NURS 6501: Week 7 Quiz:

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Question 6

The “gate control theory” of pain suggests that:

Group of answer choices

• Pain intensity is directly proportional to the extent of tissue damage
• Pain perception is unaffected by psychological factors
• Pain signals bypass the central nervous system and directly affect the brain
• Pain perception can be modulated by non-painful stimuli through inhibitory mechanisms in the spinal cord

Correct answer:

Pain perception can be modulated by non-painful stimuli through inhibitory mechanisms in the spinal cord

Explanation:

The Gate Control Theory of Pain, proposed by Melzack and Wall in 1965, is a foundational concept in understanding how pain perception is modulated.

Key Concepts:

• The spinal cord contains a “gate” mechanism in the dorsal horn that can either allow or inhibit pain signals before they reach the brain.
• Non-painful stimuli, such as touch, pressure, or vibration, can close the gate, thereby reducing the perception of pain.
• For example, rubbing a bumped elbow can reduce the pain because the touch fibers (A-beta fibers) activate inhibitory interneurons that “close the gate” on pain fibers (C fibers and A-delta fibers).

Why the other options are incorrect:

• Pain intensity is directly proportional to the extent of tissue damage
  Not always true; minor injuries can cause severe pain, and major injuries can sometimes cause little pain.
• Pain perception is unaffected by psychological factors
  Psychological factors (e.g. attention, emotion, context) play a major role in how pain is perceived.
• Pain signals bypass the CNS and directly affect the brain
  Pain signals are processed in the spinal cord and brainstem before reaching the brain’s pain centers.

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