Anatomy of the ascending pain pathway course for Nurses

An overview of pain and the nociceptive system, including a description of nociceptive pathways from transduction to perception of pain.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session you will be able to:

• Identify the major features of the peripheral nociceptor
• Classify primary afferents involved in pain transmission
• Describe the anatomy of the dorsal horn, including interconnections
• List the major spinal cord pathways involved in transmission of the pain signal from dorsal horn to brain
• Identify the major areas of the brain involved in perception of pain

This session looks at the anatomy of the nociceptive pathway from transduction in the periphery, through transmission to the dorsal horn of the spinal cord, then on to the brain.