Nature Neuroscience
2, 403 - 405 (1999)
doi:10.1038/8065
Pain-related neurons in the human cingulate cortexW. D. Hutchison1, 2, 3, K. D. Davis1, 2, A. M. Lozano1, 2, R. R. Tasker1
& J. O. Dostrovsky2, 31
Division of Neurosurgery, Dept of Surgery, University
of Toronto and The Toronto Hospital Research Institute, 399
Bathurst Street, EW6-528, Toronto, Ontario,
M5T 2S8, Canada
2
Playfair Neuroscience Unit, The Toronto Hospital, Western
Division, 399 Bathurst Street, Toronto,
Ontario, M5T 2S8, Canada
3
Dept. of Physiology, University of Toronto, Medical
Sciences Bldg., Rm. 3305, Toronto,
Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada
Correspondence should be addressed to W. D. Hutchison whutch@playfair.utoronto.caAlthough it is widely accepted that the cortex participates in pain perception,
there is no direct evidence for the existence of cortical neurons that respond
to noxious or painful stimuli in humans. Anatomical and neurophysiological
studies in animals as well as brain imaging and evoked potential studies in
humans suggest that the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is an important area
for processing sensory information related to pain1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7.
We have now identified single neurons in ACC that respond selectively to painful
thermal and mechanical stimuli, supporting a role for the ACC in pain perception.
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