Coding of pleasant touch by unmyelinated afferents in humans

Nat Neurosci. 2009 May;12(5):547-8. doi: 10.1038/nn.2312. Epub 2009 Apr 12.

Abstract

Pleasant touch sensations may begin with neural coding in the periphery by specific afferents. We found that during soft brush stroking, low-threshold unmyelinated mechanoreceptors (C-tactile), but not myelinated afferents, responded most vigorously at intermediate brushing velocities (1-10 cm s(-1)), which were perceived by subjects as being the most pleasant. Our results indicate that C-tactile afferents constitute a privileged peripheral pathway for pleasant tactile stimulation that is likely to signal affiliative social body contact.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Action Potentials / physiology
  • Adaptation, Physiological / physiology
  • Affect / physiology
  • Afferent Pathways / physiology
  • Cerebral Cortex / physiology
  • Electrophysiology
  • Hair Follicle / innervation
  • Hair Follicle / physiology
  • Humans
  • Mechanoreceptors / physiology
  • Mechanotransduction, Cellular / physiology*
  • Nerve Fibers, Unmyelinated / physiology*
  • Perception / physiology
  • Physical Stimulation / methods
  • Reward
  • Sensory Receptor Cells / physiology*
  • Skin / innervation*
  • Skin Physiological Phenomena*
  • Social Behavior
  • Touch / physiology*