Descending control of nociception: specificity, recruitment and plasticity

MM Heinricher, I Tavares, JL Leith, BM Lumb - Brain research reviews, 2009 - Elsevier
The dorsal horn of the spinal cord is the location of the first synapse in pain pathways, and
as such, offers a very powerful target for regulation of nociceptive transmission by both local
segmental and supraspinal mechanisms. Descending control of spinal nociception
originates from many brain regions and plays a critical role in determining the experience of
both acute and chronic pain. The earlier concept of descending control as an “analgesia
system” is now being replaced with a more nuanced model in which pain input is prioritized …