The neural pathway that transmits sharp, localized pain to the brain is the spinothalamic tract, which begins with neurons in a dorsal root ganglion and involves a synapse in the thalamus before projecting to the primary somatosensory cortex.
The neural pathway that transmits information about sharp, localized pain connects directly to the thalamus and then to the motor and sensory areas via the spinothalamic tract. This tract starts with neurons in a dorsal root ganglion, which extend their axons to the dorsal horn to synapse with the second neuron.
The second neuron’s axons decussate within the spinal cord and ascend to the brain, entering the thalamus. Here, they synapse with the third neuron, whose axons then project to the primary somatosensory cortex within the cerebral cortex, particularly the postcentral gyrus.
Nociceptive information carried by the spinothalamic tract allows for the perception of pain and temperature sensations, differentiating from other somatosensory pathways, such as the dorsal column system which is more involved with touch and proprioception.