Document Detail


Receptor encoding of moving tactile stimuli in humans. II. The mean response of individual low-threshold mechanoreceptors to motion across the receptive field.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  7823185     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The mean firing rate evoked in 70 cutaneous, low-threshold mechanoreceptors in the human median, radial, and inferior alveolar nerves by stimulus motion across the skin was quantitatively studied. Moving stimuli, controlled for velocity, direction, and length of skin traversed, were provided by a servo-controlled motor that carried a brush across the receptive field. Each unit was studied with stimuli delivered at multiple velocities from 0.5 to 32 cm/sec in at least two opposing directions. A power function provided an excellent description of the MFR-versus-velocity relationship. The exponent n was interpreted to reflect the receptor's sensitivity to changes in stimulus velocity, and the multiplicative constant c, the predicted response to stimuli moving at 1.0 cm/sec. The fast adapting mechanoreceptors exhibited higher sensitivity to stimulus velocity than the slowly adapting mechanoreceptors. The mean velocity at which the fast adapting units were predicted to first respond to movement was also higher. Estimates of n, c, or both differed significantly for stimuli delivered in opposing directions for more than 70% of the mechanoreceptors. No direction of motion consistently led to power function parameters with higher values so as to suggest a "preferred" regional direction of motion for the entire population. Neither the directional difference in n nor c could be attributed to directional differences in the forces applied across the receptive fields. These findings suggest that information about velocity and direction is represented in the mean firing rate responses evoked in the population of mechanoreceptors activated by a moving tactile stimulus.
Authors:
G K Essick; B B Edin
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience     Volume:  15     ISSN:  0270-6474     ISO Abbreviation:  J. Neurosci.     Publication Date:  1995 Jan 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1995-02-16     Completed Date:  1995-02-16     Revised Date:  2008-11-21    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8102140     Medline TA:  J Neurosci     Country:  UNITED STATES    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  848-64     Citation Subset:  IM; S    
Affiliation:
Dental Research Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 27599-7455.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Humans
Male
Mechanoreceptors / physiology*
Middle Aged
Motion Perception / physiology*
Physical Stimulation
Sensory Receptor Cells / physiology*
Sensory Thresholds
Skin / innervation
Time Factors
Touch / physiology*
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
DE07509/DE/NIDCR NIH HHS

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


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