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Related Concept Videos

Somatosensation01:33

Somatosensation

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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.
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Sensory Perception: Organization of the Somatosensory System01:11

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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...
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Somatosensory, Motor, and Association Cortex01:24

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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...
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Overview of Somatic Sensory Pathways01:29

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Somatic sensory or somatosensory pathways refer to the neural pathways that carry information related to touch, pressure, pain, temperature, and proprioception from the skin, muscles, tendons, and joints to the brain. These pathways involve several stages of processing and integration of sensory information.
The somatosensory system is divided into three main pathways: the dorsal (or posterior) column-medial lemniscus, spinothalamic (or anterolateral), and spinocerebellar pathways.
The dorsal...
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Tactile and Chemical Senses01:27

Tactile and Chemical Senses

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Tactile senses encompass touch, temperature, and pain, each mediated by specific receptors. Touch receptors detect mechanical energy or pressure against the skin. Sensory fibers from these receptors enter the spinal cord and relay information to the brain stem. Here, most fibers cross over to the opposite side of the brain. The touch information then moves to the thalamus, which projects a map of the body's surface onto the somatosensory areas of the parietal lobes in the cerebral cortex.
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Sensory Functions of the Skin01:16

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The skin is the largest organ of the human body and plays a crucial role in our sensory perception. It contains a vast network of sensory receptors that contribute to the skin's protective function by perceiving physical, biological, and environmental cues and generating relevant responses.
There are two main categories of receptors on the skin: capsulated and non-capsulated. The non-capsulated ones are mainly the pain receptors. The capsulated ones can be further categorized based on the...
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Quantitative Assessment of Cortical Auditory-tactile Processing in Children with Disabilities
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Sensory processing sensitivity and somatosensory brain activation when feeling touch.

Michael Schaefer1, Anja Kühnel2, Matti Gärtner2

  • 1Medical School Berlin, Rüdesheimer Str. 50, 14197, Berlin, Germany. michael.schaefer@medicalschool-berlin.de.

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Summary

Individuals with high sensory processing sensitivity show distinct brain activity patterns. Their brains exhibit heightened responses in the insular cortex during tactile stimulation, suggesting a unique processing of affective touch.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychology
  • Personality Research

Background:

  • Sensory processing sensitivity (SPS) is a personality trait characterized by heightened awareness of environmental and social stimuli.
  • Approximately 15-20% of the population is estimated to possess high SPS, experiencing subtle stimuli differently.
  • Previous research suggests SPS is linked to distinct somatic sensations and perceptual differences.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if brain sensory perception differs in individuals with high sensory processing sensitivity.
  • To examine the neural correlates of sensory processing sensitivity during tactile stimulation.
  • To explore the relationship between SPS and other personality traits like the Big Five and empathy.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized the German version of the Highly Sensitive Person scale to quantify SPS.
  • Assessed Big Five personality dimensions and trait empathy using the IRI questionnaire.
  • Employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure brain activity during gentle touch stimulation.

Main Results:

  • SPS positively correlated with neuroticism, openness, and empathy; introversion was not a significant predictor.
  • fMRI data revealed no significant differences in primary or secondary somatosensory cortex activity.
  • A positive association was found between SPS and Blood-Oxygen-Level-Dependent (BOLD) activity in the left posterior insular cortex.

Conclusions:

  • Sensory processing sensitivity is associated with distinct neural processing in the insular cortex.
  • The findings suggest SPS relates to insula-mediated affective touch perception.
  • This research provides neuroimaging evidence for the unique sensory processing in highly sensitive individuals.