Interactive effects of pain and arousal state on heart rate and cortical activity in the mouse anterior cingulate and somatosensory cortices.

Sensory disconnection is a hallmark of sleep, yet the cortex retains some ability to process sensory information. Acute noxious stimulation during sleep increases the heart rate and the likelihood of awakening, indicating that certain mechanisms for pain sensing and processing remain active. However, processing of somatosensory information, including pain, during sleep remains underexplored.