Osmosis video - Somatosensory pathways

The somatosensory pathways are a complex network of nerves that transmit sensory information. Sensory information may involve special senses such as vision, hearing, taste, and smell, as well as general somatic senses like the sense of touch, proprioception, pain, and temperature. These sensations are transduced by sensory receptors, which are present in the cell membrane of highly specialized cells found all over the body.

After transduction, next is the transmission through a series of neurons and synapses to the central nervous system. The pathways consist of three main pathways: the dorsal column-medial lemniscus pathway, which conveys information about fine touch, vibration, and proprioception; the spinothalamic pathway which conveys information about pain and temperature, and the trigeminal pathway which conveys information about sensations from the face, including touch, pressure, and pain.