A reappraisal of modality sensing in sensory neurons

A reappraisal of modality sensing in sensory neurons (Prof. John Wood, Nociception Lab, WIBR, UCL)

A fundamental characteristic of the nociceptive system is the ability to detect discrete noxious stimuli in order to initiate suitable and effective behavioural responses to evade or minimise harm. Over the past 50 years, countless studies have been undertaken to investigate the mechanisms by which damaging-sensing neurons (nociceptors) are activated, with the aim of developing effective analgesics. A central observation/assumption of these studies is that the vast majority of nociceptors are responsive to multiple types of noxious stimuli (such as noxious heat and noxious mechanical stimulation), giving rise to the widely held view that most nociceptors are polymodal. Here, I will summarise our understanding of polymodality within the context of sensory neurons physiology, taking into account behavioural, electrophysiological, imaging and molecular expression data.In fact the vast majority of sensory neurons are modality specific with important consequences for analgesic drug development.