Document Detail


Discriminating smooth from grooved surfaces: effects of random variations in skin penetration.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  18443774     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The ability to discriminate a smooth surface from a grooved one depends on several variables, including the width of the grooves and the force with which the skin is contacted. It has been hypothesized that this smooth-grooved discrimination with statically presented stimuli is based on intensity cues, namely, the overall difference in perceived intensity between the smooth and grooved surfaces. To test this hypothesis, the perceived intensities of test stimuli were varied on a trial-by-trial basis by varying the depth of penetration the contactor was allowed to travel into the skin. As compared to a control condition in which stimuli were presented with the same average penetration and contrary to the hypothesis, random variations in penetration produced no decline in smooth-grooved performance. The total amount of conformance was an accurate predictor of sensitivity across various penetrations and across two test sites (distal finger pad and finger base). It appears that subjects are making absolute rather than comparative judgments in the smooth-grooved task. A recently developed continuum mechanical model of the responses of first-order mechanoreceptive afferents to static stimuli provided both a good fit to the data and indicated what aspect of the peripheral neural image was relevant for discriminating smooth surfaces from grooved surfaces.
Authors:
James C Craig; Roger P Rhodes; Gregory O Gibson; Sliman J Bensmaia
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural     Date:  2008-04-29
Journal Detail:
Title:  Experimental brain research. Experimentelle Hirnforschung. Expérimentation cérébrale     Volume:  188     ISSN:  1432-1106     ISO Abbreviation:  Exp Brain Res     Publication Date:  2008 Jul 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2008-06-18     Completed Date:  2008-08-20     Revised Date:  2009-11-11    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0043312     Medline TA:  Exp Brain Res     Country:  Germany    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  331-40     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, 1101 E. 10th Street, Bloomington, IN 47405-7007, USA. craigj@indiana.edu
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adolescent
Adult
Afferent Pathways / physiology
Discrimination (Psychology)
Female
Fingers / anatomy & histology,  innervation*,  physiology*
Humans
Magnetics
Male
Mechanoreceptors / physiology
Neurons / physiology*
Sensation / physiology*
Sensory Thresholds / physiology*
Skin / anatomy & histology*,  innervation*
Skin Physiological Phenomena*
Surface Properties
Touch
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
DC00095/DC/NIDCD NIH HHS; NS18787/NS/NINDS NIH HHS

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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