<p>This statement on Wikipedia is merely intending to separate the agency of determining "What is pain?" from the nociceptors. Nociceptors can be activated by a number of stimuli that reflect possible damage (i.e., a possible threat): this could include signals released by cells that are actually damaged, it could include hot temperature, it could include certain types of pressure or touch.</p>

<p>The decision about whether a particular stimulus is sufficiently threatening to warrant a response (which could include things like reflexes all the way up to the perceptual and emotional experience that we refer to as pain) is made in the spinal cord and brain. At the level of the nociceptor, "possible threat" and "real threat" aren't any different: the nociceptor is just reporting the possibility of the threat. The CNS makes a 'decision' about how to respond.</p>

<p>This system is really no different than the other sensory systems, they all carry some information to the CNS which then interprets that information.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-22T22:19:18.130Z
2018-10-22T22:19:18.130Z
Bryan Krause
<p>I've read <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nociceptor" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this on Wikipedia</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>A nociceptor is a sensory neuron that responds to damaging or
  potentially damaging stimuli by sending “possible threat” signals to
  the spinal cord and the brain.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>What is a "possible threat" signal? And, how is it different from a "real threat" signal in terms of the way they are transmitted?</p>

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2018-10-22T13:01:47.027Z
Welcome to the site! Note that Wikipedia lists four sources right after the sentence you want to learn more about. While you wait for anyone to answer here, you could also start by reading those sources yourself. Maybe they provide you with an answer. In case they do, we encourage you to post an answer to this question yourself!
Steven Jeuris
<neuroscience><neurology>
Nociceptor (possible threat signal)
Ashraf Benmebarek
# Nociceptor (possible threat signal)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-10-21)

I've read [this on Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nociceptor):

> A nociceptor is a sensory neuron that responds to damaging or
> potentially damaging stimuli by sending “possible threat” signals to
> the spinal cord and the brain.

What is a "possible threat" signal? And, how is it different from a "real threat" signal in terms of the way they are transmitted?

**Tags:** neuroscience, neurology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Welcome to the site! Note that Wikipedia lists four sources right after the sentence you want to learn more about. While you wait for anyone to answer here, you could also start by reading those sources yourself. Maybe they provide you with an answer. In case they do, we encourage you to post an answer to this question yourself!  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-10-22. Score: 1

This statement on Wikipedia is merely intending to separate the agency of determining "What is pain?" from the nociceptors. Nociceptors can be activated by a number of stimuli that reflect possible damage (i.e., a possible threat): this could include signals released by cells that are actually damaged, it could include hot temperature, it could include certain types of pressure or touch.

The decision about whether a particular stimulus is sufficiently threatening to warrant a response (which could include things like reflexes all the way up to the perceptual and emotional experience that we refer to as pain) is made in the spinal cord and brain. At the level of the nociceptor, "possible threat" and "real threat" aren't any different: the nociceptor is just reporting the possibility of the threat. The CNS makes a 'decision' about how to respond.

This system is really no different than the other sensory systems, they all carry some information to the CNS which then interprets that information.


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