NEUROPATHOLOGY

Abstract

pressure. Stimulations of pressure-pain complex are localized, in general, with a degree of accuracy slightly greater than that for either of the simple qualities of pain or pressure. The number of perfect localizations is slightly greater for pain and pressure-pain complex than for pressure, and largest errors of localizations tend to be greater in the cases of pressure and pain than in that of pressure-pain complex. With regard to theory, the suggestion is made that the greater degree of accuracy of localization in the case of pressure-pain complex may find its explanation in the fact that two kinds of impulses are here being integrated in the cortex, whereas in the case of pain or pressure the impulses which arise from stimulation are more homogeneous in character. Although a body of relatively homogeneous impulses pass over the nerve in stimulations of simple pain and simple pressure, it is still possible that there is greater variability in the volley of impulses for pain than for pressure to account for the greater accuracy of localization in stimulations of pain. C. S. R. NEUROPATHOLOGY