Somatosensory & Motor Research

My hypothesis of, if two points of a 2cm wide paper clip are pressed on different parts of the body such as the tip of the index finger, the back of the neck, the palm of the hand, the bicep, and the knee, then I will be able to determine that different parts of the body are more sensitive than others by checking if one or two points of the paper clip were felt after being poked, was proven to be true. From the results it is clear to see that different parts of your body happen to be more sensitive than others such as your finger tips and the back of your neck. All of the human subjects were able to feel both tips of the paperclip at the tip of their index finger while only being able to feel a point on the

The two-point discrimination test of the skin is a simple test of the sensory nerve function. Two-point discrimination measures the individual’s capability to distinguish two points of stimuli presented at the same time. The importance of this study is the ability to tell of two points verses than one that pressing on the skin depends on two things: the concentration of the sensory receptors and the connections that the sensory nerve cells make in the brain. An esthesiometer or caliper; compass-type instrument was used to determine limits of two-point discrimination sensitivity in several skin areas on the subject's forearm, thumb and index finger. The

During their study, these researchers found that blind participants performed higher than the sighted control group in a number of auditory, tactile and olfactory tasks ranging from basic sensory up to higher levels of cognitive tasks. According to a study by Muchnik, Efrati, Nemeth, Malin and Hildesheimer (1991) found that blind participants outperformed sighted participants in auditory tasks. Similar results were noted by Alary, Duquette, Goldstein, Elaine, Voss, Buissonniere-Ariza and Lepore (2009) for tactile tasks. Other researchers also found similar results for olfactory perceptual discrimination (Cuevas, Plaza, Rombaux, Volder & Renier, 2009), auditory localization (Lessard, Pare, Lepore and Lassonde, 1998), speech perception (Muchnik et. al, 1991), temporal perception (Muchnik et. al, 1991), voice processing (Klinge, Rӧder & Büchel, 2010b) and short term (Bliss, Kujala & Hamalinen, 2004) -long term memory tasks(Amedi, Raz, Pianka, Malach & Zohary, 2003).

Another section of the brain, located in the middle is called the parietal lobe. This lobe, is in charge of processing tactile sensory information. Touch, pain, and pressure are essential to a persons everyday life and without it could lead to naturalistic numbness. A portion of the brain, known as the somatosensory cortex, is located in this major lobe and helps to the stages of processing body senses.

Dunn’s model proposes that individuals’ neurological thresholds for sensory stimuli and preferred self-regulation strategies influence their motor, behavioral, and emotional responses. A neurological threshold is a point at which a neuron or a sensory system is activated. Neurological thresholds are on a continuum and differ for each sensory system. Self-regulation strategies are also on a continuum and range from passive to active self-regulation strategies. The interaction of the neurological thresholds and self-regulation strategies leads to four sensory processing patterns. Individuals with the sensation-seeking pattern have high thresholds and use active self-regulation strategies and individuals with the sensation avoiding patterns have low thresholds and use active self-regulation strategies. Similarly, individuals with sensory sensitivity patterns have low thresholds and use passive self-regulation strategies and individuals with low registration patterns have high thresholds and use passive self-regulation strategies.

The somatosensory cortex is a segment of cerebrum that oversees real sensations, both proprioceptive sensations (vibes of development or the body's situation in space) and cutaneous sensations (those of weight, vibration, touch, and so forth). Past to the new work, neural inserts focusing on comparable mind regions dominatingly delivered sensations, for example, shivering or humming in the hand. The Andersen lab's embed can deliver significantly more common sensation by means of intracortical incitement, similar to sensations experienced by the patient preceding his damage.

Individuals vary in their behavioral, emotional, and motor responses to sensory stimuli based on their neurological threshold, responses preferences. In addition, their neurological threshold also determines the need for

The difference between the homunculus motor and the homunculus sensory is the homunculus motor is in charge the movements of the body and the homunculus sensory is charge of the sensation. Some of the difference between the motor and sensory homunculus are the hands of the motor are large than the sensory, the motor has no arms and the sensory does, the body of the motor is longer than the body of the sensory, the mouth of the motor is close and the mouth of is open and has the tongue out. Theses difference is what makes each one unique within their function. The sensory homunculus ensures that all the sense and sensation are working properly and the motor homunculus will ensure that the body movement are functioning well. The sensory homunculus

“The second level of integration is reached when the three basic sensations – tactile, vestibular, and proprioceptive – are integrated into body percept, coordination of the two sides of the body, motor planning, activity level, attention span, and emotional stability (Ayres, 2005:54). Although Kianah’s vestibular system is processing input efficiently, her tactile and proprioceptive systems are poorly integrated leading to inefficient somatosensory processing. This leads to several other difficulties and forms the underlying basis for her somatodyspraxia.

Research has cited processing speed and working memory as two of the prominent predictors in age-related changes in complex cognitive performance (e.g., Del Missier et al., 2015; Henninger, Madden, & Huettel, 2010; Salthouse, 1991; Park, 2000). Recent research on functional biomarkers (e.g., visual function, lung function) has increased interest in the role of sensory functioning as a predictor of age-related cognitive changes (e.g., Ansey, 2012). However, sensory functioning measures and biomarkers still need to be validated as predictors of complex cognitions (e.g., Del Missier, 2015; Lindenberger & Ghisletta, 2009; MacDonald et al., 2011; Salthouse, 2014). As such, this paper will solely focus on the role of processing speed and working memory.

Joanni appears to have intact vestibular processing. Joanni demonstrates inadequate proprioceptive and tactile awareness in the hands and fingers as evidence by his inability to appropriately latch his zipper or ability to manipulate other small objects when doing fine motor activities. Proprioception is the way receptors in our joints perceive muscle movements and it is important because those receptors allow us to coordinate movements. The Tactile system works through receptors in our skin which provide us with information about temperature, pressure, touch, and pain. One of the most important functions of the tactile system is to help alert us of danger in our environment A delay in processing this information may impact a person with fine

The average 2 point threshold of the fingertip is 3mm, making it the most sensitive body part tested. There are more sensory neurons in the fingertip than in other parts of the body, which means there is a larger part of the brain that receives and analyzes their signals (Yuhas 2012). “Hairy skin has fewer endings and different kinds, and so produces a different sensory experience; skin

The human body can relate to many items that are used everybody by many. One of those items can be a vending machine. Yes, it is indeed true that a vending machine can in fact be related to the human body, especially motor neurons. When one wants to buy a snack, and have the convenience of a vending machine it acts in the way just as a motor neuron. A motor neuron is a type of neuron that transfers impulses from the central nervous system (CNS) to either a muscle or gland. There are three types of motor neurons, one of them being somatic motor neurons, special visceral motor neurons, and general visceral motor neurons. In our case, we are dealing with somatic motor neurons because the neuron not only begins from the central nervous system,

I was kind of surprised at the first part of this quote; it would have been my assumption that if any part of the sensory systems were to be negatively affected, development would automatically be hindered. This being said, it does make sense that the more sensory systems that are affected, the greater the impact on motor performance is

(Attention) Did you know that there are over 5,000,000 touch receptors in our skin and 3,000 of them are in the finger tips. Imagine all the endorphins being released by the slightest touch of another person.