Summary
• Early morphological specialization of DRG neurons sets stage
for separate mechanosensory and pain/temp/itch systems
• Different ascending pathways to distinct subcortical
and cortical sites
• Single thalamic mechanosensory nucleus and 1° ctx
• Multiple thalamic pain nuclei and cortical areas
• Parietal lobe projections may play role in stimulus
localization, esp. for touch
• Cortical pain representations closely tied to emotions