Nociceptor Response - A Review of Literature

The factors contributing to heat-sensitive nociceptor activation and models for the human response to thermal pain are reviewed from the scientific literature. The response of these nociceptors to noxious thermal stimulation depends on fiber density, thermal thresholds, spatial summation, and stimulus parameters such as heating rate, intensity, and duration. These factors are examined for their influence on pain sensation and, especially, withdrawal reaction. In addition to experimental studies, published quantitative models of the nociceptive pathway are reviewed, as they will provide a guideline in developing a probabilistic model for predicting repel times due to thermal stimuli.