Randall does not immediately sense pain when he stays out too long in the snow, but he feels a painful sensation in his frostbitten toes for days afterward.Randall's inability to sense pain immediately is most likely due to damage to his
A)somatosensory cortex.
B)slow fibers.
C)fast fibers.
D)thalamus.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Randall's inability to immediately sense pain suggests damage to his fast fibers, which transmit signals for sharp, immediate pain. The fact that he feels pain in his frostbitten toes for days afterward suggests that his slower fibers, which transmit signals for sustained, long-lasting pain, are still intact. Damage to the somatosensory cortex or thalamus would likely affect other sensory modalities in addition to pain perception.

Randall Does Not Immediately Sense Pain When He Stays Out