NURS 535 Practice Exam Questions with
Verified Answers
Gate control theory - ✔✔In this theory pain impulses travel through the spinal cord where cells
in the substantia gelatinosa (laminae in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord) function as a "gate".
Partial closure of the gate can be cause by non-nociceptive stimulation.
Neuromatrix theory - ✔✔This theory suggests that various inputs lead to feeling pain, including
genetic, psychologic, and cognitive experiences. Illustrates the plasticity of the brain.
Nociceptive transmissions - ✔✔Fibers that open the spinal gate and increase the perception of
pain
Afferent pathway - ✔✔Begins in the peripheral nervous system (PNS), travel to the spinal gate
in the dorsal horn and then ascend to higher levels in the CNS
Interpretive center - ✔✔Located in the brainstem, midbrain, diencephalon, and cerebral cortex
Efferent pathway - ✔✔Descend from the CNS to the dorsal horn of the spinal cord modulate
pain
Pain transduction - ✔✔This step of nociception begins when tissue is damaged by noxious
stimuli and is converted to electrophysical activity, which causes activation of nociceptors
A delta fibers - ✔✔Lightly myelinated, medium sized fibers that rapidly transmit sharp, well-
localized "fast" pain sensations
C fibers - ✔✔Smaller, unmyelinated that slowly transmit dull, aching, or burning sensations that
are poorly localized and longer lasting
, A beta fibers - ✔✔Large, myelinated fibers that transmit touch and vibration sensations
Pain transmission - ✔✔The conduction of pain impulses along A delta and C fibers into the
dorsal horn of the spinal cord and the brainstem, thalamus, and cortex.
Dorsal horn - ✔✔The back of the spinal cord, where the sensory fibers relay pain transmissions
to the brain
Spinothalamic - ✔✔Pathway that "goes towards the thalamus"
Thalamus - ✔✔The principle target location for afferent nociceptors is the:
Pain modulation - ✔✔The physiologic process of suppressing or facilitating pain
Hyperalgesia - ✔✔Increased sensitivity to pain
Allodynia - ✔✔Perception of an ordinarily non-noxious stimulus as pain
Endorphins - ✔✔Inhibitory neurotransmitter than provides natural pain relief
Pain threshold - ✔✔The point at which a stimulus is perceived as pain and it does not vary
significantly among people or in the same person over time
Pain tolerance - ✔✔Intensity of pain that an individual will endure before initiating overt pain
responses and is generally decreased with repeated exposure to pain. Influenced by a person's
cultural perceptions, expectations, physical and mental health, gender, fatigue, etc.
Verified Answers
Gate control theory - ✔✔In this theory pain impulses travel through the spinal cord where cells
in the substantia gelatinosa (laminae in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord) function as a "gate".
Partial closure of the gate can be cause by non-nociceptive stimulation.
Neuromatrix theory - ✔✔This theory suggests that various inputs lead to feeling pain, including
genetic, psychologic, and cognitive experiences. Illustrates the plasticity of the brain.
Nociceptive transmissions - ✔✔Fibers that open the spinal gate and increase the perception of
pain
Afferent pathway - ✔✔Begins in the peripheral nervous system (PNS), travel to the spinal gate
in the dorsal horn and then ascend to higher levels in the CNS
Interpretive center - ✔✔Located in the brainstem, midbrain, diencephalon, and cerebral cortex
Efferent pathway - ✔✔Descend from the CNS to the dorsal horn of the spinal cord modulate
pain
Pain transduction - ✔✔This step of nociception begins when tissue is damaged by noxious
stimuli and is converted to electrophysical activity, which causes activation of nociceptors
A delta fibers - ✔✔Lightly myelinated, medium sized fibers that rapidly transmit sharp, well-
localized "fast" pain sensations
C fibers - ✔✔Smaller, unmyelinated that slowly transmit dull, aching, or burning sensations that
are poorly localized and longer lasting
, A beta fibers - ✔✔Large, myelinated fibers that transmit touch and vibration sensations
Pain transmission - ✔✔The conduction of pain impulses along A delta and C fibers into the
dorsal horn of the spinal cord and the brainstem, thalamus, and cortex.
Dorsal horn - ✔✔The back of the spinal cord, where the sensory fibers relay pain transmissions
to the brain
Spinothalamic - ✔✔Pathway that "goes towards the thalamus"
Thalamus - ✔✔The principle target location for afferent nociceptors is the:
Pain modulation - ✔✔The physiologic process of suppressing or facilitating pain
Hyperalgesia - ✔✔Increased sensitivity to pain
Allodynia - ✔✔Perception of an ordinarily non-noxious stimulus as pain
Endorphins - ✔✔Inhibitory neurotransmitter than provides natural pain relief
Pain threshold - ✔✔The point at which a stimulus is perceived as pain and it does not vary
significantly among people or in the same person over time
Pain tolerance - ✔✔Intensity of pain that an individual will endure before initiating overt pain
responses and is generally decreased with repeated exposure to pain. Influenced by a person's
cultural perceptions, expectations, physical and mental health, gender, fatigue, etc.
