19 Pain Pathways in the Brain

There’s a few main similarities and differences to be aware of regarding pain vs. touch pathways:

The dorsal column system is primarily responsible for touch sensations and proprioception, whereas the spinothalamic tract pathway is primarily responsible for pain and temperature sensations. They are similar in that they both begin with dorsal root ganglion cells, as with most general sensory information.

The dorsal column terminates neuron one in the nuclei of the medulla, then separates into two component tracts, targeting specific fibers. The fasciculus gracilis (contains axons from the legs and lower body) targets the nucleus gracilis, while the fasciculus cuneatus (contains axons from the upper body and arms) targets the nucleus cuneatus.

The spinothalamic tract neurons extend their axons to the dorsal horn, where they synapse with the second neuron. Axons from these second neurons then decussate within the spinal cord and ascend to the brain and enter the thalamus, where each synapses with the third neuron in its respective pathway. In the dorsal column system, this decussation takes place in the brain stem; in the spinothalamic pathway, it takes place in the spinal cord at the same spinal cord level at which the information entered.

Not only does pain project to the contralateral primary somatosensory cortex, but it does to the limbic system as well. If you want to motivate a strong reaction from someone, the limbic system is a good target!

Check out this Crash Course video linked here and included below to learn more!