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Related Concept Videos

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.
Motor and Sensory Areas of the Cortex01:14

Motor 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.
Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex01:23

Somatosensory, 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...
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...
Physiology of Emotion01:20

Physiology of Emotion

The physiology of emotions is a multifaceted process involving the autonomic nervous system, brain structures, hormones, and neurotransmitters. This intricate interplay dictates how emotions manifest in the body and influence behavior.
Autonomic Nervous System
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a critical role in emotional responses by regulating involuntary physiological functions. It consists of two main components: the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. The sympathetic system...
Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System01:15

Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System

The limbic system, often called the "emotional brain," is a complex set of structures located deep within the brain. The intricate network of the limbic system supports a wide range of psychological functions, from emotional regulation to memory formation and sensory processing. This functional brain region encompasses specific parts of the diencephalon and the cerebrum, integrating the higher mental functions of the cerebral cortex with the primitive emotional responses of the deep brain...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 27, 2026

Using Facial Electromyography to Assess Facial Muscle Reactions to Experienced and Observed Affective Touch in Humans
04:27

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

Published on: March 15, 2019

Brain mechanisms for processing affective touch.

Ilanit Gordon1, Avery C Voos, Randi H Bennett

  • 1Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.

Human Brain Mapping
|November 30, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Gentle touch activates a network of brain regions beyond the insula, including areas for social cognition. This finding supports the role of C-tactile (CT) pathways in social development and affective touch processing.

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Intravital Two-Photon Imaging of Touch Sensory Axon Morphology in Mouse Skin
07:51

Intravital Two-Photon Imaging of Touch Sensory Axon Morphology in Mouse Skin

Published on: December 30, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 27, 2026

Using Facial Electromyography to Assess Facial Muscle Reactions to Experienced and Observed Affective Touch in Humans
04:27

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

Published on: March 15, 2019

Intravital Two-Photon Imaging of Touch Sensory Axon Morphology in Mouse Skin
07:51

Intravital Two-Photon Imaging of Touch Sensory Axon Morphology in Mouse Skin

Published on: December 30, 2025

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Social Psychology
  • Psychophysiology

Background:

  • Touch is vital for social development, yet brain mechanisms of social touch are understudied.
  • C-tactile (CT) nerves in hairy skin respond to gentle touch, projecting to the insular cortex.
  • The CT-system is hypothesized as an evolutionarily conserved mechanism for social development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate brain regions involved in processing C-tactile (CT)-supported affective touch.
  • To characterize the neural network beyond the insula engaged by CT-targeted touch.

Main Methods:

  • Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to study 22 healthy adults.
  • Participants received manual brush strokes to the arm or palm.
  • Blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) responses were analyzed, including connectivity analyses.

Main Results:

  • CT-targeted affective touch to the arm activated a network including the posterior insula, right posterior superior temporal sulcus, and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC)/dorso anterior cingulate cortex (dACC).
  • Connectivity analyses showed coactivation between the mPFC/dACC seed and the left insula and amygdala during arm touch.
  • Gentle brushing of the palm did not elicit the same widespread network activation.

Conclusions:

  • A network of brain regions, including those involved in social perception and cognition, processes CT-targeted affective touch.
  • These findings expand our understanding of the neural basis of social touch beyond the insular cortex.
  • The study highlights the brain's intricate response to affective touch, crucial for social development.