Craig A D, Reiman E M, Evans A, Bushnell M C
Division of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona 85013, USA.
Nature. 1996 Nov 21;384(6606):258-60. doi: 10.1038/384258a0.
Touching warm and cool bars that are spatially interlaced produces a painful burning sensation resembling that caused by intense, noxious cold. We demonstrated previously that this thermal grill illusion can be explained as an unmasking phenomenon that reveals the central inhibition of pain by thermosensory integration. In order to localize this unmasking in the human brain, we have used positron emission tomography (PET) to compare the cortical activation patterns evoked by the thermal grill and by cool, warm, noxious cold and noxious heat stimuli. The thermal grill illusion produces activation in the anterior cingulate cortex, whereas its component warm and cool stimuli do not. This area is also activated by noxious heat or cold. Thus, increased activity in the anterior cingulate cortex appears to be selectively associated with the perception of thermal pain. Disruption of thermosensory and pain integration may account for the central pain syndrome that can occur after stroke damage.
触摸空间交错的冷热棒会产生一种灼痛的感觉，类似于强烈的有害寒冷所引起的疼痛。我们之前已经证明，这种热格栅错觉可以解释为一种揭示热感觉整合对疼痛进行中枢抑制的揭露现象。为了在人脑中定位这种揭露现象，我们使用正电子发射断层扫描（PET）来比较热格栅以及冷、热、有害冷和有害热刺激所诱发的皮层激活模式。热格栅错觉在前扣带回皮层产生激活，而其组成的热和冷刺激则不会。该区域也会被有害热或冷激活。因此，前扣带回皮层活动的增加似乎与热痛的感知选择性相关。热感觉和疼痛整合的破坏可能是中风损伤后可能出现的中枢性疼痛综合征的原因。
