in the brain