DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

 

What is touch?

 

Touch is the ability to physically come in contact with an object or someone. The sense of touch is important because it can react quickly to a painful stimuli removing yourself from a dangerous situation. Touch is controlled by a large network of nerve endings and touch receptors in the skin known as somatosensory system. This system is very complex because it controls any sensation either be it hot, cold, painful, or rough, etc. 

 

What is the mechanism of touch?

 

  • A stimulus stimulates a sensory receptor that is then converted into an electrical impulse. 
  • Sensory neurons take the electrical signal to the central nervous system from the receptors of the peripheral nervous system. 
  • The message travels from the spinal cord to the brain and once the signal reaches the brain, the brain analyzes the signal and registers the effect of the stimulus 
  • Sendsout an appropriate response depending on the stimulus that first activated the sensory receptors.

What disorders are associated with the loss of touch?

 

The sense of touch can be impaired in three different areas depending on what causes the loss of sense of touch.

  • If there is an interruption in the brain by a stroke or tumor it can cause numbness or complete loss of sensation of touch.
  • If the spinal cord is injured, it will cause paraplegia meaning one half of the body is paralyzed and sensation is lost.
  • A person suffering from diabetes can complain of tingling or numbness of the hands due to an interruption of the peripheral nerves.
  • Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease has also been associated with the loss of being able to sense touch. " Parkinson's disease is most commonly viewed as a "movement disorder," scientists have found that the disease also causes widespread abnormalities in touch and vision -- effects that have now been verified using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of the brain."

 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061018094705.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.
DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.
DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.