Sensory Mechanisms of the Spinal Cord

1: Introduction.- Sensory Modalities and Channels.- Specificity versus Pattern Theories of Sensation.- Historical Perspective.- Specificity Theory.- Pattern Theory.- Gate Theory of Pain.- Supporting Evidence.- Molecular Basis of Specificity of Primary Afferent Neurons.- Sinclair's Challenge and Evidence for Specificity from Microneurography.- Sensory Role of Single Tactile Afferents in Human Subjects.- Criticism of Microneurography Results.- Rebuttal of this Criticism.- Microneurography and Pain.- Somatosensory System Dualities.- Epicritic versus Protopathic Sensations.- Lemniscal versus Non-lemniscal Systems.- Large- versus Small-Fiber Systems.- Conclusions.- 2: Sensory Receptors and Peripheral Nerves.- Composition of Peripheral Nerves.- Sensory Receptors.- Cutaneous Receptors.- Cutaneous Mechanoreceptors.- Mechanoreceptors in the Glabrous Skin of the Primate Hand.- Cutaneous Displacement and Velocity Detectors.- SA I Receptors.- SA II Receptors.- Cutaneous Velocity Detectors.- FA I receptors.- Hair Follicle Receptors.- Field Receptors.- C Mechanoreceptors.- Cutaneous Transient Detectors.- FA II Receptors.- G1 Hair Follicle Receptors.- Sinus Hairs.- The Role of Growth Factors in the Regulation of Mechanoreceptors.- SA I (Merkel Cell) Endings.- FA I (Meissner Corpuscle) Receptors.- FA II (Pacinian Corpuscle) Receptors.- Hair Follicle Receptors.- Transduction in Mechanoreceptors.- Cutaneous Nociceptors.- A? Nociceptors.- C Nociceptors.- Transduction in Nociceptors.- Sensitization of Nociceptors.- Neurogenic Inflammation.- Peptidergic and Non-Peptidergic Nociceptors.- Nociceptors and Neurogenic Inflammation.- Interaction of Growth Factors with Nociceptors.- Inhibitory Interactions with Peripheral Cutaneous Nociceptor Endings.- Cutaneous Chemoreceptors Possibly Responsible for Itch.- Cutaneous Thermoreceptors.- Cold Receptors.- Warm Receptors.- Transduction in Thermoreceptors.- Muscle Receptors.- Stretch Receptors.- Muscle Spindles.- Golgi Tendon Organs.- Pressure-Pain Endings and Muscle Nociception.- Group III Muscle Afferents.- Group IV Muscle Afferents.- Sensitization of High Threshold Muscle Afferents.- Joint Receptors.- Joint Mechanoreceptors.- Slowly Adapting Joint Receptors.- Rapidly Adapting Joint Receptors.- Joint Nociceptors.- Sensitization of Joint Nociceptors.- Peptide Content of Fine Joint Afferents.- Joint Inflammation.- Role of Dorsal Root Reflexes in the Neurogenic Inflammation of Arthritis.- Visceral Receptors.- Visceral Mechanoreceptors.- Visceral Nociceptors.- Peptides in Visceral Afferents.- Growth Factors and Visceral Afferents.- Sensitization of Visceral Afferents.- Visceral Thermoreceptors.- Conclusions.- 3: Dorsal Root Ganglion Cells and their Processes.- Dorsal Root Ganglion Cell Bodies.- DRG Cell Classifications.- Cytologic and Size Classifications.- Myelination.- Axon Conduction Velocity.- Action Potentials and After Polarizations.- Classifications by Chemical Neuroanatomical Criteria.- Topographic Organization.- Innervation of Ganglion Cell Bodies, Pericellular Baskets.- Dorsal Root Ganglion Cell Processes.- Dermatomes.- Branching.- Ventral Root Afferent Fibers.- Spinal Cord.- Blind Fibers.- Looping Fibers.- Pial Fibers.- Function.- Segregation of Dorsal Root Fibers.- Conclusions.- 4: Chemical Anatomy of Dorsal Root Ganglion Cells.- Amines.- Catecholamines (CAs).- Histamine.- Serotonin.- Amino Acids.- Glutamate.- Aspartate.- GABA.- Glycine.- Channels.- Calcium Channels.- Sodium Channels.- Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels.- Cell Size.- Co-localizations.- ? Subunits.- Development.- Inflammation.- Peripheral Axotomy.- Nerve Growth Factor (NGF).- Peripheral Sensory Axons.- Non-voltage Gated Sodium Channels.- Enzymes.- Alkaline Phosphatase.- Carbonic Anhydrase (CA).- Cholinergic Enzymes.- ChAT.- ACHE.- Cytochrome Oxidase.- Fluoride-resistant Acid Phosphatase (FRAP).- Monoamine Oxidase.- Nitric Oxide (NO), Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS) and NADPHd.- Ca++ Calmodulin Kinase II.- Other Kinases.- Hormones.- Cortic... Mehr