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Tactile experience does not ameliorate age-related reductions in sensory function
Steve Guest1, Anahit Mehrabyan, Rochelle Ackerley
1a Regional Center for Neurosensory Disorders, School of Dentistry , University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill , North Carolina , USA.
Experimental Aging Research
|January 29, 2014
Summary
Age-related decline in tactile sensory function is confirmed. However, greater tactile experience did not improve tactile acuity, though it enhanced subjective touch perception in older adults.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Sensory Perception
Background:
- Sensory function, including tactile acuity, declines with age.
- High levels of manual dexterity or tactile expertise may potentially mitigate age-related sensory loss.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between tactile experience, aging, and tactile sensory performance.
- To determine if tactile expertise can preserve tactile function in older adults.
Main Methods:
- Eighty participants (18-58 years) were assessed for tactile experience via self-assessment.
- Evaluated tactile sensory performance, manual dexterity (haptic efficiency), and subjective responses to tactile stimulation.
Main Results:
- Confirmed age-related degradation in tactile sensory acuity.
- No significant evidence found that tactile expertise preserved acuity with age.
- Increased tactile experience correlated with richer subjective descriptions of textures, not improved objective performance.
Conclusions:
- The extent of tactile experience in the study sample was insufficient to maintain sensory function during aging.
- While objective tactile acuity may decline, subjective perception of touch can be influenced by experience.
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