Abstract
Viscero-somatic referral and sensitization has been well documented clinically and
widely investigated, whereas viscero-visceral referral and sensitization (termed cross-organ
sensitization) has only recently received attention as important to visceral disease
states. Because second order neurons in the CNS have been extensively shown to receive
convergent input from different visceral organs, it has been assumed that cross-organ
sensitization arises by the same convergence-projection mechanism as advanced for
viscero-somatic referral and sensitization. However, increasing evidence also suggests
participation of peripheral mechanisms to explain referral and sensitization. We briefly
summarize behavioral, morphological and physiological support of and focus on potential
mechanisms underlying cross-organ sensitization.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
July 10,
2009
Received in revised form:
July 9,
2009
Received:
April 14,
2009
Identification
Copyright
© 2009 Elsevier B.V. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
