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Related Concept Videos

Sensory Functions of the Skin01:16

Sensory Functions of the Skin

The skin is the largest organ of the human body and plays a crucial role in our sensory perception. It contains a vast network of sensory receptors that contribute to the skin's protective function by perceiving physical, biological, and environmental cues and generating relevant responses.
There are two main categories of receptors on the skin: capsulated and non-capsulated. The non-capsulated ones are mainly the pain receptors. The capsulated ones can be further categorized based on the...
Sensory Perception: Organization of the Somatosensory System01:11

Sensory Perception: Organization of the Somatosensory System

The somatosensory system is the central and peripheral nervous system component that senses and processes touch, pressure, pain, temperature, and body position or proprioception. The process of sensation takes place at three levels:
The receptor level:
The receptor level is the first stage of sensation. It involves the detection of a stimulus by specialized sensory receptors. The stimulus must arrive within the receptor's receptive field. Next, the receptor converts the energy of the stimulus...
Association Areas of the Cortex01:21

Association Areas of the Cortex

Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
Somatosensation01:33

Somatosensation

The somatosensory system relays sensory information from the skin, mucous membranes, limbs, and joints. Somatosensation is more familiarly known as the sense of touch. A typical somatosensory pathway includes three types of long neurons: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary neurons have cell bodies located near the spinal cord in groups of neurons called dorsal root ganglia. The sensory neurons of ganglia innervate designated areas of skin called dermatomes.
Introduction to Special Senses01:26

Introduction to Special Senses

Sensory receptors play an integral part in comprehending our external and internal environments. They receive diverse stimuli, converting them into the nervous system's electrochemical signals. This conversion occurs as the stimulus alters the sensory neuron's cell membrane potential, instigating the generation of an action potential. This action potential is subsequently transmitted to the central nervous system (CNS), which integrates with other sensory data or higher cognitive functions.
Sensory Modalities01:15

Sensory Modalities

Sensation typically is the process by which the sensory receptors and sense organs detect stimuli from the internal and external environment and transmit this information to the central nervous system for processing.
General senses refer to the broad category of sensory information detected by receptors in the body and can be further grouped into somatic and visceral senses. Somatic sensations include touch, pressure, temperature, and pain and are essential for navigating our environment and...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Protocol for Data Collection and Analysis Applied to Automated Facial Expression Analysis Technology and Temporal Analysis for Sensory Evaluation
07:12

Protocol for Data Collection and Analysis Applied to Automated Facial Expression Analysis Technology and Temporal Analysis for Sensory Evaluation

Published on: August 26, 2016

The face as a sensory organ.

Maria Siemionow1, Bahar Bassiri Gharb, Antonio Rampazzo

  • 1Cleveland, Ohio From the Dermatology and Plastic Surgery Institute, Cleveland Clinic.

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
|February 3, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Facial sensation restoration is crucial for facial transplantation success. Understanding complex facial sensory pathways and objective assessment methods is key for functional recovery.

Area of Science:

  • Neurosurgery
  • Reconstructive Surgery
  • Sensory Neuroscience

Background:

  • The human face is vital for sensory input and communication.
  • Facial transplantation offers excellent defect reconstruction, shifting focus to functional recovery.
  • Facial sensation restoration has lagged behind motor function recovery in transplantation research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current knowledge on facial sensory pathways and functions.
  • To evaluate methods for sensory assessment in facial transplantation.
  • To analyze data on normal facial sensation.

Main Methods:

  • Comprehensive literature review on facial sensory pathways.
  • Investigation of sensory assessment techniques.
  • Analysis of factors influencing normal facial sensation.

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Using Facial Electromyography to Assess Facial Muscle Reactions to Experienced and Observed Affective Touch in Humans
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Conscious and Non-conscious Representations of Emotional Faces in Asperger's Syndrome
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Conscious and Non-conscious Representations of Emotional Faces in Asperger's Syndrome

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Using Facial Electromyography to Assess Facial Muscle Reactions to Experienced and Observed Affective Touch in Humans
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Main Results:

  • Confirmed presence of various sensory receptors (Meissner, Ruffini, Merkel, free nerve endings) and nerve cross-communications.
  • Identified two-point discrimination and pressure thresholds as objective sensory measures.
  • Demonstrated influence of age, sex, and smoking on sensation; highlighted anatomical nerve variations impacting transplantation.

Conclusions:

  • Facial sensory pathways are complex, influencing somatic and visceral responses.
  • Restoring facial sensation requires considering diverse mechanisms during transplantation.
  • Objective assessment and anatomical knowledge are vital for successful facial sensation recovery post-transplant.