Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Somatosensation

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.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Differences in perceived travel distance from central versus peripheral optic flow are the same when standing and walking.

PloS one·2026

Same author

How the characteristics of a virtual environment affects the perception of travel distance through it.

PloS one·2026

Same author

Feasibility and impact of virtual reality exposure therapy on epilepsy-specific anxiety: Phase 3 of the AnxEpiVR pilot clinical trial.

Epilepsy & behavior reports·2026

Same author

Failure to replicate the Aubert-Fleischl effect.

PloS one·2025

Same author

Audio-Visual Integration in 3D Space Near the Body.

Multisensory research·2025

Same author

Can visual acceleration evoke a sensation of tilt?

Experimental brain research·2025

Same journal

Changes in synergy formation and modulation during cyclic finger force production tasks in female adults with dystonic cerebral palsy.

Experimental brain research·2026

Same journal

Molecular links between reelin downregulation, topoisomerase IIβ alterations, and proteins involved in Alzheimer pathology in human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell line.

Experimental brain research·2026

Same journal

Motor cortex excitability during spine shape-judgment in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a TMS motor evoked potential study.

Experimental brain research·2026

Same journal

Trajectory dynamics and endpoint accuracy in targeted ballistic contractions.

Experimental brain research·2026

Same journal

Exploring Sevoflurane promotes hippocampal neuron mitophagy in elderly postoperative cognitive dysfunction by HSP90AA1 based on network pharmacology.

Experimental brain research·2026

Same journal

Loading modulates monosynaptic transmission from spindle primary afferents to motoneurons in humans.

Experimental brain research·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 5, 2026

Testing Tactile Masking between the Forearms

Testing Tactile Masking between the Forearms

Published on: February 10, 2016

Contralateral tactile masking between forearms.

Sarah D'Amour¹, Laurence R Harris

¹Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada, saod16@yorku.ca.

Experimental Brain Research

|December 6, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Tactile masking effects demonstrate that touch on one arm can reduce sensitivity on the other. This long-range inhibition suggests a connected tactile system between the body

More Related Videos

Online Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of Dorsomedial and Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Cognition Decision Making, and Cognitive Dissonance

Online Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of Dorsomedial and Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Cognition Decision Making, and Cognitive Dissonance

Published on: December 5, 2025

A Tactile Automated Passive-Finger Stimulator TAPS

A Tactile Automated Passive-Finger Stimulator TAPS

Published on: June 3, 2009

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 5, 2026

Testing Tactile Masking between the Forearms

Testing Tactile Masking between the Forearms

Published on: February 10, 2016

Online Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of Dorsomedial and Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Cognition Decision Making, and Cognitive Dissonance

Online Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation of Dorsomedial and Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Cognition Decision Making, and Cognitive Dissonance

Published on: December 5, 2025

A Tactile Automated Passive-Finger Stimulator TAPS

A Tactile Automated Passive-Finger Stimulator TAPS

Published on: June 3, 2009

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Somatosensation
Human Physiology

Background:

Tactile sensitivity can be influenced by nearby stimuli through local lateral inhibition.
Cortical tactile maps exhibit inhibitory pathways between the left and right sides of the body.
Previous reports suggest touch on one limb may affect contralateral tactile sensitivity.

Purpose of the Study:

To quantify the spatial tuning of contralateral tactile masking.
To investigate the influence of posture on contralateral tactile masking.
To explore the extent of long-range inhibitory effects in the human tactile system.

Main Methods:

Measuring tactile sensitivity on the forearm while applying vibrotactile masking stimulation to the contralateral arm.
Comparing masking effects with arms touching versus held parallel.
Assessing the impact of masking stimulus location on tactile sensitivity reduction.

Main Results:

Tactile sensitivity on the forearm was significantly reduced (over 3 dB) when contralateral arms were touching.
A smaller but significant reduction (0.52 dB) was observed when arms were held parallel.
Masking effectiveness decreased with increasing distance between stimulation sites, falling off by 1 standard deviation at 29% of arm length.

Conclusions:

Contralateral tactile masking is a demonstrable phenomenon in humans.
The degree of masking is dependent on the relative positioning of the limbs.
These findings reveal a long-range inhibitory interaction within the tactile system, indicating a strong connection between the two sides of the body.