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Updated: May 2, 2026
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Acute and Chronic Tactile Sensory Testing after Spinal Cord Injury in Rats
Published on: April 4, 2012
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Rapid experience-dependent plasticity following somatosensory damage
1Department of Psychology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
Current Biology : CB
|March 12, 2014
Summary
Brain damage may increase tactile plasticity. Even one touch can significantly alter touch perception on the affected limb, showing a dynamic sensory system years after injury.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Somatosensory system research
- Human sensory perception
Background:
- Nonhuman primate studies show neural reorganization after brain damage and amputation.
- Experience-dependent plasticity occurs in humans and nonhuman primates due to tactile stimulation.
- Previous research suggests plasticity follows neural damage and tactile experience.
Observation:
- This study investigated tactile localization in two individuals with left hemisphere somatosensory damage from stroke.
- Tactile stimuli were applied to the hand or forearm to assess the impact of prior stimulation on localization.
- The effect of stimulation location on subsequent localization judgments was examined.
Findings:
- A single tactile stimulation induced significant perceptual shifts in tactile localization on the contralesional limb.
- These perceptual shifts occurred in the direction of the preceding stimulation.
- The tactile system demonstrated rapid and substantive perceptual changes in tactile location perception.
Implications:
- Somatosensory damage may enhance experience-dependent tactile plasticity.
- The tactile system remains highly plastic and dynamic, even years after neural damage.
- This suggests potential for novel therapeutic interventions targeting sensory re-organization.
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