nociceptors

Updated: February 12, 2026

That this nerve mechanism may effectively carry out its twofold function, first, of self-adaptation to meet adequately the increasingly complicated stimuli of environment; and second, of adapting the motor mechanism to respond adequately to its demands, there have been implanted in the body numerous nerve ceptors some for the transmission of stimuli harmful to the mechanism nociceptors some of a beneficial character beneceptors; and still others more highly specialized, which partake of the nature of both bene- and nociceptors the distance ceptors, or special senses.

George W. (Washington) Crile - Origin and Nature of Emotions

For example, heat is a stimulus which has existed since the days of prehistoric man, while the x-ray is a discovery of to-day; to heat, the nociceptors produce an adequate response; to the x-ray there is no response.

George W. (Washington) Crile - Origin and Nature of Emotions