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Updated: Jan 1, 2026

Using Facial Electromyography to Assess Facial Muscle Reactions to Experienced and Observed Affective Touch in Humans
Published on: March 15, 2019
Spinal signalling of C-fiber mediated pleasant touch in humans
Andrew G Marshall1,2,3, Manohar L Sharma3, Kate Marley4
1Institute of Aging and Chronic Disease, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
C-tactile afferents form a distinct channel that encodes pleasant tactile stimulation. Prevailing views indicate they project, as with other unmyelinated afferents, in lamina I-spinothalamic pathways. However, we found that spinothalamic ablation in humans, whilst profoundly impairing pain, temperature and itch, had no effect on pleasant touch perception. Only discriminative touch deficits were seen. These findings preclude privileged C-tactile-lamina I-spinothalamic projections and imply integrated hedonic and discriminative spinal processing from the body.
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