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Role of the central nervous system in processing pain stimuli and perspectives of pharmacological intervention

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Regional Anaesthesia Analgesia and Pain Management

Part of the book series: Topics in Anaesthesia and Critical Care ((TIACC))

Abstract

Pain, perceivable through conscious integration of nociceptive stimuli, is classified into somatic pain, characterized by intense and localized sharp sensation, and visceral pain, characterized by diffuse, deep and slow–in–onset painful sensation. Based on the current knowledge, the proposal of the existence of a single central pain centre has to be rejected due to the complexity of the systems that modulate pain transmission. It is worth considering that each cerebral area perceives as pain signals received from alterations in the peripheral region on which it exerts its own control (objective sensation). Moreover, affective and emotional components play an important role in pain perception (subjective sensation).

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Authors
  1. E. Masoero
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  2. L. Favalli
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  3. S. Govoni
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Milan, Milan, Italy

    M. Tiengo MD (Professor Emeritus) (Professor Emeritus)

  2. Department of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care and Pain Therapy, University of Trieste, Cattinara Hospital, Trieste, Italy

    V. A. Paladini MD

  3. Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Orebro University Hospital, Orebro, Sweden

    N. Rawal MD

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© 1999 Springer Verlag Italia, Milano

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Masoero, E., Favalli, L., Govoni, S. (1999). Role of the central nervous system in processing pain stimuli and perspectives of pharmacological intervention. In: Tiengo, M., Paladini, V.A., Rawal, N. (eds) Regional Anaesthesia Analgesia and Pain Management. Topics in Anaesthesia and Critical Care. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-2240-9_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-2240-9_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Milano

  • Print ISBN: 978-88-470-0044-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-88-470-2240-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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