Definition
Central sensitization is an umbrella term for a number of phenomena, all of which are characterized by an increase in the responsiveness of nociceptive neurons in the central nervous system, best characterized in the spinal dorsal horn, to sensory stimulation. Central sensitization may be induced by conditioning noxious stimulation such as trauma, inflammation, nerve injury, or electrical stimulation of sensory nerves at C-fiber strength. It is considered to contribute to afferent-induced forms of hyperalgesia and allodynia. Proposed spinal mechanisms include enhanced strength at excitatory synapses in pain pathways, synaptic long-term potentiation, excessive primary afferent depolarization (PAD), and reduced inhibition.
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© 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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(2013). Central Sensitization. In: Gebhart, G.F., Schmidt, R.F. (eds) Encyclopedia of Pain. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-28753-4_200338
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-28753-4_200338
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-28752-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-28753-4
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