If a patient with chronic neuropathic pain receives a dorsal column stimulator implant, which mechanism explains the pain reduction they experience?

💡 Explanation

The dorsal column stimulator activates A-beta fibers, which then stimulate inhibitory interneurons in the spinal cord to reduce nociceptor signal transmission—this is the gate control theory. Therefore, pain reduction results from modulating the sensory gate, rather than other mechanisms such as opioid release or direct nociceptor modulation.

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