Following exposure to poison oak while camping, a 20-year-old male is experiencing pruritus as a consequence of his immune response to irritants in the plant. What physiological process best accounts for his complaint?
A) His body is communicating a low-level pain response as a protective measure.
B) Free nerve endings are initiating an itch-specific signal to the somatosensory cortex.
C) Local irritation of Langerhans cells is sending signals by way of myelinated type C nerve fibers.
D) Ruffini corpuscles are transmitting the message of pruritus to the cerebral cortex.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

It is generally agreed that itch is a sensation that originates in free nerve endings in the skin, is carried by small myelinated type C nerve fibers to the dorsal horn of the spinal cord, and is then transmitted to the somatosensory cortex via the spinothalamic tract. Itching is no longer considered to be a low-level pain response. Ruffini corpuscles and Langerhans cells are not noted to play a role in pruritus.

Following Exposure to Poison Oak While Camping, a 20-Year-Old Male