Sensitisation

Sensitisation is a non-associative learning process in which repeated administration of a stimulus results in the progressive amplification of a reflex response. In the neurosciences, sensitisation is a process whereby a subject's behavioural response to a specific stimulus becomes more pronounced over time, typically as a result of exposure to a prior stimulus.

Overview

Sensitisation is thought to underlie both adaptive processes, such as pain and fear conditioning, and maladaptive ones, such as drug addiction and the progression of neurodegenerative disorders. It is a basic form of learning and plays a key role in the development of complex, goal-directed behaviours.

Mechanisms

The mechanisms of sensitisation involve changes at both the cellular and systems level. At the cellular level, sensitisation involves changes in the number and sensitivity of receptors and ion channels on the neuron's membrane, as well as changes in the efficiency of synaptic transmission. At the systems level, sensitisation involves changes in the connectivity between different brain regions.

Clinical significance

Sensitisation has been implicated in a variety of clinical conditions, including chronic pain, drug addiction, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Understanding the mechanisms of sensitisation could therefore have important implications for the treatment of these conditions.

See also

• Habituation
• Long-term potentiation
• Neuroplasticity

References

Sensitisation Resources
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