Logo image
A human sensory pathway connecting the foot to ipsilateral face that partially bypasses the spinal cord
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

A human sensory pathway connecting the foot to ipsilateral face that partially bypasses the spinal cord

M. Silberstein, A.K. Nunn, P.D. Drummond, D.W.L. Wan, J. Alexander, M. Millard and M.P. Galea
Frontiers in Neuroscience, Vol.13, Article 519
2019
pdf
human sensory.pdfDownloadView
Published (Version of Record) Open Access
url
Free to Read *No subscription requiredView

Abstract

Human sensory transmission from limbs to brain crosses and ascends through the spinal cord. Yet, descriptions exist of ipsilateral sensory transmission as well as transmission after spinal cord transection. To elucidate a novel ipsilateral cutaneous pathway, we measured facial perfusion following painfully-cold water foot immersion in 10 complete spinal cord-injured patients, 10 healthy humans before and after lower thigh capsaicin C-fiber cutaneous conduction blockade, and 10 warm-immersed healthy participants. As in healthy volunteers, ipsilateral facial perfusion in spinal cord injured patients increased significantly. Capsaicin resulted in contralateral increase in perfusion, but only following cold immersion and not in 2 spinal cord-injured patients who underwent capsaicin administration. Supported by skin biopsy results from a healthy participant, we speculate that the pathway involves peripheral C-fiber cross-talk, partially bypassing the cord. This might also explain referred itch and jogger's migraine and it is possible that it may be amenable to training spinal-injured patients to recognize lower limb sensory stimuli.

Details

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being

Source: InCites

Metrics

29 File views/ downloads
61 Record Views

InCites Highlights

These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output

Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Citation topics
1 Clinical & Life Sciences
1.43 Anesthesiology
1.43.135 Neuropathic Pain
Web Of Science research areas
Neurosciences
ESI research areas
Neuroscience & Behavior
Logo image