Contralateral tactile masking between forearms
Contralateral tactile masking between forearms
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DOI：
10.1007/s00221-013-3791-y
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发表时间：
2014-03-01
影响因子：
2
通讯作者：
Harris, Laurence R.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
D'Amour, Sarah;Harris, Laurence R.
掩蔽效应已经被证明，其中当身体表面上的一个触摸接近另一个触摸时，触觉灵敏度受到影响。这种效应可能是局部侧抑制回路的结果，该回路使给定触觉感受器的空间调谐变得尖锐。相互抑制的途径也已被证明之间的皮质触觉地图的两个身体的一半。偶尔有报告表明，触摸一只手或前臂会影响对侧位置的触觉敏感度。在这里，我们测量空间调谐和姿势对这种对侧掩蔽效应的影响。触觉灵敏度测量的一个前臂，而振动触觉掩蔽刺激施加到另一只arm.Results进行了比较，而振动触觉刺激施加到右肩上的控制部位的敏感性。前臂的灵敏度降低超过3分贝时，手臂接触和0.52分贝时，他们保持平行。掩蔽效应取决于掩蔽刺激的位置。当刺激距离对应对侧点为臂长的29%时，其有效性下降1个标准差。触觉系统中的这种长距离抑制效应表明，身体两侧之间存在着令人惊讶的亲密关系。
Masking effects have been demonstrated in which tactile sensitivity is affected when one touch is close to another on the body surface. Such effects are likely a result of local lateral inhibitory circuits that sharpen the spatial tuning of a given tactile receptor. Mutually inhibitory pathways have also been demonstrated between cortical tactile maps of the two halves of the body. Occasional reports have indicated that touches on one hand or forearm can affect tactile sensitivity at contralateral locations. Here, we measure the spatial tuning and effect of posture on this contralateral masking effect. Tactile sensitivity was measured on one forearm, while vibrotactile masking stimulation was applied to the opposite arm. Results were compared to sensitivity while vibrotactile stimulation was applied to a control site on the right shoulder. Sensitivity on the forearm was reduced by over 3 dB when the arms were touching and by 0.52 dB when they were held parallel. The masking effect depended on the position of the masking stimulus. Its effectiveness fell off by 1 STD when the stimulus was 29 % of arm length from the corresponding contralateral point. This long-range inhibitory effect in the tactile system suggests a surprisingly intimate relationship between the two sides of the body.