Final answer:
Most pain signals go through the thalamus before reaching the cortex, but there is also a direct pathway to the hypothalamus. The thalamus is a relay station that sends sensory information to the cortex for processing.
Step-by-step explanation:
Most pain signals go through the thalamus before reaching the cortex. The thalamus is a relay station in the brain that receives sensory information and sends it to the appropriate area of the cortex for processing. However, there is also a nociceptive pathway that projects directly to the hypothalamus, which regulates cardiovascular and neuroendocrine functions.