Final answer:
The ascending pathway for pain sensation in the central nervous system is arranged in the following order: Spinal cord, Medulla, pons, midbrain, Thalamus, Cerebrum.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ascending pathway for pain sensation in the central nervous system is arranged in the following order:
- Spinal cord: Pain sensation starts at the sensory receptors, and nociceptive information is carried by axons in the spinal cord.
- Medulla, pons, midbrain: Some nociceptive pathways project directly to the hypothalamus in the forebrain, modulating autonomic nervous system functions.
- Thalamus: Most nociceptive axons project to the thalamus, where sensory signals undergo final processing before being relayed to the primary somatosensory cortex.
- Cerebrum: The primary somatosensory cortex in the cerebrum perceives pain.