![]() Neurological case studies show that in humans it happens in the forebrain, the thalamo-cortical system, where the right kind of lesions on pathways to the anterior cingulate cortex can knock it out. Pain is a complex emotional mental state. Signals from these nociceptors are rapidly relayed to the spinal cord and brain, where it usually leads to automatic responses such as withdrawal reflexes or avoidance behavior, as well as changes in heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, and other metabolic functions.īut, as counter-intuitive as it sounds, nociception by itself is not pain. Vertebrates have specialized nerve cells throughout their peripheral nervous system called nociceptors, which are sensitive to tissue damage. The evolution of vertebrates and invertebrates diverged from each other long before central nervous systems came along, so many of the structures we associate with cognition and pain are either radically different or missing.Įven in vertebrates, we have to be careful. Pain in crustaceans such as crawfish, as well as invertebrates overall, is a difficult issue. ![]() Far easier to conclude that they have no real sentience, and to squash any sentiment that they might, particularly in kids who might go on to ask difficult questions. No one wants to consider that we may be subjecting these creatures to unconscionable suffering. In retrospect, after seeing other kids get the treatment over the years, I now see the teasing as a defensive reaction. But the disquiet each time I saw it never went away, although I eventually learned to keep my mouth shut. When I was a boy, I mentioned this once or twice, and was teased for it, both by adults and other kids, for essentially being concerned about the welfare of “mud bugs.” At the time I accepted this as a correction for attributing too much intelligence and feelings to these creatures. And how long they remain alive in that pot. When the squirming wriggling mass of crawfish are lowered into the boiling water, I’ve always had a moment of dread and mortification, wondering how much these creatures are suffering in their final moments. Although for me it’s a mostly social thing because I can take or leave crawfish as a food.Īnyway, it had been a while since I observed the actual cooking process. Eating boiled crawfish (crayfish for you non-Cajuns) is an ever present activity in southern Louisiana, at least when they’re in season, and I’ve had my share over the years. ![]() Recently I visited one of my cousins and, as is tradition for a lot of people this time of year, we had a crawfish boil. Image credit: Giovanni Handal via Wikipedia
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