Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

protopathic

adjective

ˌprōtəˈpaTHik

Definition

Relating to the perception of basic sensations, such as pain and temperature, without the ability to localize them precisely.

Examples

The protopathic response to harmful stimuli is essential for survival.
In protopathic conditions, the individual may not be able to pinpoint where the pain is located.
The study examined protopathic sensitivity versus epicritic sensitivity in patients.

Meaning

Protopathic refers to a form of sensory processing that is primarily concerned with the detection of fundamental sensations rather than detailed or discriminative sensory aspects.