科研之友
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摘要
From a psychophysical point of view, the analysis of experimental pain caused by heat is problematic for two main reasons: 1) a heat stimulus is always progressive; 2) a pain stimulus can activate two types of pain receptors, connected to the peripheral A delta and C fibres, which have different conduction velocities. Nevertheless, in many pain receptor behaviour tests in animals it is the reaction time that is measured, i.e. the time elapsed between the start of the application of heat and the evoked response. As it is technically impossible to heat the skin instantaneously by conventional means, the validity of a reaction time obtained under these conditions must be questioned. We have developed a theoretical framework, an experimental paradigm and a model to analyse the psychophysical response in rats produced by the application of varying levels of nociceptive radiant heat. We have extended this approach to humans, based on the joint analysis of stimuli and the response from the subject, in order to measure the heat thresholds and the pain latencies produced by A delta and C fibres.
- 出版日期2011-12
