Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 27, 2026
04:27
Using Facial Electromyography to Assess Facial Muscle Reactions to Experienced and Observed Affective Touch in Humans
Published on: March 15, 2019
Pleasant human touch is represented in pregenual anterior cingulate cortex.
Lenita Lindgren1, Göran Westling, Christine Brulin
1Department of Nursing, Umeå University, Sweden. lenita.lindgren@nurs.umu.se
Neuroimage
|November 22, 2011
Summary
Touch massage (TM) activates brain regions associated with pleasant sensations, particularly when combined with movement. This research deepens our understanding of how pleasant touch impacts well-being and pain relief.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Touch massage (TM) is a clinical treatment known to improve well-being and reduce anxiety, stress, and pain.
- The neural mechanisms underlying the positive effects of TM, especially the role of pleasant touch and movement, remain largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the brain's response to human touch combined with movement using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
- To test the hypothesis that combined human touch and movement elicit specific responses in brain areas associated with pleasant sensations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized fMRI to examine brain activity during four touch conditions: human touch with/without movement, and rubber glove with/without movement.
- Standardized force (2.5 N) and velocity (1.5 cm/s) across all conditions.
- Collected subjective pleasantness ratings using a visual analog scale (VAS-scale).
Main Results:
- Human touch, especially with movement, was rated as most pleasant.
- fMRI data showed strongest activation in the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pgACC) during TM stimulation.
- This pgACC activation aligns with known responses to rewarding stimuli, opioid analgesia, and placebo effects.
Conclusions:
- Human touch combined with movement significantly activates the pgACC, a key area for processing pleasant sensations.
- These findings contribute to understanding the neurobiological basis of TM's therapeutic benefits.
- The study highlights the importance of considering both touch quality and movement in therapeutic touch interventions.
Related Concept Videos
01:33Somatosensation
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.
01:15Techniques of therapeutic communication I: Active Listening, Sharing Observations, Validation, and Using Touch
The history of therapeutic communication can be traced back to Florence Nightingale, who emphasized the importance of developing trusting relationships with patients. She taught that the presence of nurses with patients results in therapeutic healing.
Therapeutic communication is not the same as social interaction. Social interaction has no goal or purpose and consists of casual information sharing, whereas therapeutic communication has a plan or purpose for the conversation. Therapeutic...
Therapeutic communication is not the same as social interaction. Social interaction has no goal or purpose and consists of casual information sharing, whereas therapeutic communication has a plan or purpose for the conversation. Therapeutic...
01:23Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex
The somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobes is crucial for interpreting sensory data such as touch, temperature, and proprioception. The somatosensory cortex, situated in the parietal lobes, plays a vital role in interpreting sensory information like touch, temperature, and proprioception—awareness of body position. This specialized brain region features an organized structure wherein neurons at the top primarily process sensations originating from the lower body. In contrast, those at the...
01:43Thermosensation
Peripheral thermosensation is the perception of external temperature. A change in temperature (on the surface of the skin and other tissues) is detected by a family of temperature-sensitive ion channels called Transient Receptor Potential, or TRP, receptors. These receptors are located on free nerve endings. Those detecting cold temperatures are closer to the surface of the skin than the nerve endings detecting warmth. These thermoTRP channels, while temperature selective, have relatively...
01:14Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex
The cerebral cortex, the brain's outermost layer, is pivotal in processing complex cognitive tasks, emotions, and various sensory inputs and executing voluntary motor activities. This intricate structure is divided into three primary functional areas: the motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.
Motor Areas
The motor areas located in the frontal lobe are central to controlling voluntary movements. This region is further subdivided into the primary motor cortex and the premotor cortex.
01:21Association 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,...
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,...