A 10-year-old boy cuts his finger with a pocketknife and immediately applies pressure to the damaged area with his other hand to paially allete the pain. Inhibition of pain signals by tactile stimulation of the skin is mediated by which type of afferent neurons from mechanoreceptors?
High-Yield Explanation
Stimulation of Ab fibers from peripheral tactile receptors can decrease transmission of pain signals by lateral inhibition-This is known as Gate control mechanism of pain This process is mediated by inhibitory interneurons in the dorsal column of the spinal cord. Aa neurons project to skeletal muscles, causing them to contract. Ad fibers and type C fibers conduct pain signals to the dorsal column of the spinal cord