DeWitt neurophysiological psychology Cedarville university test 4

Pain

The experience evoked by a harmful stimulus and directs one’s attention toward a danger

The prefrontal cortex responds to pain as long as the pain lasts

List the 3 things on pain slide

1) axons carrying pain info have little or no myelin

2) impulses travel slowly

3) brain processes pain info rapidly and motor responses are fast

2nd fill in the blank for pain slide

Mild pain triggers the release of glutamate in the spinal cord

Stronger pain triggers the release of glutamate and releases several neuropeptides including substance P and CGRP (calcitonin gene-related peptide)

Spinal pathways for touch and pain

pain info crosses to the contralateral side of the spinal cord immediately, whereas touch info does not cross until the medulla

Emotional pain

Activates a path that goes through the reticular formation of the medulla, then to several of the central nuclei of the thalamus, the amygdala, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and cingulate cortex

Experimenters monitored people’s brain activity and found hurt feelings activate the same pathway

5 ways of relieving pain

1) placebo - a drug or other procedure with no pharmacological effect (decreases the brain’s emotional response to pain perception, not the sensation itself)

2) cannabinoids - chemicals related to marijuana that block certain kinds of pain (act mainly in the periphery of the body rather than the CNS)

3) capsaicin - chemical found in japepeños that stimulate receptors for heat (produces a temporary burning sensation, followed by a longer period of decreased pain)

4) opioids - opiates act on the CNS rather than the injured tissue (the brain puts the brakes on prolonged pain by opioid mechanisms)

5) endorphins - opiate-type chemicals of the CNS (a contraction of endogenous morphine. The brain proceeds several types of endorphins which relieve different types of pain)