C-tactile Afferents
C-tactile Afferents - Related Videos
08:05
Testing Tactile Masking between the Forearms
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Cited by 2 •
2016
Here we explore contralateral tactile masking between the forearms in which tactile detection thresholds are modulated by vibration applied to a remote site. The details of which remote sites have an effect can tell us about how the body is represented in the brain.
08:19
In Vitro Characterization of the Electrophysiological Properties of Colonic Afferent Fibers in Rats
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2017
Abnormal sensory function underlies visceral pain and other symptoms of functional and inflammatory bowel diseases. A protocol for the electrophysiological recording of the colonic afferent nerves in an ex vivo rat colorectum preparation is presented here.
08:57
Acute and Chronic Tactile Sensory Testing after Spinal Cord Injury in Rats
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Cited by 55 •
2012
We describe two tactile sensory testing methods for acute or chronic periods of spinal cord injury in rats. These validated procedures can detect the development and maintenance of allodynia-like sensations.
10:32
In Vitro Recording of Mesenteric Afferent Nerve Activity in Mouse Jejunal and Colonic Segments
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Cited by 8 •
2016
Mesenteric afferent nerves convey information from the gastrointestinal tract towards the brain regarding normal homeostasis as well as pathophysiology. Gastrointestinal afferent nerve activity can be assessed by mounting isolated intestinal segments with attached afferent nerves into an organ bath, isolating the nerve, and assessing basal as well as stimulated activity.
14:09
In vitro Functional Characterization of Mouse Colorectal Afferent Endings
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Cited by 21 •
2015
This video demonstrates a protocol for conducting single-fiber electrophysiological recordings on an in vitro mouse colorectum-nerve preparation.
FAQs
These afferents respond preferentially to slow, gentle stroking delivered near skin temperature. Faster or more forceful contact produces different firing patterns, allowing researchers to distinguish touch that carries affective significance from stimulation that primarily conveys physical contact. Comparing these conditions helps reveal how sensory signals associated with pleasantness and affiliative interaction are represented.
Their response patterns are especially useful for examining the affective dimension of touch rather than location alone. Gentle stimulation can therefore be studied not only as information about where contact occurred, but also as a signal related to pleasantness, emotional regulation, and social connection. This distinction helps link peripheral sensory activity with behavioral responses to physical contact.
Touch speed, applied force, body site, and temperature are key variables in controlled studies. Researchers can vary these features systematically to compare responses to gentle, near-temperature stroking with responses to faster or stronger contact. The resulting differences in subjective pleasantness, autonomic activity, or behavior help identify conditions that are most relevant to affective touch.
Signals generated by appropriate gentle contact may contribute to the behavioral effects of affiliative touch, including social interaction and emotional regulation. Research connects these sensory processes with how physical contact is experienced and interpreted. Measuring responses to controlled touch can therefore clarify how bodily sensation supports social behavior without treating all forms of tactile stimulation as equivalent.
A typical paradigm compares stroking conditions that differ in speed, force, temperature, or body site. Participants or experimental subjects then provide measures such as subjective pleasantness, autonomic responses, or social behavior. Keeping the comparisons controlled allows investigators to associate changes in these outcomes with specific properties of the tactile stimulus rather than with touch exposure in general.
Studies may assess how pleasant the touch feels, how the autonomic system responds, or whether social behavior changes after stimulation. These outcomes provide complementary information: subjective ratings address conscious affective experience, autonomic measures capture bodily responses, and behavioral observations show how touch may influence interaction. Together, they help characterize the functional significance of affective tactile signaling.
Their relevance comes from the connection between gentle touch, affective experience, and behavior. In developmental and social-cognition research, they help examine how contact supports interaction and emotional regulation. Clinical research can use the same framework to investigate atypical tactile experiences. Controlled stimulation and behavioral or physiological measurements provide a way to study these differences systematically.