Colorectal distension can result in both painful and non-painful sensations. These sensations of pain are carried by afferent nerves innervating the distal gut, but little is known about the specific afferent classes that mediate painful sensations, as well as responses to noxious and non-noxious colorectal stimulation. This is not only of scholarly importance, but also important in the clinical world, as many common gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome and colitis, are manifested by pain arising from the distal colon.
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