|
|
|
>
>
The Sensory system
Sensory receptors reside in virtually every
part of the body. They are responsive to different stimuli
and provide the brain and spinal cord with information about
our internal environment and about the world around us. We
are using a range of techniques to understand how the sensory
system works, how it affects the motor output from the brain,
and how it gives us an accurate “sensory” map
of the external world. Sensory nerves and their connections
in the central nervous system can be damaged in a range of
pathologies. Our research aims to understand the changes in
the sensory nerves and in the disturbances which can develop.
Strategies to help patients with these conditions are being
studied.
Pain
Everyone will experience pain at some time.
Usually this is short lasting (acute pain), but sometimes
it persists long after healing of the injury (chronic pain)
and its cause is difficult to determine. Work at the Institute
is aimed both at improving treatment of acute pain and in
understanding the causes of chronic pain.
Sensation
Nerve endings throughout the body respond
to particular stimuli and send critical messages to the spinal
cord and brain. Using these signals, the brain develops “a
map” of the external world which is used for every movement
that we make.
|
