Pain and the discovery of nociceptors
Nociceptors are primary afferent neurons signalling the presence of tissue-damaging stimuli or the existence of tissue damage. Their activity produces adversive and protective reactions including the sensation of pain. The evolution of ideas about such sense organs and the eventual documentation of their existence traces a history of concepts about pain and pain mechanisms. One concerns the organ of the mind, of consciousness and perception. Another is the nature of pain. According to Aristotle pain is an affect and the heart is the seat of the mind.
Keywords: nociceptors, afferent neurons, tissue-damaging stimuli, sense organs, pain mechanisms, protective reaction
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