Slow touch and ultrafast pain fibres: Revisiting peripheral nerve classification

Authors: Olausson, H., Marshall, A., Nagi, S.S. and Cole, J.

Journal: Clinical Neurophysiology

Volume: 163

Pages: 255-262

eISSN: 1872-8952

ISSN: 1388-2457

DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2024.04.008

Abstract:

One hundred years ago, Erlanger and Gasser demonstrated that conduction velocity is correlated with the diameter of a peripheral nerve axon. Later, they also demonstrated that the functional role of the axon is related to its diameter: touch is signalled by large-diameter axons, whereas pain and temperature are signalled by small-diameter axons. Certain discoveries in recent decades prompt a modification of this canonical classification. Here, we review the evidence for unmyelinated (C) fibres signalling touch at a slow conduction velocity and likely contributing to affective aspects of tactile information. We also review the evidence for large-diameter Aβ afferents signalling pain at ultrafast conduction velocity and likely contributing to the rapid nociceptive withdrawal reflex. These discoveries imply that conduction velocity is not as clear-cut an indication of the functional role of the axon as previously thought. We finally suggest that a future taxonomy of the peripheral afferent nervous system might be based on the combination of the axońs molecular expression and electrophysiological response properties.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/39791/

Source: Scopus

Slow touch and ultrafast pain fibres: Revisiting peripheral nerve classification.

Authors: Olausson, H., Marshall, A., Nagi, S.S. and Cole, J.

Journal: Clin Neurophysiol

Volume: 163

Pages: 255-262

eISSN: 1872-8952

DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2024.04.008

Abstract:

One hundred years ago, Erlanger and Gasser demonstrated that conduction velocity is correlated with the diameter of a peripheral nerve axon. Later, they also demonstrated that the functional role of the axon is related to its diameter: touch is signalled by large-diameter axons, whereas pain and temperature are signalled by small-diameter axons. Certain discoveries in recent decades prompt a modification of this canonical classification. Here, we review the evidence for unmyelinated (C) fibres signalling touch at a slow conduction velocity and likely contributing to affective aspects of tactile information. We also review the evidence for large-diameter Aβ afferents signalling pain at ultrafast conduction velocity and likely contributing to the rapid nociceptive withdrawal reflex. These discoveries imply that conduction velocity is not as clear-cut an indication of the functional role of the axon as previously thought. We finally suggest that a future taxonomy of the peripheral afferent nervous system might be based on the combination of the axońs molecular expression and electrophysiological response properties.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/39791/

Source: PubMed

Slow touch and ultrafast pain fibres: Revisiting peripheral nerve classification

Authors: Olausson, H., Marshall, A., Nagi, S.S. and Cole, J.

Journal: CLINICAL NEUROPHYSIOLOGY

Volume: 163

Pages: 255-262

eISSN: 1872-8952

ISSN: 1388-2457

DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2024.04.008

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/39791/

Source: Web of Science (Lite)

Slow touch and ultrafast pain fibres: Revisiting peripheral nerve classification.

Authors: Olausson, H., Marshall, A., Nagi, S.S. and Cole, J.

Journal: Clinical neurophysiology : official journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology

Volume: 163

Pages: 255-262

eISSN: 1872-8952

ISSN: 1388-2457

DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2024.04.008

Abstract:

One hundred years ago, Erlanger and Gasser demonstrated that conduction velocity is correlated with the diameter of a peripheral nerve axon. Later, they also demonstrated that the functional role of the axon is related to its diameter: touch is signalled by large-diameter axons, whereas pain and temperature are signalled by small-diameter axons. Certain discoveries in recent decades prompt a modification of this canonical classification. Here, we review the evidence for unmyelinated (C) fibres signalling touch at a slow conduction velocity and likely contributing to affective aspects of tactile information. We also review the evidence for large-diameter Aβ afferents signalling pain at ultrafast conduction velocity and likely contributing to the rapid nociceptive withdrawal reflex. These discoveries imply that conduction velocity is not as clear-cut an indication of the functional role of the axon as previously thought. We finally suggest that a future taxonomy of the peripheral afferent nervous system might be based on the combination of the axońs molecular expression and electrophysiological response properties.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/39791/

Source: Europe PubMed Central

Slow touch and ultrafast pain fibres: Revisiting peripheral nerve classification.

Authors: Olausson, H., Marshall, A., Nagi, S.S. and Cole, J.

Journal: Clinical Neurophysiology

Volume: 163

Pages: 255-262

ISSN: 1388-2457

Abstract:

One hundred years ago, Erlanger and Gasser demonstrated that conduction velocity is correlated with the diameter of a peripheral nerve axon. Later, they also demonstrated that the functional role of the axon is related to its diameter: touch is signalled by large-diameter axons, whereas pain and temperature are signalled by small-diameter axons. Certain discoveries in recent decades prompt a modification of this canonical classification. Here, we review the evidence for unmyelinated (C) fibres signalling touch at a slow conduction velocity and likely contributing to affective aspects of tactile information. We also review the evidence for large-diameter Aβ afferents signalling pain at ultrafast conduction velocity and likely contributing to the rapid nociceptive withdrawal reflex. These discoveries imply that conduction velocity is not as clear-cut an indication of the functional role of the axon as previously thought. We finally suggest that a future taxonomy of the peripheral afferent nervous system might be based on the combination of the axońs molecular expression and electrophysiological response properties.

https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/39791/

Source: BURO EPrints