The Human Perception of Pain in Conjunction with the...

The Human Perception of Pain in Conjunction with the Mind-Body Problem There is more research surfacing supporting the notion that people can control their pain. What is left under-examined is the notion of whether the pain is mediated by the brain, mind, or both. We all know that pain is an instinctive sense if you will, necessary to the survival of all living beings. Without pain, it would go unrecognized and exacerbate to the point of death. Pain is a protective mechanism essential to survival. There are three important claims here: One is that pain is actually a perception. The second, is the brain mediates the suppression of pain through a gate in the spinal cord. Lastly, since pain is a perception, the mind may decide the†¦show more content†¦In a sense, this means that the brain creates the mental state or the percept of pain. It is also important to discuss the brain structures associated with the pain activation because these structures are essentially the means to the end state of what we call pain. The pain process starts out with a stimulus which activates somatosensory axons from the skin, muscles, or internal organs to enter the nervous system via spinal nerves. Axons that convey sharp localized information, like fine touch, ascend through the dorsal columns of the spinal cord, referred to as the fast pathway, to the nuclei in the lower medulla (3). From the medulla, the axons cross the brain and ascend through the medial lemniscus to the ventral posterior nuclei of the thalamus, the somatosensation receiver (bodily sensation). Axons from the thalamus project to the primary somatosensory cortex which are then relayed to the secondary somatosensory cortex. Conversely, axons that convey less localized information, like pain or temperature, ascend through the spinothalamic tract, the slow pathway, and terminate in the ventral posterior nuclei of the thalamus (3),(9). The end site for both of these pathways is in the somatosensory cortex. These pathways also activate the anterior cingulate cortex, a region of limbic cortex on the medial side of cerebral hemispheres, which processes and understands pain. Studies showShow MoreRelatedFunctionalism And Its Impact On Society1119 Words   |  5 Pages In this paper I will explain and argue for Functionalism. Functionalism allows for a scientific approach to the mind-body problem, while maintaining the integrity of mental and physical states and attributing them to the functional roles they play within the bodily system. The main argument for Functionalism is founded on the basis that it fulfills all of the requirements for an effective form of Physicalism. 1. 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