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Thanks for your interesting responses! The pain/itch thing is odd indeed... and the tonic receptors sound like the perfect answer to my question. I wonder if they are called that/function the same way in humans? I hadn't thought of the Christopher Reeve example, but that does sound similar. I wonder how the neurons know which input is the same (i.e. continuing the constant input) and how they know if the input changes... maybe it depends on the intensity of the sensation, and if it becomes more intense, it triggers an action potential, but if it stays the same intensity the number of action potentials sent is limited, and stops after a while?