Does sympathetic activity modify afferent inflow at the receptor level in man?

Results from animal experiments have indicated that the normal sensory input into the central nervous system can be modulated by sympathetic nervous outflow at the receptor level. Preliminary data obtained with a new type of percutaneous electrode suggest that there may be a linkage between ongoing activity in Pacinian corpuscle (PC) afferents and skin sympathetic activity in conscious humans. Further studies attempting to evaluate the possible linkage between afferent and sympathetic nerve functions in man may be of substantial physiological and clinical interest.