Nociceptors are receptors for what sensation?

• A. Touch
• B. Pain
• C. Temperature
• D. Proprioception

Answer: (B)

Nociceptors are specialized sensory nerve endings that respond to potentially damaging stimuli, producing the sensation of pain to protect tissues. They are found in skin, joints, and internal organs and can be activated by mechanical, chemical, or thermal stress. When activated, they send signals through small-diameter nerve fibers to the spinal cord and up to the brain, where pain is perceived. This distinguishes pain from other sensations: touch is mediated by mechanoreceptors, temperature by thermoreceptors, and proprioception by proprioceptors, which monitor body position and movement rather than tissue damage. The result is the experience of pain.