Figure 6.

A proposed model of serotonergic descending modulation of spinal somatosensation. In young animals (P21), descending serotonergic modulation facilitates tactile and noxious inputs to the dorsal horn via activation of 5-HT3Rs. In adults, descending serotonergic and 5-HT3R-mediated facilitation of tactile inputs is also observed; however, noxious inputs are now inhibited by descending serotonergic neurons via a different 5-HTR subtype.